Failed Experiments

fragmented failed transfer print on

I promised some failed experiments today and so I present two recent ones that just didn’t turn out. Although taking the extra effort to photograph these and prepare this post has endeared them to me more than I expected. I find myself looking at the photographs and slowly, partly redeeming them…so “Perpetual Little Particles” came about because I had just purchased some Light Pumice Gel at the art store and my first transfer with it went flawlessly (that one became a postcard that was posted on IG on Wednesday, actually). In my excitement, I tried another bigger transfer – and I’m not sure if I applied the medium too thickly or what, but it came apart as I pulled the plastic sheet away. But I can say the Light Pumice Gel gives the texture that it promises on the tub and it reminds me of fine sand at the beach.

closeup of failed transfer on blue painted background

This next one was a case of handling the piece too much. The initial transfer of a photograph of the author James Baldwin went perfectly – I was thrilled with how it looked over the foil backing. And so, if one transfer was good, more must be better! I wound up having a gummy mess with the different media applied too thickly. I’ve considered sanding down the gummed up areas to see if that will salvage the piece and seeing it again for the post has reinvigorated my will to do that.

failed transfer print of author James Baldwin over gold foil
closeup of a failed transfer of a photograph of author James Baldwin

15 comments

    1. Thank you, Kerfe! That’s true – and sometimes I am happily surprised by the “unexpected outcomes” – on the “perpetual little” I found some solace in the interesting sand patterns the transfer medium left behind.

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      4. I had the same – I didn’t get all 31 either. I did have one lady who had mine returned to her (she wisely put her return address): it was marked “undeliverable” for no reason! She reached out to me via Popo and sent me a picture – the address was fine. So, who knows?

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    1. Thank you – maybe the better term is “unexpected outcomes” 🙂 and I find I am often the worst judge of my own work

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