Alt-proc -- basic kit?

Alrighty, I'm in the mood to do some alt process this summer. Someone, last year or so, sent me a homemade box with 2 "U" shaped FTB8T6BL bulbs. One broke and I lost the spares on a move. I just ordered some replacements.
I am thinking of contact printing some 6x9's and some polaroid pack film.
I will probably order the Van Dyke kit from Formulary.

What else do I need?

I think I remember buying a hake brush but I've never used it. I'll have to find it.
List:
UV light -- I have
brush -- I have
push rod? -- necessary?
trays -- I have
patience -- sometimes
good images -- hardly
paper -- don't have but anybody have something I can buy at my local art store? Its a decent store with lots of paper
contact printer frame -- don't have -- what can I substitute? glass and some small A clamps?

Personally, I prefer the Van Dyke from Bostick-Sullivan and the Cyanotype from Photographers Formulary. The 'puddle pusher' is a great convenience. I wouldn't coat paper without one although I haven't done 6x9. I do 8x10 and 11x14 negs. I found the hake brush too problematic. As for paper, you can check the recommendations on Seeing Eye for some, and Chris James book on Alternative Processes for some to get started. You can probably get Cranes or Platine from Photog Formulary when you order the Van Dyke. They carry some papers. For a great selection of papers (and a hake brush), Daniel Smith is quite interesting. They have a website, too. Cheers, Richard

Good info! Thanks!
What do I need to actually "pour" the liquid onto paper? Eyedropper? I'll check out B&S site for Van Dykes. I got the "alt book" from the library but only about 3 pages on Van Dyke.
I'll look around for a 4x5 contact frame as well.

eric said:

Good info! Thanks!
What do I need to actually "pour" the liquid onto paper? Eyedropper? I'll check out B&S site for Van Dykes. I got the "alt book" from the library but only about 3 pages on Van Dyke.
I'll look around for a 4x5 contact frame as well.

Click to expand...

Eric, add/mix the liquid to a shot glass (label as not usable) and that will take care of that, you will need eyedropper(s) since almost everything is listed as drop count (get the plastic ones) B&S is your best bet for bottles, droppers, etc and I agree with the above post on their VDB. They also have paper and it is the same paper that Freestyle sells...I would start with Plantinotype, start with a good paper, or expect to get furstrated..I didn't so that's my experience.

Also, the 8x10 contact frame from PF is nice and not that $$.

Just remember to have fun, and don't get discouraged if it does not come out the first time..they will. Oh, yeah for VDB this is a POP process - you will see an image after printing and before you clear, DO NOT over print, dry down will bring the shadows down. Read the articles on Unblinkingeye and pick up the book mentioned above..it will help.

Actually, if you use the puddle pusher rod, you sort of pour the liquid from the shot glass onto the front of the rod and the siphoning action moves it down the tube (easier to see happen than to explain). For an excellent article on Van Dyke, check out Unblinking Eye's article http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Vandyke/vandyke.html I haven't posted a link here before, so, hopefully that works... If not, PM me if you can't find it. Cheers, Richard

Well...I'm going to suggest a different way of doing things. For the inexpensive processes like van dyke and cyanotype, I pour about 25ml or so into a small measuring bowl and just dip a brush in and coat paper till it runs out. I would recommend NOT using those cheap foam brushes from the hardware store 'cause they scuff the paper up just a bit. If you get a cheap Hake at the art store and put a bit of superglue where the bristles come out of the wood, it won't shed so much.

My experience with van dyke and different papers is that it's more finnicky than the how to books like to say. Most common paper that you'll be likely to find locally, Arches HP watercolor, is horrible. If you can get some Fabriano Extra White HP, you'll have more fun. Best bet would be to order some Arches Platine or Crane's Platinotype. But, everybody seems to have different experiences different papers so... you gotta just find what works.

You might also consider some books or other web based instructions for getting yourself started with the alt processes. Paper is very important. You will spend a lot of time and trouble to find the paper that's right for you. Books - "The New Platinum Print" by Weese and Sullivan is good, "New Dimensions in Photo Imaging" by Laura Blacklow is good as well as "The Keepers of Light" by William Crawford. The first two are spiral bound so you can open them and lay them flat. There are others, but these are the three I have used. The folks at Bostick and Sullivan are very helpful, too.

One last thing. Write everything you do down. When you start this journey you are going into one vast chem lab experiment with no predictable outcome. Write down everything you do. That way when you finally get a "keeper" you will know what you have done. There is nothing more important than this.

Good Luck.

I totally agree with Joe about writing everything down. The nice thing is that you have a thick beefy piece of paper right in front of you - the back of the print. That way your recipe and the result will never be separated. BTW, buy some soft #1 pencils or carpenter's pencils so you don't make a mark that will show through the front of the print. Obviously, this will not work on vellum.