The Seoul gallery Blackmarket recently created a blacklight print of a photo by Seoul-based cyberpunk photographer Noe Alonzo. This 3-minute behind-the-scenes video shows how the print is made using screenprinting.
For the lengthy printing process, Blackmarket uses ultraviolet powders and mixes them into a clear oil-based ink as a replacement for basic CMYK.
Using 250GSM matte-black softboard, the printer works from lightest to darkest layers in this ink order: white base, bright yellow, magenta, cyan, white highlights, and finally rich black.
200 mesh screens are used to capture fine details, so the liquids (which are mixed with a slow drying agent) need to be mixed just right to pass through the screen at the correct volumes.
The resulting prints look normal under normal light…
…but view them with UV lighting and the photo comes to life with a gorgeous glow:
“It is a great photography printing idea if you are stuck in a creative rut,” Alonzo says.
40 signed prints of “Nightfalls Over Seoul” were made available through Blackmarket for $135 each, but they’ve sold out.
You can find more of Alonzo’s work on his website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. He also sells non-blacklight prints of his work here.