(..anotha episode from ze crazy lab)
since during the last days, many of you were reporting problems with peeling the Push! film, I decided to waste anotha pack of film (I get it for a few cent cheaper than most of you, after all) to investigate the matter a bit further.
"peeling" the film (seperating the layers) is what Impossible recommends in order to prevent a possible shift in colours that might occur in the first weeks after development of the Push! film.
the first peeling tests with the new film went rather fine, the picture layer proved to be very stable and durable, indicating that the film is a perfect victim for dry (peeling) as well as wet (emulsion lift) disintegrating techniques.
now that the reports about "ruined images" and about consistent failures to separate the layers were increasing, I decided to investigate the peelability of the film at different ages and trying different tricks to overcome the problem of the "too gluey picture layer".
even though it's true that the picture layer of the Push! film is rather thick and durable, anotha truth is that the layer is also very "gluey" as long as it is not completely dried.
in a certain stage of drying-up, it can not decide if it prefers to stick to the mylar (the transparent window on top of the picture) or to the white emulsion layer below, so if you are not very careful during your peeling, it can happen that parts of the picture layer decide to stay at the mylar, while otha parts decide to stay on the emulsion.
(please see here »
link for technical details about the peeling process and the 3 positions where the image layer can end up)
this indecisiveness usually leads to unpleasant results like torn (uninspired souls might call them "ruined") images..
and even if you are very carefully (slowly!) pulling, and the picture layer does not tear, it can happen that (due to it's gluey elasticity) it develops bubbles or wrinkles on the areas where it sticked to the emulsion layer longer..
all this can be avoided if you wait long enuff before peeling the pic. if the bowels of the picture are completely dried out, peeling the Push! film is rather easy-peasy.
also immediately after the exposure, the peelability is rather high and trouble-free.
..but as it turned out, even for the critical period (approx. 2 hours till 2 weeks after exposure - depending on the humidity of storage) there are ways to deal with the beast
> read on
humbly at your service
Dr. Webbo
ps/
cause it was a not-so-sunny day today, I shot the pix for today's episode with the flash on the SX70.
and I'm tooootally enthusiastic about the flashy results of the Push! regarding colours (skin tones) and contrast .. amaaazing!
