Author Topic: Cyanotypes - First Try (Read 10918 times)

seekingfocus · « **on:** December 10, 2007, 02:32:30 AM »

Finally got around to mixing up some cyanotype chems this afternoon and giving them a bit of a trail run.

Everything went fairly smoothly until halfway through the second exposure (one with the trees) the clouds rolled in and I wasn't able to get the details in the lighter areas I would have liked... Got a few kinks/tweaks to work out for future attempts- all in all though, I think I'm hooked!

-Jason

seekingfocus · « **Reply #1 on:** December 10, 2007, 02:32:54 AM »

The Setup:

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seekingfocus · « **Reply #2 on:** December 10, 2007, 02:33:37 AM »

And of course, some results:

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rdbkorn · « **Reply #3 on:** December 10, 2007, 06:21:25 AM »

Congratulations, these look quite successful. It's always difficult to get good sun exposures in winter.

Andrea. · « **Reply #4 on:** December 10, 2007, 12:20:55 PM »

Good stuff. Looking forward to giving tthis a try myself and have some chems on the way as I write - ferries permitting. Are these digial negs or 4x5?

seekingfocus · « **Reply #5 on:** December 10, 2007, 03:30:17 PM »

Thanks- These are digital negs, and rough ones at that. I didn't have the time (or knowledge) to put together proper negatives, but I definitely wanted to give it a try right away. I think for the next round I'll be able to get better quality negatives made and get better exposure throughout.

-Jason

LT · « **Reply #6 on:** December 10, 2007, 05:08:19 PM »

very nice - they have a subtle quality that lifts them far and away from most of the "my first cyanotype" pics I've seen. Looking forward to seeing how things develop (pun intended)

moominsean · « **Reply #7 on:** December 10, 2007, 06:35:44 PM »

on the top of my list of things to try when i'm done with school and have money again. nice results!

eddie · « **Reply #8 on:** December 10, 2007, 07:57:23 PM »

The tree image is super, quite beautiful, I don't imagine you would need to create large prints to create an impact with this process. Small and subtle will work well.

seekingfocus · « **Reply #9 on:** December 11, 2007, 12:02:39 AM »

Thanks everyone for the comments. I got a few more tries in today, and I'm much happier with the results. It's a fairly quick learning curve for this process and really fun. I even got my two-year old nephew involved (didn't let him mix the chemicals though) and he loved it. Also, just wanted to note to moominsean- price shouldn't be too much of an issue here. I bought the smallest quantities of the two chems I could find and I'm absolutely amazed at the amount of solutions it will make. For probably under $20 (including shipping) you can have enough chems to make a few hundred prints easily.

Here's the tree shot again, this time with a proper exposure in good light. Also, after developing in cold water I hit today's prints with a shot of H2O2 to really deepen the blues. Makes all the difference in the world.

-Jason

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Susan B. · « **Reply #10 on:** December 11, 2007, 07:21:08 AM »

That second try is a winner. Impressed with your results.

eddie · « **Reply #11 on:** December 11, 2007, 10:59:28 PM »

I do like the second one but the subtle tones in the first one and the creative border give a authentic old world print feel to the image which is something I love in a print.

outofcontxt · « **Reply #12 on:** December 12, 2007, 09:24:38 PM »

I'm with Eddie on this one, Jason. The second one is quite lovely but the first try really has an ethereal feel to it. Reminds me of morning fog. Keep up the great work!

Tammy · « **Reply #13 on:** December 13, 2007, 04:09:56 AM »

Man, I like them all. Great first effort! I love your subject matter as well.

Fintan · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2008, 10:12:08 AM »

i really like these and for a first attempt this is trully inspirational

Andrea. · « **Reply #15 on:** January 06, 2008, 04:37:09 PM »

Ok, here's my attempt. Nothing like the ones before but I am getting there - I think.
Bockingford water colour paper, soaked in acid stop-bath then washed, emulsion coated when paper still damp.

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seekingfocus · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2008, 12:23:06 AM »

Very nice Andrea! What is the effect of soaking in the Acid Stop-Bath prior to coating the paper? I had not read anything about that...

-Jason

Andrea. · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2008, 09:37:00 AM »

Quote from: seekingfocus on January 07, 2008, 12:23:06 AM

Very nice Andrea! What is the effect of soaking in the Acid Stop-Bath prior to coating the paper? I had not read anything about that...

-Jason

Something to do with the buffering on the paper - whatever that is. Some papers are worse than others and need acidifying.
BTW; have you seen this chaps work? http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimread/496374728/

seekingfocus · « **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2008, 03:44:37 PM »

^ Wow, gorgeous stuff!

-Jason

Francois · « **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2008, 10:22:15 PM »

Quote from: Andrea on January 07, 2008, 09:37:00 AM

Something to do with the buffering on the paper - whatever that is.

Buffered paper contains an alkali to counteract the acidity of the pulp used.

seekingfocus · « **Reply #20 on:** January 08, 2008, 12:35:08 AM »

So, what exactly would that do to effect the outcome of the cyanotype print?

-Jason

Francois · « **Reply #21 on:** January 08, 2008, 03:08:36 PM »

From what I can figure out, it has an effect on the color... but never having done a cyanotype (nor really looked at how they work), I can't say for sure.

Andrea. · « **Reply #22 on:** January 08, 2008, 03:37:46 PM »

Well, from what I have done, the buffered paper doesn't take to the cyanotype paper so well as one soaked in stop bath. Apparently, cartridge paper works really well. I shall know soon since I bought some to try today ;-)

rdbkorn · « **Reply #23 on:** January 08, 2008, 04:35:20 PM »

The buffer added to paper and mat boards usually slightly overcompensates for the acidity of the material, making the final pH slightly basic. At this pH, the blue fades. I've used BFK Rives printmaking paper quite successfully for doing cyanotypes without having to resort to pre-soaking the paper.

Francois · « **Reply #24 on:** January 08, 2008, 10:33:27 PM »

If it needs acidity to keep its color, it's one big advantage.
You can use the cheapest paper you can find and it will work fine

Or use some scary hand made stuff...

Andrea. · « **Reply #25 on:** January 12, 2008, 09:54:38 PM »

Here's one on Cotman NOT. Acid soacked and coated damp. Toned in white tea and herbs. Digital neg.

astrobeck · « **Reply #26 on:** January 13, 2008, 12:15:01 AM »

Wow! I like all of these.
This has pushed me over the edge, and now I really must make a print!

I'm totally inspired.
Becky

seekingfocus · « **Reply #27 on:** January 13, 2008, 12:53:13 AM »

Very nice, Andrea- can you give some more info on the toning technique? I've heard of using tea, and would like to give it a try... does the tea stain the paper at all? I know tannic acid is another option which shouldn't tone the paper, only the cyanotype emulsion.

-Jason

Andrea. · « **Reply #28 on:** January 13, 2008, 12:37:04 PM »

The toning is rather technical - for me.
When the print has been washed and all the yellow is out of the highlights I brew a pot of white tea [I have used green tea which is good but 'normal' tea does stain the paper more], chuck in some mixed dried herbs and let brew for 5 mins or so. Then immerse the print in the warm herb/tea brew in a tray and swish it all around a bit as if you know what you are doing until something happens.The different types of tean and herbs seem to change the colour of the Prussian Blue differntly.
I might try tannin sometime but not easy to obtain up here - unlike tea and herbs. Plus; it does give the print it's own particular aroma.
BTW; I do wash the print after toning.
How long the print will last I don't know but I did it yeasterday and it still looks good if that helps.

seekingfocus · « **Reply #29 on:** January 13, 2008, 05:32:05 PM »

Quote from: Andrea on January 13, 2008, 12:37:04 PM

How long the print will last I don't know but I did it yeasterday and it still looks good if that helps.

Perfect! That's my idea of archival!

Thanks for the description... I guess I'll have to start experimenting a bit with this as I really do like the look of the toned prints. As for the permanence, I have read that they do seem to hold their color fairly well using either tea or tannins.

The Tannic acid is old quite inexpensively at Bostick and Sullivan and Photo Formulary also carries it. I plan on grabbing some next time I'm putting in an order for chems.

-Jason

Andrea. · « **Reply #30 on:** January 18, 2008, 12:19:46 PM »

Trad neg - Forte 200 in ID-11 taken wif the FKD 13x18 plate camera. On Cartridge paper Fairtrade coffee toned. FED and Kiev rangefinders posing

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rdbkorn · « **Reply #31 on:** January 18, 2008, 04:36:16 PM »

Some cool experiments with cyanotype and lovely images here. Last year I was working on an art project with a theme of "fragmentary genetic blueprint". For one of the pieces, I wanted to print cyanotype on DNA sequencing autoradiograms (developed X-ray film). My first test image was an old family photo.

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Andrea. · « **Reply #32 on:** January 18, 2008, 05:36:19 PM »

Cool. Do we get to see the DNA stuff?

CarlRadford · « **Reply #33 on:** February 11, 2008, 09:20:59 PM »

The sun will get very frustrating - lots of people use these: phillips facial studio HB175 - about ?10 off ebay. All the plt/pd and other alt process images I've made have been using one although I take delivery of a 20x24 uv lightbox next weekend. Great images mind!

seekingfocus · « **Reply #34 on:** April 14, 2008, 07:08:33 PM »

Hope no one minds me digging up this old thread... perhaps I should post in a new one or... eh, I'm not versed in forums politics. Just slap me around and I'll get the hint.

Anyway- I finally got around to playing with a few more cyanotypes this weekend (been a few months), and wanted to share... posted to filmwasters on flickr, but though maybe I'd put it up here also.

This was a shot taken quite a while back, last summer in Nelson's Ledges State Park, in Ohio. Nothing much happened with the shots back then though there were a few I quite liked... I'm just now getting around to reworking some of them with alternative processes, so it's quite rewarding. This is perhaps my favorite of this past weekend's work, though there were a few others I was quite satisfied with as well. I think I'm begging to get the technique down a bit better now, though exposures are still tough to judge especially on partly cloudy days where I'll have full sun and heavy cloud cover in the during the same exposure... next I'm hoping to work on toning some of these!

Excuse the reproduction on this one too... I have to say it looks a bit better in person (not so splotchy). I couldn't scan it well since the texture of the paper interfered quite a bit, so I just took a shot with my *cough* digital camera...

Cyanotype, Arches Cold Press 300gm, Digital Negative from scanned MF.

-Jason

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LT · « **Reply #35 on:** April 14, 2008, 07:24:59 PM »

this looks great Jason - so many cyanotypes look dull and flat, but you seem to have got it all workign well for you - really suits the image too.

Ed Wenn · « **Reply #36 on:** April 14, 2008, 08:44:26 PM »

Nice and strong. Image suits the process as Leon has already pointed out. A good marriage; well done.

seekingfocus · « **Reply #37 on:** April 14, 2008, 09:10:23 PM »

Thanks Leon and Ed!

@Leon- I have only tried them so far with digital negs, and it seems the trick is to adjust the curves a bit to open up the darker areas (in the negative) much more than seems necessary... if not, you will end up with blocks of similar tones. Some people have a really precise way of doing this, but so far it's just been guess and check with me- seeing what "feels right' and going with it.

-Jason

Author Topic: Cyanotypes - First Try (Read 10918 times)

astrobeck