The Daguerreotype: Contemporary work by Jonathan Danforth

When you’re engaged in something as arcane as making daguerreotypes it’s important to keep notes. I always have one of my little notebooks with me so that I can jot down the UV reading, EV reading, and other information about a daguerreotype that I’m working on.  I thought that it was high time for me to customize these books.

I’ve recently become a member of TechShop Durham and, consequently, have access to all manner of exotic tools.  One of my favorite tools at Tech Shop is the Epilog Laser Engraver.

These images are cut right into the surface of the leather.  The one on the right was run at a higher power and, thus, has burned straight through to the cardboard.  The one on the right was run at lower power so it has retained some of the epidermis.  Did I mention that they smell like death after they come out of the machine?  That should wear off soon.

Lest you think me some sort of mad genius, I should point out that this is not a new idea.

The next step is to try a mashup old world gold tooling techniques with modern laser techniques.  Since the laser is nothing more than a heat beam I’m curious to see if it will activate the size on the leather through the gold leaf.  I’m sure Gavin would like to know!

Fun!

I have had to learn dozens of skills in the pursuit of making daguerreotyping.  I needed to learn woodworking, leathercraft, CNC machining, electoplating, gold tooling, bookbinding, etc.  One of the most fun little tips that I picked up along the way was this simple method for embossing velvet.

The side facing the daguerreotype in 19th century daguerreotype (and ambrotype) cases was often a silk velvet that had been embossed.  Back in the day they would use a hand-engraved metal stamp for this but for our purposes a rubber stamp works just fine.

I finally figured out how to do this and now, years later, have found a video on YouTube that demonstrates the exact same method that I use.  Enjoy!

You can use any number of bold stamps.   I have found many on eBay.  Recently I have acquired some new technology that can be used to etch my own custom stamps with ease.  I just used this new method to customize a stamp by addnig the date upon which the gift will be given.

This method is extrememly durable.  I’ve found that the best results come from using an artificial rayon velvet.  Got any to show?

Jonathan

I am a big fan of Neighborhoodies.  I own a handful of their ready-made shirts including “I Choo-Choo-Choose You”, and “Helvetica”.  I used their design-a-shirt tool to make this specimen on the left.  MAN I love the Internet.

Neighborhoodies has a metallic silver ink that was too good to pass up for M. Daguerre’s visage.

I believe that this is the only Daguerre-themed t-shirt in existence.  I also claim to have coined the phrase daguerreoshirt. 

The first person (that I don’t KNOW, ALAN!) to stop me on the street that “gets” it will receive a hug and a free 4×5″ cased daguerreotype.

Special thanks to Jeremy Moore for helping with the outline!

Iodine is critical to photography.  Like the other halogens, Iodine forms a light-reactive salt when exposed to silver called Silver Iodide.  Expose the Silver Iodide to light and PRESTO! it turns black.  Cool, huh?  This reaction is so critical to photography and to daguerreotypes in particular that I made the molecule my logo.

One of the thing’s that’s so awesome about Iodine is that it is one of a fairly small group of subliming elements.  Sublimation is the process by which a compound transitions from solid to gas without first taking a little time out to be a liquid.  They just want to jump the gun and get right to work.

In daguerreotypy we rely on the gaseous Iodine to float up and react with the polished silver on our plates to form that oh-so-delicious useful silver salt.  If your daguerreotype manufacturing building (shed?) is poorly heated, like mine, then the winter makes it really annoying to make daguerreotypes.  In the Summer when it hovers around 85 in my studio I might sensitize a plate over Iodine for 30 seconds.  The same plate in the Winter requires five or more minutes.

Crystal Iodine is, in the USA, a List 1 restricted compound.  The “controlled substance” they mention is methamphetamine (that should generate some unwanted Google hits).  Meth, by the way, is something you DON’T want to use OR make.

The term List I chemical means a chemical specifically designated by the Administrator in Sec. 1310.02(a) of this chapter that, in addition to legitimate uses, is used in manufacturing a controlled substance in violation of the Act and is important to the manufacture of a controlled substance.

(source)

What that means is that you have to fill out a big scary form and make the Drug Enforcement Agency aware of your intentions for using the stuff in order to buy it.  If you’d rather not get on a DEA list or if you live in a more sane country, Here’s how to extract your own Iodine from common household items.

Don’t get too comfortable yet.  Iodine is dangerous stuff.  Here’s the MSDS safety sheet.  In addition to corroding the hell out of almost every metal it comes in contact with it will cause all number of problems with your interior bits.  Use ventilation!  It’s also generally a good idea to wear a mask that has received a NIOSH rating to handle Chlorine gas.

If you’re making something to hold Iodine then I can suggest wood.  Metals are almost universally hopeless but there are exceptions.  Titanium would be a good choice for hardware in a sensitizing box.

Last year I posted a quick little blurb about the woodworking artist Stephen Day.  Mr. Day recently commented about that post and I thought that the subject was worthy of its own update.

I do have sets of fuming boxes available, though they’re not featured on my website. I just completed a batch in Eastern Black Walnut [2/2009] - very nice. Get ‘em while they’re available; I may cease production in the near future. Contact steve@stephendaydesign.com for details.

These come ready for full plate, also with adapter frames for 1/2, 1/4, 1/6 or any custom size folks want. They feature a pyrex chemistry dish, spring-tensioned against an etched glass slide mechanism. All hardware is solid brass, and the woodwork is typically Mahogany or Walnut with a hand-rubbed oil finish.

Mr. Day’s work can be seen at his portfolio website, Stephen Day Design.