Austincoopers@aol.com
Date: 12/29/02-07:38:33 PM Z
It's been my experience that the Ware process is very fussy and not worth it.
Double coating traditional cyanotype gives very dark blues, creamy values and
extended range. It's not nearly as fussy about paper coating plus, it's way
easier to mix; all adds up to a much happier photographer.
Mike
In a message dated 12/27/02 6:25:07 PM, smwbmp@starpower.net writes:
<< Hi everybody,
I tried Mike Ware's Cyanotype formula last night for the first time; with
unsuccessful results.
The sensitizer went on beautifully (nice light yellow) with a hake brush;
then turned a very dark green (no blue) when I dried it using a blow-dryer on
the lowest setting. Thinking the heat may have caused the color change, I
hung a new sheet to dry for half an hour in my film dryer with only the fan
running. It still turned dark green.
I decided to try printing a negative anyway and after a 15 minute exposure
the unwashed print looked very dark (virtually no details) and had what I
consider a "creamy" appearence. The exposed sensitizer looked almost like
dark blue cake icing. I washed it until the water ran clear; which brought
out the detail (very pale) with fogged highlights. I noticed that the very
edges of the exposed sensitized area there was a normal dark blue that looked
like I had painted over in places with with a light blue wash of cake icing.
Perplexed, I tried coating and printing four different papers - Arches
Classic, Lanaquarelle, Strathmore Aquarius II, and Johannot; with the same
results. The first set papers I tried were double-sized with gelatin
(hardened with glyaxol between coatings and before sensitizing). The second
set of papers were without the additional sizing and showed the same effects
but to a slightly lesser degree.
I went to Mike Ware's website and found this entry:
"The cyanotype sensitizer is a delicate test of paper quality - especially if
the coated paper is left for some hours in the dark at normal relative
humidity: any change of the bright yellow coating towards a green or, worse,
blue colour is an indication of impurities or additives in the paper that are
hostile to this process (and possibly to other processes as well). ..."
Ware then goes on to say:
"... The coated side should remain light yellow: if it has turned green or
blue reject it, because the highlights will be chemically fogged, and look
for a better paper."
Is the Ware formula that much more sensitive to the type of paper used than
traditional formulas? Could the sizing, in conjunction with the sensitizer,
cause the "cake icing" effect that I encountered? What could be the cause of
the sensitizer turning dark green within 5 minutes of coating?
I would be greatful for any help solving these problems,
Scott Wainer
smwbmp@starpower.net >>
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