I work in a variety of media and work up studies in watercolor, ink wash on frosted glass or mylar--as well as scanning my studies to increase or alter their proportions so they fit on solarplates. Moreover I never do editions, but prefer to paint the plates differently each time I print. So, technically or strictly speaking, is my work considered "photographic" because I use a scanner to make a transparency?

Some examples of the actual work can be downloaded in a PDF at the following link:

http://home.comcast.net/~robertdente/ink_s...s_monograph.pdf


:blink:

Robert,

I would think it wouldn't be considered photographic technically because a camera is not used to capture any image. I would consider your work to be in the monoprint medium with the solarplate being the substrate using digital tools to make your image.

The only reason I put 'non photographic' in this forum description was to make it easier for someone coming here to look for answers about particular etching methods as there are numerous techniques in etching before even getting into photo techniques. When someone specifies 'photo etching' or 'photo intaglio', that means the plate is made with a photo emulsion of some sort, whether it is hand drawn of from photographic origin. Does this make sense?

This is just my opinion, I'd like to hear others take on this.

Monoprint is a medium I forgot to make a forum for, maybe I will, a Monoprint and Monotype forum...

Jennifer

Thanks Jennifer. I suspect that there are now lots of photographers and illustrators who use digital programs that blatantly disguise their use of photographs with filters that apply a kind of automatic "technique" -- making it hard to detect. I used the watercolor filter in Photoshop for a while as a kind of preview, but I soon realized the limitations of the programming options. It's the accidents in using any medium where the growth and originality of a personal vision comes from.

I agree with Jennifer, that you're doing Monoprints. As I understand it, a monotype is a unique image, where monoprints have some unique aspect along with a repeatable element. Hand-painting over a solarplate image is a good example.

I suspect that the term "photopolymer" might lead to some confusion, since you can work with these films in ways that have nothing to do with photography.

Best, David.

Thanks David!