The Laser Beam As an Artist’s Tool

88 Artists’ Statements • gouache–water-based paint, Series 1 • layout or cartridge paper • wash brush • plastic sheet Preparation For a black-and-white Crinklage effect, use black gouache, Series 1. Get a small carton (e.g. a standard 35-mm film cartridge container). Fill the carton threequarters full with water, then add black gouache and mix thoroughly. For color Crinklage, use the same procedure, but with five to six gouache colors, also Series 1. Mix colors thoroughly in their containers. 1. Soak a piece of paper thoroughly in water. 2. Place the wet sheet of paper on the smooth, flat board placed upright. Make sure the wet paper is flat against the surface of the board. 3. Tape the edges of the paper to the board using wet gum tape. Dry the gum tape with a cloth or tissue. 4. Place a fan heater next to the board (about 5 in. from the paper), so that the heat is blowing onto the paper . Leave the fan heater on for around 15 minutes, until the paper is dry. Note: The purpose of this procedure is to cause the paper to buckle and distort, so do not be worried if the paper buckles and rips as it contracts while drying. 5. Spread out the plastic sheet on a flat surface and place the board on top of this, to prevent spillage. Pour about three-quarters of a pint of water onto the paper and spread it using the wash brush so that the entire paper is thoroughly soaked. Note: Again you will get more buckling—this is the desired effect . 6. Place the top of the plant spray bottle into a container of the mixed paint. Spray the paint thoroughly over the surface of the wet paper. The heat from the fan heater will have been retained in the board, thus speeding the evaporation process and the Crinklage effect. The more quickly the paint is sprayed onto the wet paper, the better the results will be. 7. Finally, allow a day for the paper to dry fully, then carefully peel the Crinklage paper from the board. The result is a finished Crinklage! Note: The drying process can be speeded up by placing two 2-×-2 pieces of wood under the board, one on each side, creating an airspace underneath. This should be done at stage 3 of the process. Place the fan heater so that the warm airflow will go into the gap beneath the board. Drying time will be around one hour. Variations 1. Using various weights of paper (from layout paper [50 gsm] to cartridge paper [150 gsm]) will alter the structure and effect of Crinklage. Experiment ! 2. Another version of Crinklage (Dual Crinklage) can be achieved by using water-resistant paper, 135 gsm or heavier (e.g. a clay-based paper). Place the water-resistant paper onto the smooth, flat board, which is lying flat on a surface. Note: Do not soak the paper . Use wet gum tape to fasten it to the board, then dry the gum tape with a cloth or tissue. After this stage, go through the normal Crinklage preparation , superimposing either layout or cartridge paper onto the water-resistant paper instead of onto the board. After the Crinklage has dried, peel the Crinklage image away from the waterresistant paper. An altogether different type of pattern and structure will have developed on the water-resistant paper during the drying process. THE LASER BEAM AS AN ARTIST’S TOOL Rashid G. Tukhvatullin, Hadi Taktash str. 101–21, Kazan 420107, Russia. Received 3 July 1997. Accepted for publication by Bulat M. Galeyev. There is a broad spectrum of arts in which light plays a significant role. Predominantly , light is used as a means for affecting the senses of a spectator, but sometimes it serves as an instrument in the creation of the work of art (photography is a good example). Here I would like to tell of my experience with another application of light in fine arts— infrared light. My metallic miniatures combine features of sculpture and assemblage, whereas their size corresponds more to that of jewelry (Fig. 2). When making them I apply various technologies, including engraving...