Re: Washing alt-photo prints

Richard Sullivan (richsul@roadrunner.com)
Sun, 29 Jun 1997 14:11:35 -0600

I said:

>>It is my opinion that most, if not virtually all of us, wash alt-photo
>>prints far far to long.
>
Larry Bullis says
>My experience with cyanotype is that I have to wash for an hour or so.
>
>This may not apply to anyone else, though, because I print on a waterleaf
>paper (Arches 88 or unsized BFK) which is totally saturated with
>solution. Its a lot like blotter paper, actually.
>
>If I do not wash it enough, over time the area around the image area will
>develop a quite ugly, dirty looking stain.

Interesting point. I hope I didn't sound absolutist about this. My
experience is more with Pt/pd printing. I wanted to start a dialog on this
on get some opinions as I have run into pt/pd printers who wash for one or
more hours and I think in *most* cases and with *most* processes we can do
with a lot less.

>
>It is sometimes possible to wash too long, though, and degrade the image.
> Getting it right is not hard, but requires attention, and sometimes I
>lose a print. I wash in one of those Arkay trays that has the water
>coming in from one end and exiting through holes in the other. This is a
>gentle wash. I have found that too vigorous a wash is hard on the image.

Dick
Bostick & Sullivan
PO Box 16639, Santa Fe
NM 87506
505-474-0890 FAX 505-474-2857