It’s about 7 o’clock in the evening and we’re making stuff at The Lab. Andrew’s over there building a po
rtable darkroom (minilab, he calls it) for making wet plates in the field, and tinkering. Last time I glanced over he was yanking something with a pair of pliers – I just looked back and it’s got hinges on it now. It’s made from stuff that was being put out for hard rubbish next door, plus some bits and pieces.
He also has a roll of paper that appears to be three times longer than he is tall. Dunno whats going on with that one.
Again, Andrew Dearman Is A Genius.
I’m working on my albumen printing notes (gold toning, hell yes) and halfheartedly trying to make a print from a glass plate negative under the halogen lamps – they put out some UV but not really enough for Albumen. I’m also wandering around Google trying to find the right bulb to adapt to our proper Ultraviolet exposure unit. It’s a repurposed plate burner from the printing industry with a Very Nice vacuum easel and integrated timer, but the bulb needs a lot more oomph for our purposes.
Aurelia‘s behind me talking sweetly to her 4×5″ speed graphic, making Ambrotypes towards her PhD and a solo show next month, and judging by the humming and the slight dancing she’s winning pretty hard. She trialed a new way to varnish her plates that seems to be rockin’ as well.
And I’m standing here having very large pangs of, “Oh yeah, that’s why we spent months building this thing”, and “God Damn that was worth it”, and “wait did I eat dinner? where did that mi goreng get to anyway”.
’tis an awesome night for making things with awesome friends.