dsbryant@mindspring.com
Date: 04/24/02-11:45:15 AM Z
Shannon,
On Wed, 24 Apr 2002 09:27:13 -0500 shannon stoney <sstoney@pdq.net> wrote:
[snip]
I have been having a problem when I try to put two coats of cyanotype
solution on certain paper:
[snip]
By coincidence I have been experimenting with double coating cyanotype emulsions, traditional and the New Cyantotype version.
I have experienced the same problems with coating as you have mentioned with Platine and Cranes Pearl White Wove 90 and Cranes NW WW 90. All of these papers "pucker" on the second coat when coating with a glass road. And the second does not soak or spread into the paper well tending to streak.
Here are my conclusions from my testing (and these are conclusions made in my own darkroom with my water, humidity etc.; this is not an attempt to draw a conclusive report about cyanotype printing or to dispute or parrot what others may have written).
1) The printing speed of the NC process seems to increase with double coating and I beleive this is true of the traditional cyanotype formula (the formula I use for TC is the one quoted by Robert Schram <sp?> in Post Factory Journal).
2) The tonal scale of both formulas and all papers tested are reduced especially the NC process with double coating.
3) Complete clearing of the prints becomes very difficult if not impossible with double coating of both emulsions in the same amount of development time.
4) Using 2 parts of A to 1 of B for the old traditional cyanotye formula seems to give similar results as the NC (as menttioned by Dr. Schram here and in his PF article I beleive). I haven't tested this completely though.
5) I let each coating soak into the paper for two minutes in total darkness and complete the drying with a hair dryer on low heat (the air at the surface of the paper doesn't feel warmer than the ambient temperature at least for the past two weeks) under the illumination of red safelights.
My conclusion is that the cyanotype emulsions should not be double coated. The NC emulsion is about 2 to 2.5 stops faster than the traditional recipe and exhibits a different tonal scale too - a little longer if my memory is correct or to put it another way the traditional formula is a little more contrasty. Double coated cyanotypes for both formulas generally seem to veil the delicate details of highlights and bury the midtones. You then end up shorting the print times to reveal detail which never seems to look right.
So in my view there is nothing to be gained by double coating, at least that is my conclusion.
BTW, I've done this in preparation of making Cyan-O-Dyke prints which I think have an interesting potential from what I have read in Christopher James book.
My preference for papers so far is for the Platine mainly for its smooth surface even after wetting, but of course it is more expensive, which makes the Cranes a good paper for proofing (it still looks very good also). I'm sure there are many other paper choices that could work too, I've been meaning to try the Lenox from Daniel Smith since it is inexpensive. Oh yes I've been wanting to practice on Bienfang 360 and I've still yet to try my Buxton sample.
Good luck and I hope this helps,
Don Bryant
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