Overexposed?

I recoated and re-exposed the papers.  I intentionally over-exposed them because I will use them for further experimentation.

For some reason, the images are a lot less vibrant than others I have done.  There are a lot of variables that could have caused this:

1. My chemicals are getting weaker.

2. Contamination from older cyanotype mixture or vandyke chemicals.  I was careful, but maybe not careful enough.

3. Washed for too long in water.  After researching on line I realized that I haven't been rinsing my prints enough.  Maybe I overcompensated this time?

4. I prepared the papers the night before.  I have never done this.  I noticed that the papers were not the bright green/yellow they should be, but were already turning blue...

5.  Maybe I just need to wait for them to oxidize more.  Sometimes I use hydrogen peroxide to speed it up, but didn't this time.

Update: the blue tint of the pre-exposed paper could be from a humid environment or old chemicals.  I left the paper overnight in the basement...

If I am ever going to figure this out, I need to experiment more systematically!  I am so used to trying things out on a whim.

Underdeveloped Cyanotypes

Made cyanotypes on Friday, but the sky was overcast and I put the prints out late afternoon.  My first real flop.  But I will do another layer of chemicals tomorrow...

These are lithographs that I layered cyanotype chemicals over (the paper on the left is a rice paper that fell apart in the water-- more on papers another time):

I tried layering cyanotype over vandyke prints.  Big mistake.  The cyanotype chemicals washed out the vandyke images and the cyanotype barely printed.  I did a quick search online-- I was supposed to make the cyanotypes first!  Another time...

Vandyke Prints

Today I tried out Vandyke printing.  It's a similar process to cyanotype, but uses different chemicals and requires more steps to develop the image.

Coated paper:

Placed negative films on top of paper and sandwiched between plexiglass and wood.  Put outside for about 5 minutes:

Rinsed, put in fixer bath, and gave a final rinse bath:

The dried prints:

Note the two with a deeper red tone were done on hot pressed paper (the others on cold pressed).

Exposure times

I just found this great link!  People documenting exposure times in their areas and homemade light boxes (with types of bulbs).  Of course it is still very variable and requires experimentation.  A full day to expose a print in CA?!

http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/processes/cyanotype/the-big-cyanotype-exposure-survey-results

For me, in New Haven, it has taken from 5 to 20 minutes depending on time of year and weather.

UV Light Box

Cyanotypes are exposed in sunlight.  Transparencies (or objects) are placed on the prepared paper; sandwiched between a wood board and a plexiglass (more on this later-- with photos).  I have to shlep this from my dark basement to the front door and outside.  This process is unpredictable because of the variations in sunlight and hard on my back.  I am looking into building a UV light box to keep in my basement.  I have not found "perfect" instructions for my needs, but will hopefully be able to work something out based on my finds (see links).  Things to consider: the light needs to come from above (I could try from below, but don't know if it will work), the light needs to be very bright and even, and the box may need a fan for safety. It would also be nice to be able to adjust the light. I looked into purchasing ready-made light boxes but they are VERY expensive.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5004694_make-uv-light-box.html

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum42/61740-deliberations-building-uv-light-box.html

http://thinkaboutphotography.blogspot.com/2012/02/new-bigger-and-better-uv-light-source.html

http://www.shutterbug.com/content/how-tobrbuild-contact-printing-light-source

Techniques

I hope to try some of these techniques to alter the color and combine with other media.  Also has some interesting historical background:

http://www.christopherjames-studio.com/materials/The%20Book%20of%20Alt%20Photo%20Processes/SAMPLE%20CHAPTERS/CyanotypeProcessSm.pdf


and another source:

http://www.mikeware.co.uk/mikeware/main.html

Artists

Christian Marclay:

http://131.247.128.63/GS/artists/marclay_christian/marclay.html

Lauren Redniss:

Redniss wrote and illustrated the book Radioactive about Marie and Pierre Curie.

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http://www.laurenredniss.com/radioactive/

She wrote the book as a fellow at the New York Public Library.  Here is a link to the exhibit website:

http://exhibitions.nypl.org/radioactive/?g=curiograph

Natalie Cheung:

http://www.nataliewcheung.com/

Fran Siegel:

http://fransiegel.com/

Helen Frankenthaler:

Not cyanotypes (acrylic), but they are so similar.  

John Wood:

Christopher James:

http://www.christopherjames-studio.com/index.html

Eadweard Muybridge:  (Smithsonian Institution) Cyanotype proof from Animal Locomotion Series, 1884-1886.

Making Negatives

I have adjusted images in Photoshop to increase contrast and "invert"; I then printed on inkjet transparency paper.  It has worked fairly well, though the images are not always sharp.  I recently found more detailed instructions on adjustments and alternative methods that I would like to try:

http://unblinkingeye.com/AAPG/DigiNegs/Workflow.html

http://h30507.www3.hp.com/t5/Professional-Photography/Creating-a-Large-Format-Photo-Negative-on-an-HP-Designjet-Z3200/ba-p/101525

transparency paper:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=pictorico+ohp+transparency&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ta

Previous Work:

"I Have Come To My Garden"

Spring 2012

Roberta Galler: A 9/11 Graphic Memoir

Summer 2012

First, a definition:

Cyanotype (n): /ˈsīənəˌtīp, sīˈanə-/
A photographic blueprint. (oxforddictionaries.com)

The process (in brief):

Paper (or other material like fabric) is painted with a solution of potassium ferricyanide and  ferric ammonium citrate in a dark room.  The paper is covered with a contact print or object and exposed to ultraviolet light.  The paper is then washed in water;  the parts exposed to the light turn blue and the parts blocked by the image on the print or the objects remain white.  Depending on the length/strength of exposure, there could be a wide range of values.  This process was used to make traditional blueprints.

Some History:

This process was discovered in 1842 by Sir John Herschel, and was mainly used to reproduce notes and diagrams.  Anna Atkins used this for photography creating cyanotype books documenting plant life.  She is known as the first female photographer. 

Anna Atkins