Cliché-Verre is a unique photograph that is made by using a printmaking process of "etching" into the surface of a dried emulsion upon a transparent material like glass or mylar. Using a variety of "printing-plates," normal black and white photographs can be transformed into fascinating abstract, textural shapes and patterns.
Similar to cyanotypes, the cliché-verre process is expressive, allowing you to apply painting and drawing techniques like mark-making to create fascinating and expressive textures.
Create a few practice transparencies to experiment with. Try coating one solid, and then scratching into it, or brushing the ink onto the surface, or watering it down, splattering it, wiping it, using a sponge, or even sticking different textures onto the surface, letting it dry, and then peeling them off, (see leaf texture in slideshow)
Once you have a few to work with, choose images that might work well with the textures and surfaces...Be open-minded and try different possibilities. Contact print to make it negative, use your ortho-lithos, consider layering multiple transparencies together, or creating new ones!
Cliché-Verre Problem
You will be asked to submit a mini-portfolio of three cliche-verre prints. These images should share a visual connection, and be presented together as one work for the critique.
Also, here's a link to a photographer who makes beautiful cliche-verre prints using intricate patterns named Peter Feldstein, a link to his website can be found here.
