Still Got the Blues...

[dazedgonebye]

Anyone else for alternative processes?
I'm still trying to perfect my cyanotypes...currently having problems making a digital negative over 8x10.

 

[pvdhaar]

Incredible scans! They almost look like Delft blue tiles.. Are these real cyanotypes? If so, well done!

 

[40oz]

wow.

__________

 

[Sparrow]

Steve, just made the file to print my first ChartThrob adjusted neg, found some nice smooth Bockingford paper, just chemicals to get now.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

Steve,
My wife gave me a contact printing frame for xmas with this in mind. I've had Dan Burkholders book on making digital negs for a few years, I tried a few on some cheap HP transparency film with sketchy results but plan on trying again with OHP. What are you using for a light source?

I want to try some Van Dykes and maybe move into PL/Pall.

Your cyano's look very well printed with great tonal values, nice work.

Todd

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

Todd,

How do you like Burkholder's book? Is it worth buying?

Wayne

 

[Todd.Hanz]

The book has alot of info and describes the process well but is pretty heavy into using offset printing or image setter services (which are sometimes hard to find). My book is several years old, the new workflow is to use inkjet printers (which he also writes about) to make excellent enlarged negs for silver or alt. process work. The book comes with photoshop curves on CD, you can download others from his site depending on the printer you use. The curves are for changing the density of the negative for the different printing processes (silver, pl/pal, cyanotypes, etc). It's a great book and I'd recommend it, but you can find almost everything on the web now.

heres a good site:
http://www.alternativephotography.com/index.html

and this one:
http://www.kcbx.net/~mhd/2photo/outneg/outneg.htm

good luck,
Todd

 

[dazedgonebye]

Peter,
Yes, those are real cyanotypes. Scans do not do them justice...much nicer in hand.

Stewart,
You're on you way. The first few feel awkward, but it's easy before too long.

Todd,
I've seen that book. It's too advanced for me. I have no dreams of printing platinum/paladium, and the level of precision provided by most digital negative systems is a bit too much for my temperment and is overkill for cyanotype/vandyke processes.
My light source is a bank of 3 15 inch, 18 watt black-light tubes. At 10 inches or so from the paper, I get an even exposure and a 35 minute (or so) exposure time. I sort of like the long exposure time because a minute or two error doesn't make a difference.

I've attached three more pictures from that printing session.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

Thanks Todd.

Steve- I like 'em. The close-ups are my favorites.


Wayne