Re: Experiences and questions about Cyanotyping

rdalrymple (dalrymple@hidesert.com)
Wed, 28 Aug 1996 08:07:01 -0700

Cor Breukel wrote:
>
> (I send this message again, since it did not show up (used the wrong
> adress I guess). Sorry if you see it again)
>
> Hallo, I just subscribed to the list, although I don't feel completely
> "new" to it since I downloaded a lot of the archives, the FAQ, and I
> "know" some people on the list.
>
> I would like to tell you about my first cyanotyping experiences and ask a
> few questions:
>
> NEGATIVE
> I start to make a big (20*40 cm) neg in a selfmade circular (a big coffee
> tin) camera obscura on Konica Xray A2 film (any others busy with this?,
> I found some very useful info in the archives), process in D19.
> Start to get some reasonable negs.
>
> PAPER
> As paper I use Schleiger &Schuell GB002 blotting paper, you may have
> guessed by now that I work in a laboratory ;-). This paper is also used
> for chromatografy (is this paper buffered?), so strong enough for washing,
> albeit fragile when wet (aquarel paper also?), and I like the texture.
>
> COATING & EXPOSURE
> I used an "own" method of coating (the paper is non-sized, as far as I can
> tell), a bit hard to discribe, easy to do, which gives me a even coat
> (yellow/green). I expose on a flat UV transilluminator (than the neg, the
> paper, a glassplate and a weight to press the somewhat "curved" (This is
> normal?)paper. Exposure time is worring me a bit "it's from 15 to 30
> minutes, and that with a direct UV source. The paper gets a bit hot (30
> deg celcius?), is this bad?
> One of the things is that the Xray film has a strong blue base, and
> probably blocking UV, (that's what I see on the exposed paper where no neg
> is, a strong blue color). Also the wavelength of the UV source is 312 nm,
> anybody knows what is the best UV wavelength for cyanotyping? (I have also
> excess to 260 nm UV source, but that one is smaller).
>
> RESULTS
> The first tests washed away immediatly. That is they looked nice after
> about 6 min exposure,but they washed away completly. So I exposed much
> longer, and obtained the first nice prints. I also tried to recoat again
> (How long can you store in the dark, already coated paper?), but that
> didn't made a difference, the result was ectually worse.
> Also did some tests on drying the paper. We have this "drying cabinet", a
> closet with a about 40 deg blower, seems no difference between air dried
> and cabinet dried.
>
> This became quite a long post, I hope you are still with me, and have a
> few answers or sugesstion to all me questions.
>
> Looking forward to hear from you, and pick up new things about alternative
> processes,
>
> Groet,
>
> Cor Breukel
> http://ruly70.medfac.leidenuniv.nl/~cor/cor.html
> "The Infrared Gallery"
> http://ruly70.medfac.leidenuniv.nl/~cor/cor.html

Hello,

I too, am a beginner on this listserve and figured I may as well get my
feet wet and join in. It's nice to know I am not the only new
participant. After reading the messages, it sounds as if most
contributors are old friends and advanced at alternative
printing processes.

I worked with gum and cyanotype prints several years ago and got to a
point where I was able to produce some pleasing (to me) prints.
However, I stopped working in that area to do some photography that
produced an income so I could afford paper, film, chemicals, equipment,
etc. (Most of you probably know how that goes.)

I have several excellent books on the subjects of alternative
printing--The Silver Sunbeam, THe Gum Bichromate Book by Scopick, Gum
Dichromate by Nadeau (I was thrilled and surprised to see Mr. Nadeau's
name on some messages), The Keepers of Light, The Kallitype by Wynne
(Formulary Press),and The New Photography by Reeve and Sward, but
reading is different than seeing and no one in my immediate area works
with alternative processes. I am looking forward to being part of this
listserve and hope I can someday be an "old friend" to the rest of you.

Marilyn
Lancaster, California (the rim of the Mojave Desert)

(I will probably start with some basic questions, please excuse my
ignorance for the time being).