As a response to the leaf prints from Part 1, my tutor suggested I’d have a look at Rayograms by Man Ray. That was quite interesting. I first looked up ‘Rayograms’ to discover that the principle of placing objects on photographic paper, exposing the setting to light, then using a chemical to develop the photo and stopping it, has been widely adopted. It actually was an ‘old acquaintance’ because I’d done this when I was in holiday camp as a kid and teenager. No-one told me about Man Ray at that time, so now making the connection was nice.

When I searched more specifically for Rayograms by Man Ray, I found that there was a difference in quality and approach. They looked clearer, more like the composition of an artist than experimentation with effects. I noticed strong black and white contrasts, but also how transparency and tonal effects were integrated.

I did this research before starting with actual work on Part 2 and had some difficulty relating it to my own artwork. But now after the first linocut composition I see the similarity in the strong black and white contrasts of linocuts and rayograms. It might be interesting to try compositions that take up these ides. This might mean to focus on the contour of an object. The surface texture might be indicated in the contour as well.

– left: Rayograph, 1922
– right: Rayograph; Comb, Straight razor blade, Needle and other forms (1922)

Resources

Images from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/265487?=&imgNo=0&tabName=related-objects