post alternative techniques

[mdm]

I have a copy of her manual and am using her recipe/ratios. It is a fantastic book, her prints are stunning. I just bought some COT 320 from her as she is the closest supplier to me. It needs more exposure at 300 units when my longest exposure ever for a carbon is around 160 and mostly 100.

To answer my own question, its probably much faster to use a very contrasty negative than a relativly normal negative with some dichromate.

[David Schaller]

The cyanotype was made on 5x7. My only format. I am planning on split toning this print and will post it again later.

I would keep this one and make another print to tone! Just because this print is so nice.
Thanks,
Dave

[tgtaylor]

That's a nice image Ironage. I started with cyanotype and then moved to Vandyke, Kallitype, and now the Salted Print. Although I have maybe 250mL of mixed cyanotype sentizer mixed, I've been ignoring the process and concentrating on the latters instead. Your image reminds me to not leave the cyanotype out of consideration when I'm out looking for alternative subjects. Indeed, it can result in a beautiful image as yours attests to.

Thomas

[hendrik faure]

thank you, David. I learned this in the US
hendrik

[jp]

Finally got around to toning cyanotypes after having enough experience with blue. Blue is great, but it's good to mix things up too. These are with the B&S Cyanotype kit on arches platine.

cyanotype, double coated, once with a glass rod, once with a hake brush. Image made, dried, re-wetted, 45sec in a sodium carbonate solutions, then 10 minutes in black tea, then 2 minutes in coffee, and rinsed clean. 4x5 tmy2 negative. Speed graphic with Reinhold wollaston meniscus 190mm at f8


http://www.flickr.com/photos/1375969...7631531261637/

straight scan:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1375969...7631531261637/

Contrast this with normal blue cyanotypes from the same evening:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/1375969...7631531261637/
and straight scan:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1375969...7631531261637/

I didn't notice the big difference till they were hanging up to dry next to each other. The toned image, the sodium carbonate was more effective on the highlights in weakening the blue so that it could be toned to a warmer color. Perhaps a longer bath in the sodium carbonate would have allowed more toning to the denser parts, but at the expense of highlight detail? Either way, it's a nice mix of navy+slate and slightly warmer paper tone compared to deep cobalt+bright cobalt blue.

The scanned cyanotypes compare poorly online compared the straight negative scans for some reason, but the actualy cyanotypes are much nicer to behold than their online version can display.

[jcoldslabs]

cyanotype, double coated, once with a glass rod, once with a hake brush. Image made, dried, re-wetted, 45sec in a sodium carbonate solutions, then 10 minutes in black tea, then 2 minutes in coffee, and rinsed clean. 4x5 tmy2 negative. Speed graphic with Reinhold wollaston meniscus 190mm at f8

I like this one a lot. Beautiful muted tones with the tea and coffee. Much more subdued than the usual "bright" cyanotype blue. I've never done cyanotypes, but what does the double coating achieve? Richer tones? And rod vs. brush? Just being curious since this is something I'd like to try.

Jonathan

[jp]

I like this one a lot. Beautiful muted tones with the tea and coffee. Much more subdued than the usual "bright" cyanotype blue. I've never done cyanotypes, but what does the double coating achieve? Richer tones? And rod vs. brush? Just being curious since this is something I'd like to try.

Jonathan

If you look at the edges, you can see the two coats providing additional density.

I coat a half dozen pieces at a time. First a few drops of distilled water to soften up the paper is brushed on. That sorta dries within a couple minutes. Then some drops of cyanotype chemistry. You see the rod more neatly pushed the liquid around to be 1/4"-1/2" border around the photo. I let that dry or mostly dry, sorta like a second coat of paint, you don't need the first coat to be hard as a rock. 2nd coat I just brushed on. I like some brush marks.

[csant]

First a few drops of distilled water to soften up the paper is brushed on. That sorta dries within a couple minutes.

I have learned from paper conservators to use a vaporizer to spray some water on the paper just to raise the paper's humidity a bit. You can also try doing this with a mix of water and alcohol, that will penetrate the paper much better…

[Emil Schildt]

If you look at the edges, you can see the two coats providing additional density.

I coat a half dozen pieces at a time. First a few drops of distilled water to soften up the paper is brushed on. That sorta dries within a couple minutes. Then some drops of cyanotype chemistry. You see the rod more neatly pushed the liquid around to be 1/4"-1/2" border around the photo. I let that dry or mostly dry, sorta like a second coat of paint, you don't need the first coat to be hard as a rock. 2nd coat I just brushed on. I like some brush marks.

This is interesting as I have never gotten any good results with two layers of cyanotype chemistry...

For me the second just erases the first and make the whole thing look very messy and blotched..

But here it works..

[jp]

Gandolfi, perhaps it's the chemistry choice or letting it dry more between coats? My brush also has very gentle fibers, like I'm tickling the paper. I usually double coat... I brush or glide the rod not much more than necessary to evenly coat as well. I use arches platine or stonehenge. I've tried papers not intended for this and got blotchiness due to buffering.

Double coated with brush only:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1375969...in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1375969...in/photostream

Double coated with rod only:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1375969...in/photostream