Art 121

ASSIGNMENT #1: THE PHOTOGRAM

To make a photogram you'll be placing objects directly on top of a sheet of photo paper and then exposing the sheet to light. In the end, you'll have an outline of the objects permanently recorded on the paper. When making a photogram, try experimenting with both solid objects (which will completely block light from hitting the paper) and with opaque objects (which will let some light pass through the object giving you a shade of gray where the object was placed on the paper). (Some materials that work well are feathers, flowers, leaves, glass, plastic, magazine pages, crumpled paper, saran wrap, lacey fabric, etc.)

You'll need an enlarger, photo paper, and some different object to make a photogram. Here are the steps you'll need to take:

1. Raise the enlarger head so that light will completely cover the easel and set the aperture to either f/5.6 or f/8.

2. Place a sheet of photo paper on the easel emulsion side up and then place the objects you want to use for your photogram on top of the paper.

3. Expose the paper using the enlarger using somewhere between five and ten seconds.

4. Process the print and make adjustments to the time accordingly.

Make as many photograms as you like (at least one)!

photograms by Man Ray