Re: gelatin and cyanotype

In my experience I would put the cyan/gelatin issue into the urban myth
category. I haven't seen an advantage to it (I don't gelatin coat my
"pure" cyan work), but I see no disadvantage in my tricolor gun/cyan
work. I "think" I see the wash water get color faster with a
gelatin/cyan than with a non gelatin, but the final print is fine. For
tricolor gum/cyan I wouldn't worry :-)

About Fabriano Aristioco.

Note: I use "traditional white cold press", I think you use "extra
white hot press".

That being said, I've had better luck (slightly better shadows) with
the cyan layer of tricolor on this paper after adding some Oxalic Acid
to my gelatin size. I add 1gm per 100ml of size. My size for THIS paper
(an amazingly well sized paper to begin with) is thinner than normal
(2%) and brush applied. A bit of alcohol helps with brush applied size,
I use 5ml of vodka per 100ml of size. I realize that may sound lazy and
underpowered to some, but it is all THIS paper needs :-)

On Monday, September 20, 2004, at 05:48 AM, Christina Z. Anderson
wrote:

> 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
>
>
>
--------------
Tom Ferguson
http://www.ferguson-photo-design.com
Received on Mon Sep 20 10:41:30 2004