[alt-photo] Re: ware cyanotype paper sensitivity

[Christina Anderson]

Sam,
I've gotten purple spots with traditional but NOTHING like the gross purple fog that happened with Ware's. This was definitely not the wet issue that I have seen on my and student work.  It is like an overall haze of mid-shade lavender.

This semester I am having my alt class do cyanotype, argyrotype instead of VDB, gum, and pt/pd...I thought I'd switch to argyrotype for a while.  It starts in 2 days...

Does anyone know HOW to pronounce argyrotype---is it ar JI ro type as in HI or ar ghee ro type or ar jee ro type???

It is very cold here--but not as cold as Florida :)  It is about 10 degrees right now and dry dry dry so it beat Florida's 34 humidity.  I can't believe I went to Florida and never wore a bathingsuit. OR got a tan.

But I did get LOTS of work done!!! And some excellent time management books, too, to start the new year right.

One tip of which is the two minute rule--if it is a two-minute task, do it now.
Chris
Christina Z. Anderson
christinaZanderson.com

On Jan 11, 2010, at 8:06 AM, sam wang wrote:

> Chris,
> 
> Have you not gotten "purple fog" with the "cyanotype classic"? I have, and attribute it to paper not thoroughly dry when exposed. Or have you come across a new bug?
> 
> The pre-coated paper and cloth I received years ago from Blue Printables all had quite severe blue/green colors but as you said, all exposed and developed with no problem.
> 
> Sam
> PS: is it as cold and dry in Montana as it is in SC? Not easy to do any alt printing!
> 
> 
> On Jan 10, 2010, at 12:19 AM, Christina Anderson wrote:
> 
>> Earl,
>> Did you expose it?  I expose paper that turns blue-green (Fabriano Artistico does that to me regularly) and it works just fine. It may be that it is duller and lower contrast, though.
>> 
>> The problem with unsuitable paper and Ware's was that after exposure and developing you will get a yukky purple fog in all the highlights that really ruins the print.  But if you add citric acid to the Wares coating mix that takes care of that.  1 or 2 drops of 40% citric acid to 1 ml sensitizer or 1 g. citric acid to 100ml solution.
>> 
>> But you won't know if you get yukky purple fog or dull/low contrast blue until you expose and develop. At which point, use the citric.
>> 
>> Let us know.
>> Chris
>> 
>> Christina Z. Anderson
>> christinaZanderson.com
>> 
>> On Jan 9, 2010, at 7:01 PM, Earl and Patty Johnson wrote:
>> 
>>> I am new to this list, but I recognize almost all of your names from other places. I hope that some of you can shed some light on my situation.
>>> 
>>> Today I coated some Mike Ware formula new cyanotype on Arches Aquarelle grain satine, and it turned bluish/green before it even dried. I know that this sensitizer is sensitive (pun intended) to paper chemistry, but I expected this paper to work. Does anyone have experience with this combination? Does the paper have an alkali buffer that can be neutralized with a soak in something like citric acid solution before coating? Or is my cyanotype solution bad and should be discarded? Or is this paper verboten for new cyanotype?
>>> 
>>> I like the Ware formula - I get six or seven more steps in the Stouffer wedge than I do with the traditional formula. However, it is frustrating to coat it on expensive paper and see it fog spontaneously.
>>> 
>>> Thanks for any comments.
>>> 
>>> Earl Johnson
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>> 
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