The images in the Cliché
Verre Collection include some
of Brian Skinner's earliest work. The medium known as cliché
verre (French for "glass negative") refers to the plate,
initially made of glass, on which a photographic image was registered.

Chemical dyes and ordinary inks, and even felt
markers, produce the color
effects on the glass plates or celluloid negatives. The negatives
themselves can be scratched or etched with a fine point (using a jeweler's
loupe) to produce the designs, shapes, and outlines. Under- and over-exposed
film, on which no image is registered, provides the perfect "blank
canvas" for this technique. Photographic
images, or even slices of an image, can be used to create additional visual
aspects.

The size employed here was 35 mm, which proved limiting, especially for finer lines and subtle effects.
Combined with one or more layers of film and the front and rear pieces of glass
from a 35mm slide holder, the final image may be a composite of six
or more layers.

The layers of glass and film can then be loaded
into the metal slide holders and composited to produce the
final image. Most often, the images were projected onto a wall or screen with a
slide projector, contributing to some of the stunning light and color effects. A computer monitor is a more-than-adequate substitute, since in
both instances the image is a projection rather than a reflection of light.

It became a natural extension of this technique for the artist to
render the various layers digitally and composite them in a professional
graphics program such as Adobe Photoshop®. Often, the greater control and
refinement possible in the digital realm led to the completion of half-finished
or unfinished work, as well as to some surprising detours from the original
style or content.

Below is a more detailed explanation, with
pictures, of the techniques of cliché
verre.

This a photo of a clump of crocuses on which has been overlaid a completely
black layer of exposed film. The blank negative was etched in a roughly circular
shape and dotted with small punctures to suggest stars. The "planet"
was then crudely shaded with brown ink.

The "planetary" layer has been cropped
in a perfect circle and the
background and "stars" dropped out.

A new black background, without the punctures, was placed behind the
"planet," and an overlay gradient applied. The effect of this
"warm" gradient
will be obvious in the next image.

After enhancing the original planetary sphere and adding the gradient, some
additional shading has been added around the circumference.

An overlay layer of
airbrushed (in Photoshop) rose petals is applied at 60% opacity.
Combined with the black background, the effect is striking; over the
sphere it is barely noticeable, simply adding subtle detail to the
"planetary" features.

Here's
the final version with all layers and effects applied, including the
stars and the artist's signature. The stars were one layer too many, and
were removed with a single mouse click.

Straying a bit from the
artist's original intent of depicting a green, Earthlike planet, now the
image looked more like a Dragon's Egg.