After some problems with the sustainability with the silver nitrate printing process, I secured some funding to work with Atelier Boba in Paris this summer to problem solve and work out lingering problems with nozzle clogging and print head failure. I am terribly sorry for the delay, but I didn't want to send out books that pose problems and not solutions - so if you can wait, I will have answers soon! Thanks again for the support and I will be sure to keep you posted.

While there were some material holdups, the vast majority of research has been completed and rewards are finally in production! I will be designing and printing the artists books and PDFs in the coming weeks and sending out everything soon. Sorry for the delays and happy holidays!

So far, the experimentation for the project has been remarkably fruitful. A few processes I have figured out and am refining, and a few others are nearly resolved (or are resolved for specific works).

So far, I have worked out almost all of the details of lenticular printing and mounting (through much experimentation), thermochromatic screenprinting (intended to cover an image until heat is applied), 3d printing with the MakerBot Thing-O-Matic, silver nitrate screen printing (invisible until exposed to UV light), and I have modified an inkjet printer to print with a silver nitrate / citric acid combination to more specifically control the process. 

I am still testing the ins and outs of this process, but I hope to have a final version in the next few weeks -- the ultimate goal is a print that slowly appears after it is hung (ideally a month or so depending on exposure to UV light and if I choose to use UV protective glass). The video is the full sunlight accelerated version. 

Thank you all for making this possible!

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jordan

Two more new processes are in the works / on the horizon. I spent some time in the rapid prototyping center today working with an epilogue laser doing some test to determine the optimal settings for the piece I want to print/etch into museum board. I have a few of the photos below. I also received the first batch of lenticular lenses for the artists books / experimentation and a jar of magenta to colorless thermochromic ink!

I am working out a system to have the printed work have even heat that will enable you to see beneath the magenta thermochromic screen when the print is turned on (heated). So far, things are going really well, and I should have some more for you very soon!

Some early progress on two of the processes I have been working on: both the thing-o-matic and the basic structures of lenticular printing animated gifs are up and running. While neither is at an ideal state yet, this early progress in promising. The problems that lenticular poses seems to be with the relationship / tradeoff between detail and function. The more detail that I try to incorporate into the animation, the more difficult it will be. The same issue goes for the subtlety of motion.

That said, I am working with two fantastic chemists from Indiana University on developing two potential alternatives for printing animated /dynamic works. The two leading contenders thus far are thermochromic ink and electrochromic ink. The logistics of thermochromic ink are far easier to work out simply due to the application or removal of heat. The method in consideration for electrochromic requires much more development before a working prototype is made. 

There are a few other things in the pipeline, and I have attached a few photos and a video of the makerbot in action. Thank you again for your support, and I hope to have exciting news more frequently now that this is rolling along at a quicker pace. Light sensitive prints are forthcoming, stay tuned!