ADVANCED MANIPULATIONS
Washing the Transparency

Washing the transparency of an image will give you a transparency that can be used on its own or in a collage.

What you will need:

• Latex or polyurethane gloves
• Surgical mask
• (3) 8x10 trays
• Hot tap water
• A fiberboard
• Cotton balls or swabs
• A squeegee
• Dish soap or other mild detergent

Before you begin, put the gloves and surgical mask on.

1. Soak the transparency for two minutes in an 8x10' tray of hot tap water.
2. Take the transparency out and clip it negative side up on the fiberboard.
3. Using a cotton ball or swab, gently wipe the chemistry off of the transparency starting in the densest areas first. You will not get it all in one try; repeat as necessary.
4. Wash the transparency in a bath of water with a very small amount of detergent in an 8x10 tray.
5. Wash the transparency in a bath of water with a wetting agent for two minutes in an 8x10 tray,
6. Remove the transparency from the bath and gently squeegee it.
7. Hang the wet transparency to dry.

Troubleshooting:

There are white streaks on the transparency.
Not all the chemistry was removed. Repeat steps 1-4 and after step 4 is complete, simply hold the transparency under water. If you see any white marks then it still isn't clean. Repeat steps 1-4 as necessary. Once the transparency is clean then continue with steps 5-7.

The transparent image is missing in some areas.
The transparency was wiped too hard in this/these areas. There is no way to reverse this.

Contents © 1995-2009 J. Norris unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.