Re: cyanotype "intensifier"
Steven J Rifkin (rifki001@gold.tc.umn.edu)
Wed, 16 Aug 95 10:24:49 -0500
>Yoohoo out there!!!!!
>
>Someone (not on this list) who shall be nameless owes me a steak dinner
>(sorry animal lovers) for insisting that hydrogen peroxide intensifies
>cyanotype.
>
>Everybody! Read your Crawford. And win a tofu dinner. Make the same bet
>with someone else not on this list: Tear a print in half. "Intensify" one
>half. Let the other half dry au naturel for a few days, and then compare
>the two halves. They will be identical.
>
>The hydrogen peroxide only does instantly what the oxygen in the air does
>more slowly as the print dries -- oxidize the color into deep deep blue.
>
>I also tested the aforementioned dichromate "intensifier" on several
>samples. One of them looked like it might possibly have some very very very
>very slight intensification, but there are so many other ways of getting
>rich cyanotype (especially on absorbent fabric) and it is always hard to
>be perfectly sure when the difference is so slight with a hand-applied
>emulsion and the original color with cyanotype is always so beautiful, my
>advice is forget it.
>
>The peroxide trick, however, is a great class demo -- as the print turns
>instant deep royal blue everyone goes "aaaaahhhh!" That of course is the
>high point, because when it dries, it dulls a bit, and shadow
>separation diminishes.......as with all prints. (I fantasize an
>exhibition of prints under water. Doesn't everybody?)
>
>Intensely,
>
>Judy
A flooded gallery and provided SCUBA gear would make for a novel exhibition.