U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: Classic Cyanotype on Masa paper

Re: Classic Cyanotype on Masa paper

Loris,

Thanks for sharing that example. Print look good. That does sound like good paper and I really like the fact that it strong.

I'm doing so much cyanotype these days, it's great to see all this revisited.
Anne


On Jan 21, 2007, at 12:23 PM, Loris Medici wrote:

I finally finished the PDN calibration process for 2A:1B Classic Cyanotype on Masa paper. See the result following the URL below:

http://www.loris.medici.name/classic_cyanotype_on_masa.jpg

This is a mediocre reproduction of the print using a digital camera (since the print size is bigger than what my scanner can accommodate) but still it gives a good idea about the actual print.

This paper is very nice for Classic Cyanotypes. Unfortunately it doesn't work with New Cyanotype / the paper turns green after coating (indicating it is chemically fogged). Perhaps adding few drops of 40% Citric Acid can tame New Cyanotype on that paper (as it did for many others), but since I've found that 2A:1B Classic Cyanotype is enough to give convincing Dmax, I decided to reserve this paper for Classic Cyanotype.

The print was made on the textured / fibrous side of Masa paper. The other side is very very smooth and slightly glossy. I haven't tried to print on the smooth side yet - and I probably won't since the textured side is much much more interesting.

I like the result very much and would like to thank Michael Healy (for recommending this paper) and Sam Wang (for taking the trouble of sending me a sample to print on) for their recommendation and help regarding this paper. It's good to have a textured paper in the arsenal - after getting used to the perfect (and almost soulless) smoothness of COT320.

One good thing about this paper is that it's also nice for making carbon tissue. It's a very thin paper (77gsm) but quite strong - I did many 21x31" carbon tissues with this paper without any problems. Another good thing is that it's very very cheap (current price around 60-70 cents per 21x31" sheet @ jerrysartarama.com).