gelatin and cyanotype

Man oh man, this list has been so quiet this weekend I wonder why Jane
Taylor would even HAVE to unsubscribe. Or else I am not receiving list mail
maybe...

Meanwhile, being derailed from my travel plans to Albuquerque for the
weekend by the umpteenth hurricane coming thru the area, and NOT happy about
it (mild understatement), I got a chance to do lots of gum printing, so not
a waste of time.

Question: I can't remember where I read this, but a book said somewhere
that cyanotype doesn't "like" gelatin. Does anyone know why this is the
case, or feel this is the case? Is it just the absorbency issue, that the
cyano wouldn't get deep enough on sized paper? Or is it another myth?

I have been exposing my cyano layer for my tricolor gums on top of
gelatin/glut sized paper and have not seen a problem, and am wondering if I
am just lucky this batch. I mean, it wouldn't be hard to do the cyano
first, then brush coat size on top, but if not necessary...

I also have abandoned using Ware's cyanotype on Fabriano Artistico Extra
White, an incredibly alkaline paper. It is so alkaline that when it hits
the vinegar bath it fizzes. . It is downright ugly unless vinegar
developed, and that is a mess because the vinegar mordants my bathtub blue,
and since the traditional doesn't require that fuss and produces the most
beautiful cyan for a tricolor gum, I'm happy. No more lavender dull drab
highlights.

End of story.
Chris
Received on Mon Sep 20 08:45:26 2004