chemical transfers

In my summer mixed media class we spent several weeks studying transfer techniques. For the first week this involved using chemicals, specifically a blender marker by Chartpak and Citrasolv household cleaner to transfer images from copy machines and magazines. Here are two finished projects. They are loosely based on the work of the artist Robert Rauschenberg. The first one measures 9" x 12" and is on Bristol board. It features images of the BP oil spill including two of President Obama on the beach picking up tar balls. The color is very subdued.

The second piece is 12" x 18" and is also on Bristol board. The theme is mainly military and the color is also subdued, except for the lower left corner where the palm trees and sunset are. Using the Chartpak marker was a challenge as it has a very strong smell, despite the label which says non-toxic. I gave myself a three-day headache since I used it indoors without proper ventilation! I strongly recommend using this marker outdoors. Despite the headache, I really enjoyed working with this technique because the end result is a seamless, smooth image made up of many different images. I am learning so much in this class!