Re: cyanotype soln. gone bad

Cyanotype solutions do not keep well. I mix fresh for every printing
session.

Dave in Wyoming

----- Original Message -----
From: <jude.taylor@comcast.net>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2005 8:10 PM
Subject: cyanotype soln. gone bad

> Greetings,
>
> This evening I got out my bottle of cyanotype (Ware's new cyano) solution
to coat and test some different papers. Much to my surprise my solution was
deep green. I filtered it again and found there was also some dark blue
sludge in the bottle.
>
> The solution is only 2-3 months old, has been in a brown bottle with black
lid tightly screwed on and kept inside a dark drawer that is only opened
when I get out the bottle for a printing session. It was O.K. a few weeks
ago (pale yellowish gree), so I am wondering if the higher humidity around
here has adversely affected the solution over time - when it has been opened
to take out a few mls of the stock for use. I use a dedicated syringe
(which I wash and dry after each use) to draw from the stock bottle. After
removing what I need for a session I do put the stock bottle back in the
dark drawer. Is it restorable or must I just start "from scratch" again?
Any clues as to what I might do to prevent this happening again; if it is
the humidity I do have "dehumidifier" on my list of items to purchase,
though I wouldn't want to run it all the time! Maybe some of the "crystal
stuff" in the drawer?
>
> Thanks!
> Judy
> --
> Judy Rowe Taylor
> Mukilteo, WA
> Art is a voice of the heart, a song of the soul.
> www.enduringibis.com
> jude.taylor@comcast.net or judyrowetaylor@enduringibis.com
Received on Sun Sep 4 20:28:30 2005