SO WHAT is a chemigram?

 i am getting ready to do more chemigrams as soon as the rain (and winter) clears. Spring maybe, summer definitely.   So what is a chemigram?

Here is a technical rundown - in short: 

A chemigram is a camera-less photographic image.  You apply darkroom chemicals directly onto photo paper resulting in a unique, abstract image.  This technique is a mix of photography, drawing, printmaking.  Artistic experimentation, i think, is key.

Mark making experiments yield a diversity of possibilities. This is undertaken by applying resists, allowing light to affect the paper (exposure), and placing the paper into developer and fixer solutions.  The image relies on direct interaction with the darkroom chemicals on the photographic paper.

Outcomes are affected by the different resists, chemical interactions and exposure times resulting in unique and often abstract images.  have a look at the book of experiments i created whilst exploring chemigram technqiues.

Pierre Cordier is considered the father of the chemigram technique. (Wikepedia)

                                                                                                                                        see previous articles on the blog -  this one explores the fern and this one shows a     variety of chemigrams during exploration and studio 'play'                                                                                                                                                                                  and THIS ONE is a handmade artist book - on-of-a-kind 'drawing' with oysters.            This little book OISTRE - was a finalist in the 2025 Burnie Print Art Prize                                                                                                                                                                        

explorations here of the early idea of the OISTRE premise on our you-tube channel 

DO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.

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