Re: Clearing cyanotypes, minimizing bleeding into highlights
Acid can also be quite fabulous. I recently tried developing cyanotypes with white vinegar straight out of the bottle (a 5% acetic acid solution), and the prints show a very wide and delicate range of mid-tones which don't appear in plain water development. I'm not using white paper, but they clear well with a long wash. Here in San Francisco, the average pH of tap water is 8.9, which is something I have to keep in mind when choosing when to use "plain water" - it isn't necessarily giving the same results that those elsewhere are getting from the tap. Beth Christina Z. Anderson wrote: Brian, What light source are you using? If UV, your light exposures seem short. You could test a print out with quadruple the exposure and see if it bleeds into highlights--if not, then it may be exposure that is the issue. Disregard if you are not using UV but some higher powered device. I quit using acid in the water--it made my highlights blue (and remember, Sam, it mordanted cyanotype to my bathtub?) Acid sucks. Chris ----- Original Message ----- From: "Liam Lawless" <lawless@bulldoghome.com> To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca> Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 9:38 PM Subject: RE: Clearing cyanotypes, minimizing bleeding into highlightsBrian, If you still get trouble after following Sam's advice, I suggest that a Hake may be coating the paper too heavily, putting down more sensitiser than the paper can hold. If that sounds likely, try coating with your paper on a slightly inclined surface (or incline the paper after coating on a flat surface) so that excess sensitiser runs down to the bottom of the coated area. Pick up the excess with the tip of a dry brush (preferably before it runs into the margins!) You can also use blotting paper. Liam
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