Beyond Photography.

Photographs are increasingly being used as the basis for fine art productions-Andy Warhol's screen prints, made from Polaroid originals, are an example we may have seen. There are many ways of creating intriguing works of art from photographs. One very simple way is to make a collage, pasting together bits cut out of various photos. A collage does not need to be a joke to be effective. If we have ever wanted to draw but have not been able to get the outlines right, photography can be our salvation. All we need is a pen and Indian ink to draw over the lines on a black and white photo, preferably one made on bromide paper rather than the more modern resin-coated material. When the drawing is complete, allow the ink to dry thoroughly, and then bleach away the photographic image with a special bleach. Soak the image in clean water for a minute or so, then it is ready for bleaching. When image has faded, leaving our line drawing, soak the picture in photographic fixer for as long as it takes to clear thoroughly, then rinse it in clean water for about half an hour.