MATERIALS REQUIRED
2 week old bean plants (dry kidney
beans from the grocery store grow well)
NOTE: Bean
plants must be kept in the dark for 24-48 hours
before use to
reduce the amount of starch in the leaves
rectangular glass bottles filled with
water
large negative
plastic needlepoint mesh
100 watt light source
boiling water bath
hot 95% ethanol bath
rinse water bath
tongs, tape, foil, rubber bands etc.
I2KI reagent (dissolve 0.6g
I2 in 5-10ml of 100% ethanol,
and dissolve 3g KI in 400mL water,
then combine the solutions).
1) Tape the negative to the bottle
so that it bows outward.
2) Place 3 rubber bands and the
plastic mesh as shown.
3) Insert the leaf between the
mesh and negative, and slide the rubber bands up.
Try to align the leaf such that the
main vein does not cut right through the face.
Remember, this is a contact print;
the closer the contact between the leaf and
negative, the sharper the final image!
4) Place the light and a second
bottle as shown and expose the print for 1.5 hours.
5) Cut off the leaf and cut foil to
fit.
6) Using the foil as a spatula,
carefully place the leaf in a boiling water bath for 30 seconds, then drain.
7) Transfer the leaf through
two hot ethanol baths.
8) Make a foil tray.....
... then add I2KI reagent
to "develop" the picture.
9) Drain the iodine reagent,
then transfer the leaf to a cold water bath.
10) The image immediately after
washing.
The final product, scanned on a flatbed
scanner while still moist.
11) To dry the bean print, place
between copy paper, then paper towels, and press in a catalog.
The iodine will leach out of the print.
Once dry, re-develop with I2KI solution, wash in water,
and place on plastic coated side of
Whatman "Benchkote". Blot off excess water. When
almost dry, put another sheet of Benchkote
on top and press again.