This is an ongoing series, in which Jill Tate is transforming a selection of her digital photographs of Landmark Trust buildings into limited edition Argyrotype prints. The prints fuse old and new, combining contemporary digital photography with an alternative printing process, which is itself an updated version of historic techniques. This echoes the work of the Landmark Trust, who take on historic places in danger and carefully restore them, making them available to everyone. A percentage of proceeds from print sales will be donated to The Landmark Trust, to help them continue to rescue buildings that would otherwise be lost. To find out more about their work, visit www.landmarktrust.org.uk and to view more of Jill's work as an artist please visit www.jilltate.co.uk
Argyrotype is an iron-based silver printing process, developed by Mike Ware. It is derived from the argentotype, kallitype, and Van Dyke processes of the 19th century, but has greater simplicity and improved image stability. An iron-silver sensitising solution is hand-coated onto quality art paper, and a contact exposure is made using a negative and sunlight. The image is then developed in water and fixed in a simple hypo solution.
