Cyanotype colour and Kallitypes

j.r.anderson (j.r.anderson@qmw.ac.uk)
Tue, 16 Apr 1996 10:25:29 GMT

Greetings everyone! As a list subscriber of a few months standing, may I
say what a pleasure it is to see it up and running again! Steve, you
deserve a multitude of praise (which you will no doubt get from many) for
organising this facility. As I think I said to you in a previous message, I
don't know what the equivalent of Belgian chocolates is in e-mail, but you
should be given bucketfuls :-)

I have recently been looking into ways of altering the toning of cyanotypes
- not MAJOR changes, but subtle changes of colour. In "The Keepers of
Light" a variety of toning methods (eg tanninc acid plus ammonia) are
mentioned. BUT.... are they permanent/archival? I know there have been
discussions about this before, but I trust you will be patient with me. I
know that it is possible to achieve a deeper, different quality of blue
(NOT just intensifying), and that one can get a rather wonderful sublte
purplish tints, but I'm not sure of the most permanent method. Any
suggestions?

What books are there specifically about Cyanotypes which I should search
out? Also, does anyone know of a UK shop where I can find the book by Dick
Stevens: Making Kallitypes: A Definite Guide, Focal Press 1993, ISBN
0-240-80181-4 which was mentioned a while ago? Do I have to wait until my
next (ineviatble) journey to "The Photographer's Place in NYC"? ;-) Are
there any other books about kallitype I should know of? Having sat back and
watched others set up strings for discussion, I await your expert and (no
doubt) diverse opinions!

Jonathan Anderson