Topic: Alternative printing

[hoddy]

Hi

Has anyone any experience of alternative printing, cyanotype or Argyrotype, in particular using the kits offered by Silverprint? Are they easy to use? Are the results good?

Thanks

[Info Red]

I've not used Silverprint materials, but have had much success with those from Photographer's Formulary.  My students use them to become acquainted with the processes, and several have then gone on to use non-kit materials as well, but the kits make it easy to have some successes right out of the box.

Mark

[stevesegz]

They are a good place to start as most of the chemicals and instructions come with them so you can get started straight away. You will need other bits depending on using digital negative or original (brave to start with ok if you don't mind losing the neg in the early days.) UV source and paper is always an important consideration.

As Info Red suggests, a great introduction that you progress from.
 

[Francois]

I know most people who are into alt.processes start off doing cyanotypes as they are the easiest and most tolerant of all the ancient photo processes.

[jojonas~]

Yup, cyano Is easy and fun tone in Tea and coffee for More fun.

Me, I like lithprinting. Look up moerch easylith for that. But I reccomend cyanotype for anyone

[hoddy]

Thanks all, I might give it a go although having now read a little more about it the UV source is something I'll have to think about. I had intended just to use sun/daylight but that sounds as though its a bit too hit and miss

[Francois]

Loads of options there.
A bank of blacklight fluorescents works fine but you'll get slightly fuzzy edges due to the multiple light sources.
You can use an Halogen construction light (500 watt). These produce nice fine detail but will heat up both the place and your electricity bill.
Mercury vapor lamps also work well in the more powerful versions but are getting hard to come by and are expensive.
Metal arc lamps are the most expensive but also produce the most UV rays.

If you have all your work pre-planned, you can always get your work over to a tanning salon... strange looks are guaranteed.

[hoddy]

Loads of options there.
A bank of blacklight fluorescents works fine but you'll get slightly fuzzy edges due to the multiple light sources.
You can use an Halogen construction light (500 watt). These produce nice fine detail but will heat up both the place and your electricity bill.
Mercury vapor lamps also work well in the more powerful versions but are getting hard to come by and are expensive.
Metal arc lamps are the most expensive but also produce the most UV rays.

If you have all your work pre-planned, you can always get your work over to a tanning salon... strange looks are guaranteed.

Space is part of the problem. I want to be able to do this whilst away on our narrowboat and the Captain wont let me take too much photographic related gear!

I like the tanning salon idea though!

[DonkeyDave]

The argyrotype kit is good, although I couldn't get the paper to work. If you have some fixer already just buy the premixed sensitiser. Argyrotype is a tricky process, very paper sensitive, and the trick is to use dechlorinated water, so buy distilled water. I have a cheaper option as I use the water condensed from a dehumidifier.
Sharpness is much more dependent on the use of a vacuum frame than the uv light source, despite what Internet rumours will tell you. 8x10s are fine by using 2 sheets of glass.
The best paper I've found is actually the non coated side of hann photo rag, but this is a humidity dependent process, so you may well find otherwise.
Plenty of advice on UV exposure devices are on the net, but you can build to any size, they do insecticutor type bulbs in small sizes.
I made 16x20inch argyrotypes in a downstairs toilet, a narrow boat should be do-able.

[DonkeyDave]

Another trick. Tone in very dilute 1:100 selenium for a few seconds gives a very platinum look for a fraction of the price. 

[Andrej K]

Another trick. Tone in very dilute 1:100 selenium for a few seconds gives a very platinum look for a fraction of the price.

Or try Moersch MT14 toner - selenium without sulfides (IIRC) - made especially for alt processes. I was able to try it before production, it is just perfect for kallitypes. Should be fine for other iron based processes as well.