American Sign Museum
2515 Essex Place
Cincinnati, Ohio 45206
(800) 925-1110
(513) 258-4020, ext. 336
Fax: (513) 421-5144
E-mail: tod@signmuseum.org
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Joanne Domka: Hand-colored Photos
©Joanne Domka, 1999.
Joanne Domka isn't merely a photographer. She isn't just an artist either.
Rather, she is both. Thanks to a college class in experimental processes
in photography, Domka is most renowned for her ability to combine skills
in both fields to create her own unique style of documenting vintage signage:
the hand-colored photograph.
Born and raised in Warren, MI, a town just north of Detroit, Domka first
discovered her talent for the technique at Wayne State University, where
she received a degree in fine arts. She started out coloring 8 x 10 prints,
and then moved onto larger ones. Today, the average print she works with
is 20 X 24, a size which she told Photographic magazine, allows
her to "really dig into details" (Photographic magazine, March,
1999 issue).
Her technique is fairly simple: Domka begins by shooting the subject
in black and white film, usually with a 35mm Nikon SLR camera. The photo
is printed on a matte-finish, fiber-basted paper and then dry-mounted
on archival museum board. The edges are next masked-off with artist's
Frisket in order to keep the borders clean. Then comes the fun part: adding
the color.
Domka primarily uses Prismacolor art pencils, which allow her more control
over the image. However, she also uses oil paints for more subtle color
transitions, such as in cloud scenes. When adding color, Domka often uses
a color print of the subject as a frame of reference. Her true talent
however, is in the way she envisions color where it previously did not
exist, and she uses much freedom in achieving the vibrancy and richness
of color that her prints are most known for. Finally, the prints are sprayed
with a fix, which both protects the piece, and intensifies the color.
Domka, who is currently employed full-time as a photo research archivist
at General Motors, comes from a long line of GM employees. So it is not
surprising that one of her favorite subjects is old cars. Many of her
prints include images of white or light-colored vintage cars from the
1950s, which she has re-colored in the magentas, greens, electric yellows
and aquamarines the decade is most known for. However, Domka also enjoys
shooting vintage neon signage, some of the results of which are shown
below.
Domka's work has been displayed in galleries, featured in magazines and
newspapers, and appeared on the cover of the Light Impressions catalog,
as well as shown in the private collections of sign enthusiasts and corporations
alike. For more information on Domka's work, please contact her via email
at joannedomka@mchsi.com. Website: www.joannedomka.com
©Joanne Domka, 1999.
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