Ziatype information?

[jeffwiedner]

hello all,
I have been interested in learning a bit more about Ziatype before I go down the rabbit hole and invest in the new chemistry [I work mostly in Kallitype right now]. I've seen Christina Z Anderson's 2009 Ziatype article on AlternativePhotography.com and read through Bostick & Sullivan's own documentation on the process. I tried to find Sullivan & Weese's book, but it appears to be out of print and I'm only seeing copies on eBay for $500+ [seems high especially if I'm researching before investing in a $300 kit from B&S ].

Have you found good articles or other resources on the process that you feel might be helpful for me to check out?

Thanks in advance for the help!

-- Jeff

 

[Molli]

Hi, welcome to Photrio! There's a workshop on your continent in August for which you'll only need to fork out $595

The Ziatype Process

Learn the magic of Ziatype, a variation of palladium printing, requiring no developer, that lets you watch your image appear right before your eyes.

santafeworkshops.com

Other than that, we seem to have read the same articles, so I'm of no real help adding to your knowledge. I'm wondering if the kit is a genuine saving though. Looking at the contents, possibly it's worth it simply to have someone else sourcing the more dangerous/obscure items (I've never looked for most of the ones needed for ziatypes, so don't know how difficult they are to acquire); but I have noticed that a number of "alternative" kits charge a premium for convenience. If you're able to source the components, perhaps you could buy them one at a time as money comes to hand? You'll wind up with more chemicals than kits tend to supply and you won't have to make the original outlay all in one hit.

Sorry to be of no help with the process itself, just some ideas for stocking your cupboard without having to sell a kidney!

Welcome again - I'm sure Photrio's brain trust will be along shortly with something of actual use to you

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Have you found good articles or other resources on the process that you feel might be helpful for me to check out?

https://www.picto.info/RK_texts/PtPdRKO_e.pdf

page #35 onwards.

 

[jeffwiedner]

Thanks, @Raghu Kuvempunagar ! That looks amazing. I appreciate the help.

 

[jeffwiedner]

If you're able to source the components, perhaps you could buy them one at a time as money comes to hand? You'll wind up with more chemicals than kits tend to supply and you won't have to make the original outlay all in one hit.

Thanks, @Molli ! That workshop was a "last resort" but as you mention, the cost of the full Bostick & Sullivan kit wasn't too far from that price. My goal was to get the chemistry that's critical rather than get everything. I am hoping to learn which is critical because I don't want to use dichromates.

 

[Peter Schrager]

take the workshop with Anne Eder. She's great and that's whom I learned from.
While you might think that the cost is high it will save you wasted time in the end.
Believe me I know....
feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

 

[nmp]

hello all,
I have been interested in learning a bit more about Ziatype before I go down the rabbit hole and invest in the new chemistry [I work mostly in Kallitype right now]. I've seen Christina Z Anderson's 2009 Ziatype article on AlternativePhotography.com and read through Bostick & Sullivan's own documentation on the process. I tried to find Sullivan & Weese's book, but it appears to be out of print and I'm only seeing copies on eBay for $500+ [seems high especially if I'm researching before investing in a $300 kit from B&S ].

Have you found good articles or other resources on the process that you feel might be helpful for me to check out?

Thanks in advance for the help!

-- J

Malde-Ware (a Ziatype variant) from Malde:

Platinotype Instructions

Platinotype Instructions Also known as The Ammonium Print-out method or the Malde-Ware methodThis document was written by Pradip Malde, Sewanee, Tennessee, USA and Mike Ware, Buxton, Derbyshire, UK…

pradipmalde.com

:Niranjan.

 

[Cor]

Have seen and hold a Ziatype in your hand ? I am asking because I have made Ziatypes myself and somehow it is my least practiced printing method, I prefer palladium toned Kallitypes. This is off course very personal. I find it a bit hard to derscibe why, maby it is the death neutral grey, or the overall tonal scale due to self masking, or I am not good in printing Ziatypes. I know you can play with the image colour with additives, but still..

So before you gonna spend a lot of money you might try to have one in your hands, or maybe you already have, than good luck !

Best,

Cor

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Are Pt/Pd toned Kallitype prints generally considered the equivalent of regular Pt/Pd prints? I'm not asking if they're chemically the same but from the perspective of clients and buyers do they have the same standing. Interestingly, practitioners of Pt/Pd processes are larger in number than Kallitype practioners as per Christina Z. Anderson's data. Pt/Pd toning of Kallitype isn't as widely practiced as one would expect going purely by cost and print quality considerations. I wonder why.

 

[jeffwiedner]

Have seen and hold a Ziatype in your hand ? I am asking because I have made Ziatypes myself and somehow it is my least practiced printing method, I prefer palladium toned Kallitypes.

I've only seen images of the images -- never held one in my hands. I appreciate your opinion on this. I don't think they're very common in the base case. So I'm not sure whether I could see one before committing [or skipping]. But it is one of the reasons I'm interested in digging into it further. I'd like to understand pros and cons of it.

 

[jeffwiedner]

Are Pt/Pd toned Kallitype prints generally considered the equivalent of regular Pt/Pd prints? I'm not asking if they're chemically the same but from the perspective of clients and buyers do they have the same standing. Interestingly, practitioners of Pt/Pd processes are larger in number than Kallitype practioners as per Christina Z. Anderson's data. Pt/Pd toning of Kallitype isn't as widely practiced as one would expect going purely by cost and print quality considerations. I wonder why.

I imagine [at least to some extent] it's the tonal range plus platinum and palladium are chemically inert. As you mentioned, a toned kallitype should be chemically the same as Pt/Pd, but it would be challenging to get the same depth. And Pt/Pd would probably lend themselves better to layering and combining processes. I have to get creative with sizing when I'm trying to layer with kallitype.