Earlier today I did a small mock up of an art machine with Mylar, a litho stone, water and carborundum. I propped the Mylar on the litho stone at a 45 degree then sprinkled some 200 grit carborundum on top and sprayed water on it letting the powder flow onto a sheet of paper. This is the image on the left.
I then created a similar experiment by putting water on my mylar first then the carborundum on top. I kept the mylar at a horizontal orientation. After applying the carborundum I then moved and manipulated my Mylar to let the water drip off. Since the carborundum is heavy it did not flow off the Mylar as I expected. The image on the right is a monotype that I created with this process then sending it through the press.
Comparing these tests to the previous post of the Himalayas I can conclude that the experiment was a success.
Things to consider for a bigger application are: amount of water and speed/volume of the flow, the size and texture of the paper as well as the ability to withstand water, and lastly the ability of particle travel.
Some things I should consider on a small scale is how the particles react with each other. Some may wash others away or attract them. It is possible to consider putting some sort of fixative between the layers or letting nature take its path. I could also alter the flow of material by placing items to resist flow of water. For this I am considering using crystals I have at home to create different shapes in a fun way that is meaningful to me.
This experiment has led to curiosity of many things in printmaking. For example doing a solar plate using the pattern created on the Mylar to do an interesting exposure. I could even take this to a large scale with photopositive lithography.
I also learned that carborundum is abundant not on earth, but in star dust and meteors in my favorite place, space.
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