Printing Images on Wood Using Liquid Light Emulsion and a Darkroom

Matt Clara

Matt Clara

UU VIP
UU VIP
Joined
Aug 3, 2009
Messages
1,640
Reaction score
15
Location
Lansing, Michigan
Yes, you need a darkroom. Part of my Cigar Box Uke plan is to print some images onto the wood using my darkroom and a product I'd previously never tried called Liquid Light. Last night I got to print some test prints on some of the leftover cedar from the uke top I made. Works great, take a look:

liquidlight_on_cedarSMALL.jpg


You can view a larger version here.

The straight grain of the cedar worked well with it. The red oak, not so much. I might white wash the red oak back before printing on it. I'll have to think about it.
 
Make that subject line say "Emulsion". Wouldn't you know it, it's the one part of a message you can't correct!
 
Here it is on the red oak:

liquidlight_on_redoakSMALL.jpg


Some of the lines you see are from the brush I used to apply the product. May have to get a squeegee to even it out. Also, the negative used for this print was slightly underexposed, hence the relative lack of contrast.
 
That's actually pretty cool. I can't wait to see a full uke with it.
 
Neat idea. Well done. I'd like to see the final product.
 
Martin Guitars are now using this Photgraphic imaging on some of their guitars..
They are talking about using the method to produce the image of any type of expensive wood grain finish on cheaper woods eg: "Martian Rosewood" finish on to "Cheap Maple or laminate"...or whatever finish you desire..Crocodile skin would look nice:)..Here is a U-Tube vid about it.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPFxdHqz3Qg
 
Last edited:
Timbuck said:
Martin Guitars are now using this Photgraphic imaging on some of their guitars..
They are talking about using the method to produce the image of any type of expensive wood grain finish on cheaper woods eg: "Martian Rosewood" finish on to "Cheap Maple or laminate"...or whatever finish you desire..Crocodile skin would look nice:)..Here is a U-Tube vid about it.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPFxdHqz3Qg
Click to expand...

That's a good idea! I've been looking into having digital images recorded to b&w film, so literally anything I can create on my computer (something I have a bit of practice in) could be printed on wood (or whatever). Seems a little ass backwards, but there's nothing quite like printing an image in black and white silver grains.
 
awesome! I haven't played with liquid emulsion since highschool. i guess everything DOES come back in style if you wait long enough (there are a lot of photographers using film/emulsion (and even polaroids) again. i'd better hang on to those old... i mean "vintage" clothes in my closet... :)
 
I know it wouldn't look quite the same but how about printing digitally onto waterslide transfer material and then applying it to the uke. Digital copiers work very well with waterslide material, I made some transfers a couple of years back on the digital printer at work and they printed really nicely.

Ian.
 
mattclara said:
Here it is on the red oak:

liquidlight_on_redoakSMALL.jpg


Some of the lines you see are from the brush I used to apply the product. May have to get a squeegee to even it out. Also, the negative used for this print was slightly underexposed, hence the relative lack of contrast.
Click to expand...

I kind of like the brush strokes on this one. It gives it more of a moody, hand crafted feel, and is a bit more mysterious. What kind of protection can you put on it? Will normal finishes make it bleed or fade?

–Lori
 
Lori said:
I kind of like the brush strokes on this one. It gives it more of a moody, hand crafted feel, and is a bit more mysterious. What kind of protection can you put on it? Will normal finishes make it bleed or fade?

–Lori
Click to expand...

A water-based varnish is recommended, so that's what I'm going with. I don't mind the strokes, but they're a bit excessive on that one, and the emulsion is really built up thick there. I also have to put an oil based poly coat underneath, so I want to try to keep the coats thin.
 
Last edited:
Can you only do this with black and white? Or does it just look weird with color?
 
camface said:
Can you only do this with black and white? Or does it just look weird with color?
Click to expand...

It's a black and white emulsion. More or less the same stuff that is put on black and white photo paper to print black and white images. There are no color versions available, nor has it ever been particularly convenient to process color images at home.
 
matt, is this something that has to be done from A-Z at home with your equipment or is it something where I can send you a picture, you prepare it and all that, then send it back and I can finish it on my own uke?

bam, instant bizness! except, I dont have to pay, cuz I said it first
 
cornfedgroove said:
matt, is this something that has to be done from A-Z at home with your equipment or is it something where I can send you a picture, you prepare it and all that, then send it back and I can finish it on my own uke?

bam, instant bizness! except, I dont have to pay, cuz I said it first
Click to expand...

It has to be a black and white negative. I put it in an enlarger and print it on the treated wood, and then dunk the exposed wood in developer and then fixer, and then rinse it and air dry it. If you've got a black and white negative you'd like printed, just say the word.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

rsci
3D Printing Your Own Luthier Tools
Replies
13
Views
644
Smallchewbacca
S
Jerryc41
Printing on Sticky Vinyl
Replies
8
Views
326
badhabits
badhabits
A
NUD: 3D Printed Ukulele (Now Printing)
Replies
4
Views
458
AustinHing
A
Jerryc41
Printing Tablature
Replies
16
Views
1K
Andreas Fischer
Andreas Fischer
Jerryc41
Printing Chords
Replies
9
Views
981
Jerryc41
Jerryc41
Top Bottom