AT A GLANCE 1. Prepare the cyanotype solution using the easy-to-use Cyanotype Sensitizer Kit from Jacquard Products following instructions. 2. Sensitize the paper with the cyanotype solution in subdued lighting and wait until the paper is bone dry. (Dry it in a dark place.) 2. Put object on top of paper and expose to sunlight (approx. 20 min in blazing summer sun or 30-40min. if sun is in and out of clouds. More time is better than less.) 3. Wash the paper in regular tap water at least 5 minutes. Change the water regularly until it runs clear. 4. Let it dry and in 24 hours it will turn deep Prussian blue. CHEMISTRY
PAPER Theoretically any kind of paper can be sensitized with the cyanotype solution. But not every paper can survive being submerged in water for an extended time. The best papers are watercolour paper and printmaking paper. We also tried the canva-paper from Canson that artists use as oil painting surface and it produced great effect with its linen-textured surface. But it took a lot of time to wash out the chemistry after exposure. Note: You can purchase pre-coated paper from the US online - B&H Photo in New York. https://goo.gl/6o1xSt The paper can be purchased in 10, 24 or 100 sheets packages in various sizes. The product is duty-free because it is NAFTA-qualified. But beware that B&H only ships with Fedex and even free shipping is not free. You will only know this when two months after you received your package Fedex will send you directly a separate invoice that might cause you heart attack. The handling fee will likely amount for the whole value of your original purchase. COATING THE PAPER Once you prepared Part A and Part B of the Cyanotype Sensitizer Kit, you can use it anytime later but don't mix them until you are ready to coat your paper. The mixed solution lasts only about 2-3 hours. To coat, combine an equal amount of Part A and Part B in a plastic bowl. (It must be plastic. The chemistry reacts to metal.) Use a foam brush (no metal handle) to coat the paper using horizontal brushstrokes then vertical brushstrokes to make sure you coat the whole paper. Do this in subdued lighting. (E.g. if it is daytime, pull the curtains.) Let the paper air dry, it must be bone dry, in a dark place. E.g. place it under a table and hang black garbage bags around the table. Once the paper dried, package it in aluminum foil until you are ready to expose it. Aluminum foil blocks light out. EXPOSING THE PAPER
DEVELOPING THE IMAGE (WASHING THE PAPER)
DRYING AND OXIDIZING THE PAPER DISPLAYING AND STORING CYANOTYPES Cyanotypes are very stable. Just think of how brilliant Anna Atkins' work she made in 1843 are still today. However, they need some primary care. If you display them on your wall, avoid direct sunlight. Direct sunlight will fade it. But cyanotypes have unique characteristics. If they fade because of sun exposure, just put them into a dark place, like into a drawer, for several days, and they will regain their original glory. If you store them, put them between newsprints or newspaper, not acid-free papers that are usually used to store artworks. Due to the chemistry used in the process, cyanotypes prefer an acidic environment and newsprints are perfect for that. TROUBLESHOOTING The cyanotype process is a non-toxic and failsafe process; that's why they use it extensively in schools and summer camps, where children coat their own paper and learn the complete process.
There are only two things that come to mind that we should mention here. If you don't expose your image long enough in the sun, it will be underexposed. The image will disappear as you wash the paper. It is impossible to overexpose cyanotype, so leave it out in the sun for long. When you look at your coated paper once it dried, you may find that it is not evenly coated. Eventually, you will get better at it. But we suggest to learn to like it, work with it and incorporate it into your composition. Molly and I loved best the paper that we coated, and some turned out with irregularities. We enjoyed the challenge to think of how we can meaningfully incorporate the unevenness and inconsistencies of our paper. Comments are closed.
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