Showcase for Your HCWP's

[nmp]

A few more cyanotypes from yesterday. Arches WC with std CC about 3 ml per print, + 3-4 drops 40% citric and 2 drops of 10% tween. Developed in tap water/vinegar (10%) a few washes in mild citric water ( my tap is ~8 so it will bleach if not careful). Exposure was about 4 minutes in the UV unit I have. I like the flower - I need to work on the oceanscape negative a bit. Starting to get the hang of this... While I like the cyanotypes, want to do more Kallitypes but I need to find images that look best in these alt process monochromes.

Dave

View attachment 342392 View attachment 342394
View attachment 342393 View attachment 342395

Hi, Dave:

Nice! I like them all, but #2 is the favorite. You are really getting some density in there. Is #1 a photgram or made from a negative. I think perhaps the landscape picture would make a good candidate to do the kallitype process - may be able to handle the shadow details a bit better, based on what I have seen of others.

:Niranjan.

 

[nmp]

I hope everyone keeps these coming. I'm interested to see things I haven't done.

Here is another cyanotype. No toning on this one. It was done on Legion Somerset from a 35mm neg scan so it is a bit grainy. Cyanotypes can be grainy by themselves of course depending on the paper, but in this case it is the scan. Same process as the last. Acidified paper with sulfamic acid. First "dev" in citric acid, then a couple soaks and hang up to dry. Easy peasy. Looks like my exposure on this one was 3:45 which is a bit long for me, but I was playing around with negs too so that could have accounted for it. I usually go for the thinnest neg that will get me the print. No use standing around all day waiting for the exposure. The Canon Pro 10 that I use needs the density to be dialed back otherwise it just won't expose right.

I have to say UV LED exposure units/digital negs are a godsend. Back in the 90s I made cyanotypes with BLB fluorescents and they just took forever with film. I kept wanting to do alts over the years, even restarting with occasional experiments that quickly fizzled out when my interest did, but it wasn't until I build a UV LED unit that things really took off. Instead of making two prints a day because of 40 minute exposures, I can make literally dozens with the short exposures I typically get. It makes experimenting with different variables so much easier. If I want to try a different idea with a neg I have a new one in a few minutes. After more than 4 years now of doing all this I think I have it down pretty well. Still more to do though. That said some of the prints I made back in the 90s were fantastic. And I had no idea what I was doing. Lol.

View attachment 342246

Graininess probably does not feel out of place with the subject matter.

I have noticed that all your cyanotypes are more towards cyan than the sky blue tone like @KYsailor's above as well as how mine come out. I wonder why that is. I also use citric first bath, but no pre-acidifaction. Or may be it's just the paper difference.

:Niranjan.

 

[NedL]

Pony up some pics Ned, whatchawaitingfor?

I've actually been making some cyanotypes the past couple weeks from digital negatives... the first time I've done that. I'll post one if any come out good ( getting there.. I think they will once I dial in the contrast a little better ) Took a few digi-snaps on a trip with my daughter specifically for cyanotype. Busy w/ work now, so mostly only printing on weekends....

A few more cyanotypes from yesterday. Arches WC with std CC about 3 ml per print, + 3-4 drops 40% citric and 2 drops of 10% tween. Developed in tap water/vinegar (10%) a few washes in mild citric water ( my tap is ~8 so it will bleach if not careful). Exposure was about 4 minutes in the UV unit I have. I like the flower - I need to work on the oceanscape negative a bit. Starting to get the hang of this... While I like the cyanotypes, want to do more Kallitypes but I need to find images that look best in these alt process monochromes.

I really like that first one a lot! Nicely done!

 

[KYsailor]

Hi, Dave:

Nice! I like them all, but #2 is the favorite. You are really getting some density in there. Is #1 a photgram or made from a negative. I think perhaps the landscape picture would make a good candidate to do the kallitype process - may be able to handle the shadow details a bit better, based on what I have seen of others.

:Niranjan.

Thanks, the leaf image is actually a photograph that has the "texture" and "clairity" sliders turned up.... gives and interesting effect ....I plan on trying the landscape in Kalli to see how it prints

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Graininess probably does not feel out of place with the subject matter.

I have noticed that all your cyanotypes are more towards cyan than the sky blue tone like @KYsailor's above as well as how mine come out. I wonder why that is. I also use citric first bath, but no pre-acidifaction. Or may be it's just the paper difference.

:Niranjan.

I get the same tone across all papers pretty much but my process is the same across all papers too. And I've used almost all papers trust me. Lol. I have a list of like 30 papers and those are only the ones that make a minimally decent image. I didn't bother to write down the ones that stink, which are probably more than are decent. I figure if I am going to pursue it I might as well go all the way.

I have noticed the more acid I use the more cyan the image is. In fact if I use too much acid in the first rinse the color is rather weak and bright. I use acid in every step. I acidify the paper, the mix and the first rinse. In fact acidifying the paper and the mix makes it so I can coat paper and not print on it for a long time. Like even several months later. I just did some prints last night and I coated that paper over a month ago. not sure what my record is but maybe six months? Don't quote me on that though. Maybe I should start putting a date on the paper when I coat it.

It is almost impossible to compare images on the internet unless each person has perfect control over their color. I don't even want to open that can... Scanners, monitors, every thing affects the end result. One thing to note is KY states his water will bleach an image, which should also make the blue less cyan. If I leave a print soaking for a really long time, like hours, it will bleach a little. Not sure what my water pH is, but it can't be too bad. I'd bet though that in person there wouldn't be much difference.

I still have a lot of ideas and experiments I would like to try. I've only made a few hundred prints at this point. Maybe after a few thousand I'll be good to go.

 

[koraks]

I have noticed the more acid I use the more cyan the image is.

It's been a while since I did a lot of cyanotype, but I noticed back then that a rinse with acetic acid gave more cyan hues, while citric acid shifted a bit more to magenta. I always preferred the latter.

 

[Rolleiflexible]

I hope everyone keeps these coming. I'm interested to see things I haven't done.

Maybe time for another alt print exchange?

 

[Rolleiflexible]

I'll contribute a print scan here: This is a platinum-toned kallitype I printed last week onto Revere Platinum paper using a sodium acetate developer.

 

[KYsailor]

A beautiful print - clearly it is IR. Was it done on IR film or an IR modified digital? Appears to be the natural bridge in VA.

 

[nmp]

A beautiful print

Agree. Brings back memories. Went to school close by (Blacksburg.)

:Niranjan.

 

[Rolleiflexible]

A beautiful print - clearly it is IR. Was it done on IR film or an IR modified digital? Appears to be the natural bridge in VA.

Thank you! Yes, in Virginia. And yes, infrared — I used a Sony A7 with a 720nm sensor and a Nikkor-UD 20mm lens. After a long hiatus, I have unpacked my Rolleiflexes and am back to shooting film. Infrared has its advantages but I think it’s time to go back to my ropots.

If you are interested in seeing more of my kallitypes, I just posted a new site that collects my NC landscapes into a series, available at this URL:

MADISON: A Hymn in Three Verses - Sanders McNew

MADISON: A Hymn in Three Verses on Sanders McNew

www.xynk.org

 

[Rolleiflexible]

Agree. Brings back memories. Went to school close by (Blacksburg.)

:Niranjan.

I spent three years in law school in Charlottesville, where the local wisdom was that all dirt roads lead to Blacksburg.

 

[nmp]

I spent three years in law school in Charlottesville, where the local wisdom was that all dirt roads lead to Blacksburg.

Funny....We used to say if you want to go to Charlottesville, follow the road with the potholes...

:Niranjan.

 

[Rolleiflexible]

I spent three years in law school in Charlottesville, where the local wisdom was that all dirt roads lead to Blacksburg.

Funny....We used to say if you want to go to Charlottesville, follow the road with the potholes...

:Niranjan.

Must be the same road

 

[NedL]

Printed this yesterday. My scanning skills suck, but you get the idea. This is just my 4th try printing a cyanotype from a digital paper negative ( 1st try was a different negative came out all white... 2nd was low contrast and too dark, 3rd was this image w/ no corrections, this is the 4th try )

My daughter and I went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium a few weeks ago, and I took some digi-snaps with my little pocket Canon Elf 180 with the idea of trying to make some cyanotypes. Printed the negative with an inexpensive HP inkjet onto the the thinnest photo printing paper I could find ( HP "everyday photo paper" is 53lb/200gsm. It has light grey watermarks on the back but they don't show on VDB or Sepia prints, and I can't see them in these cyanos either. ) Printed in the sun for around 2 hours. The image area is a little bigger than 7x9 inches. There are 10 or 15 more digi-snaps that might be interesting to print... I'll improve my skills as I go!

"Traditional" cyanotype formula on Canson marker paper, but I don't worry too much about mixing the formula exactly. The paper was coated with 16 drops of 25% AFC mixed with 18 drops of 10% Pot Ferri.

 

[koraks]

Beautiful!

 

[Rolleiflexible]

Printed this yesterday. My scanning skills suck, but you get the idea. This is just my 4th try printing a cyanotype from a digital paper negative ( 1st try was a different negative came out all white... 2nd was low contrast and too dark, 3rd was this image w/ no corrections, this is the 4th try )

My daughter and I went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium a few weeks ago, and I took some digi-snaps with my little pocket Canon Elf 180 with the idea of trying to make some cyanotypes. Printed the negative with an inexpensive HP inkjet onto the the thinnest photo printing paper I could find ( HP "everyday photo paper" is 53lb/200gsm. It has light grey watermarks on the back but they don't show on VDB or Sepia prints, and I can't see them in these cyanos either. ) Printed in the sun for around 2 hours. The image area is a little bigger than 7x9 inches. There are 10 or 15 more digi-snaps that might be interesting to print... I'll improve my skills as I go!

"Traditional" cyanotype formula on Canson marker paper, but I don't worry too much about mixing the formula exactly. The paper was coated with 16 drops of 25% AFC mixed with 18 drops of 10% Pot Ferri.

View attachment 342758

One of the really cool doors that digital negatives opens is the ability to make amazing prints from phone camera grab shots.This is lovely.

 

[Daniela]

View attachment 342758

This is gorgeous! I think the cyanotype treatment is very fitting (and jellyfish are the loveliest of animals!)
When you print the digital picture, do you print it in color or black and white?

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Printed this yesterday. My scanning skills suck, but you get the idea. This is just my 4th try printing a cyanotype from a digital paper negative ( 1st try was a different negative came out all white... 2nd was low contrast and too dark, 3rd was this image w/ no corrections, this is the 4th try )

My daughter and I went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium a few weeks ago, and I took some digi-snaps with my little pocket Canon Elf 180 with the idea of trying to make some cyanotypes. Printed the negative with an inexpensive HP inkjet onto the the thinnest photo printing paper I could find ( HP "everyday photo paper" is 53lb/200gsm. It has light grey watermarks on the back but they don't show on VDB or Sepia prints, and I can't see them in these cyanos either. ) Printed in the sun for around 2 hours. The image area is a little bigger than 7x9 inches. There are 10 or 15 more digi-snaps that might be interesting to print... I'll improve my skills as I go!

"Traditional" cyanotype formula on Canson marker paper, but I don't worry too much about mixing the formula exactly. The paper was coated with 16 drops of 25% AFC mixed with 18 drops of 10% Pot Ferri.

View attachment 342758

For slapping that together Ned, that is excellent! Not sure why so many complicate the hell out of it.

 

[NedL]

One of the really cool doors that digital negatives opens is the ability to make amazing prints from phone camera grab shots.This is lovely.

Totally agree! A bit off-topic, but I got this little pocket camera for $30 at target a couple years ago, and a 64GB sd card at some office store. The "shots remaining" counter has 4 digits and still says "9999" and I've taken over 1200 snapshots. I got it to have something in my pocket to practice composition with. I put lines on the screen that let me match the FOV of my big 7x11" camera if I see something I might want to come back to, but mostly I just use it if I see an interesting composition. Talk about "the best camera is the one you have with you"... I've made some VDBs and Sepia prints from it. I don't have a phone, but if I did it would definitely be the same idea...

This is gorgeous! I think the cyanotype treatment is very fitting (and jellyfish are the loveliest of animals!)
When you print the digital picture, do you print it in color or black and white?

The water was blue in all the photos, so cyanotype seemed like a perfect fit. Also I really like jellyfish too!

About a year and a half ago I spent a lot of time figuring out how to do this for VDB and Sepia prints. After lots of careful testing, I found a green color that worked best with my printer. I used the same color for this, but no testing. Here's what I did:

1. convert to black and white, make contrast look nice, then invert and colorize.
2. made a print, saw that all the values on the negative below about rgb 60,60,60 were pure white and all the values above about 185,185,185 were darkest blue.
3. went back to the negative and made some guesses about how to adjust the curve.
4. printed a 2nd negative and then made this print.

The negative looks like this:

 

[Daniela]

Totally agree! A bit off-topic, but I got this little pocket camera for $30 at target a couple years ago, and a 64GB sd card at some office store. The "shots remaining" counter has 4 digits and still says "9999" and I've taken over 1200 snapshots. I got it to have something in my pocket to practice composition with. I put lines on the screen that let me match the FOV of my big 7x11" camera if I see something I might want to come back to, but mostly I just use it if I see an interesting composition. Talk about "the best camera is the one you have with you"... I've made some VDBs and Sepia prints from it. I don't have a phone, but if I did it would definitely be the same idea...

The water was blue in all the photos, so cyanotype seemed like a perfect fit. Also I really like jellyfish too!

About a year and a half ago I spent a lot of time figuring out how to do this for VDB and Sepia prints. After lots of careful testing, I found a green color that worked best with my printer. I used the same color for this, but no testing. Here's what I did:

1. convert to black and white, make contrast look nice, then invert and colorize.
2. made a print, saw that all the values on the negative below about rgb 60,60,60 were pure white and all the values above about 185,185,185 were darkest blue.
3. went back to the negative and made some guesses about how to adjust the curve.
4. printed a 2nd negative and then made this print.

The negative looks like this:

View attachment 342776

Ha! That green is very interesting! I've only used printer paper negatives (in color) for a cyanotype once but didn't care for the results. Thanks for the detailed explanation!

 

[KYsailor]

Very nice - they look great, and it sounds like you had fun making the prints! That is the thing about cyanotypes, when I get tired of futzing around with all the details of Kallitypes ( my current alt photo project) - I just make some cyanotype and they usually come out looking really great. I like the deep blues, I will have to try that Canson marker paper.... In the past, I have used Canson Bristol XL for cyanotypes and had some really good results...always interesting to try something new. Thanks again for sharing with this group

Dave

 

[nmp]

Green negative strikes again!

Agree with everyone above. Lovely print, Ned. Color, composition, tonal variation - all perfectly suiting the subject.

Also, great behind-the-scenes discussion of the print - exactly what I was hoping for in the thread.

Question: Did you oil or wax the print at all to boost the transparency of the negative?

:Niranjan.

 

[fgorga]

"Traditional" cyanotype formula on Canson marker paper, but I don't worry too much about mixing the formula exactly. The paper was coated with 16 drops of 25% AFC mixed with 18 drops of 10% Pot Ferri.

View attachment 342758

Ned,

That is a very nice cyanotype!

I do have one comment in reaction to one statement in your message (in bold above). My reaction is based on long experience in both doing and teaching alt processes, including cyanotype.

In my experience consistency is a key element in alt process practice. There are many, many ways to make a nice print but there are many, many, many, many more ways to fail.

To minimize frustration (after all most of us are doing this for fun, right?) when making alt process prints I have two basic rules...

#1 - When working out a new process, take good notes. Do not rely on your memory... it is unreliable!

This is the only way to find out what works and not to keep making the same missteps repeatedly.

Also, when making tests, change only one variable at a time. If you change two factors at the same time you will make much slower progress than working very systematically.

#2 - When you have a good method worked out, write up a recipe (or protocol) and follow it as consistently as possible.

For example, don't use 16 drops of solution X one time and 18 drops the next time. Also, when you do need to scale up or down when changing print size, make sure to keep the ratio of the volumes of each solution the same.

Such variability might not matter but it also might cause failure, frustration and heartache.

I look forward to seeing more of your prints.

 

[Rolleiflexible]

Such variability might not matter but it also might cause failure, frustration and heartache

Or, it might make an especially good print and the printer will not know how to repeat it.