Mixed emulsions Altered art techniques for photographic imagery

The digital photography revolution has freed us from the expense of film and the bother of learning the mechanics of aperture, focus, and light settings. Some argue that the cost may be the loss of the edgy creativity that can be achieved with the classic SLR film camera. Both Blair and Cartwright bring us books that inspire the experimental use of images, before and after they leave the digital camera. Blair (The Glossary of Digital Photography) uses the seemingly endless manipulations of Photoshop to create images that are in styles he calls photoimpressionism, neomysticism, and neosymbolism. He defocuses his camera, uses digital infrared, and even experiments with digital toy cameras. Accomplished actress and artist Cartwright takes digital images, photos on film, and Polaroids and manipulates them with an array of traditional art materials and techniques. She adds color with acrylic paints, oil sticks, watercolors, dry pigments, and inks. For texture she uses embossing powders, gessoes, pastes, and wax, and for special effects she experiments by printing photos on unusual substratum, by imprinting, and by using tissue and fabric. Both books accomplish their goal admirably, and both are highly recommended. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.