RE: the old and the new cyanotype formulae

Hi Christina. First of all I must say that I haven't used new cyanotype
yet - so the following will be hypothetical: What I understand is that
most people complain about paper sensivity of the new cyanotype - from
what I gather by reading messages and by searching the web, the classic
formula seems like it's less sensitive to paper "imperfections". I have
printed classic cyanotype on a couple of papers and hadn't encountered
"major" problems like chemical fogging and extreme staining but I had
read people complaining about these two problems with the new cyanotype.
Also, my understanding is that the new cyanotype needs negatives with
greater density range and as I have experienced problems like
harshness/grainess and banding in highlights with digital negatives of
high density before, I see this fact as a potential problem (will see it
when I try). The curve I'm using currently for classic cyanotype
diginegs doesn't lay much black ink - please note that it's a quadtone
inkset - so I don't have grainess and such problems. But when I print
diginegs for van dyke - using Fokos curve for platinum - I often have
problems in highlights. Frankly, I'm doing good with classic formula and
I wouldn't be interested in the new cyanotype if I weren't in the need
of higher dmax with single coating. So, I think most people's attitude
towards the new cyanotype is "don't-fiddle-if-it-works" type of attitute
(which I found very logical - because in fact all these processes are
just tools to realise our "vision / art").

Regards,
Loris.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Christina Z. Anderson [mailto:zphoto@uslink.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2004 8:09 AM
> To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
> Subject: the old and the new cyanotype formulae
>
>
> ...
> My question: what is it about the new formula, aside
> from greater expense and more trouble mixing (certainly at
> time of use it is easier because you DON'T have to mix two
> parts up), that people object to--what are the new formula's
> problems that keep people from using it, aside from habit
> (the if it ain't broke, don't fix it reason)? I really am
> interested in an "I HATE the new cyanotype because..." kind
> of thing. I keep thinking there must be something I am
> missing. Contrast? Detail in shadows? Anything? Chris
Received on Wed May 26 05:55:19 2004