Blues to die for

j.r.anderson (j.r.anderson@mds.qmw.ac.uk)
Thu, 3 Oct 1996 07:51:07 +0100

I would be interested to hear about anyone who prints cyanotypes regularly
on RKB paper. I got somewhat confused the other day, and accidentally put
one sheet of some RKB, which I had soaked in sodioum chloride in totally
the wrong place. As a result, very late yesterday evening, I coated it with
the "Keepers of Light" standard cyanotype mix and exposed it. I got quite a
shock on washing it, as the print had beautiful deep blues and a much
higher contrast level than, say, with platine, or come to that almost any
other paper.

I know, obviously, that the intrinsic qualities of the paper arenbound to
be in part responsible for the result (maybe the sizing), but did the salt
do anything? Also, how would this mess up the archival qualities of the
print (if at all)? Is the result just due to the reaction being speeded up
in some way?

Anyway, serendipity rules - Alexander Flemming (and others) knew how to
exploit good fortune; so I will be doing some studies of this if no-one
else knows of such a "procedure" being documented. If the result is only
due to the paper I apologise for wasting everyone's time, but I got so
excited to see such beautiful blues (I've been searching for them for ages)
I am dying to know if anyone else has any information!

Jonathan Anderson