Alt process and watercolor paper

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I've been having a blast printing cyanotype and Ziatype during my holiday break. I've been using Windsor Newton Cotman then I ran out. I switched to Swathmore Windpower and the difference is startling. With both processes the same other than the paper, my cyanotype picked up contrast with highlights being blown out and my Ziatype print became over exposed and ended up dark and muddy. Sure surprised me

 

[nsurit]

Have you ever used Canson Edition for cyanotype. I've use a bunch of different papers and this one produces a good result at a reasonable cost. Bill Barber

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Thanks for the tip!

Have you ever used Canson Edition for cyanotype. I've use a bunch of different papers and this one produces a good result at a reasonable cost. Bill Barber

Hey Bill. Thanks for the tip. Where do you get it? I get my paper mostly from the university book store on campus where I work. I'll look for it. So do you use digital negs or negs from your analog camera?

 

[Vaughn]

Could be due to the differences in the pH of the sizing. If one finds a 'perfect' paper, it sure pays to buy a bunch of it! Some companies will change the sizing, thus the paper's printing qualities, without notice (sometimes even seasonally). The watercolorists don't care, but it can be a nasty surprise to alt printers!

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Could be due to the differences in the pH of the sizing. If one finds a 'perfect' paper, it sure pays to buy a bunch of it! Some companies will change the sizing, thus the paper's printing qualities, without notice (sometimes even seasonally). The watercolorists don't care, but it can be a nasty surprise to alt printers!

That's what I'm finding out. As for me, I'm finding out that ignorance makes me feel like an expert until you run into problems.

I'm going to follow your advice.

 

[sly]

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I've printed cyanotypes on Stonehenge, quite successfully. It should be available at your uni - I've bought it at at our small uni bookstore, and also seen it at low end craft stores, (where they don't have a clue what a hake brush is, but you can buy gallons of glitter glue.)

Stonehenge did not work for me for gum or pt/pd, so I don't know if it would be good for ziatypes (aprocess i've yet to try). Christina Anderson says ziatypes are not as sensitive to paper types as other alt processes.

 

[Vaughn]

If one finds a nice paper that does not quite work well, one can acidify it by soaking it in an weak acid -- I have used Oxalic acid (3%) and I believe others have used less toxic alternatives such as citric acid. No rinse after the soak. It throws in an additional step, but can sometimes allow one to use a nice paper. I used it on Fabriano Aristico, I believe it was, for pt/pd. It was a little cheaper than the COT320, yet looked great.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Rives BFK is a good all-purpose alt process paper, and it is widely available.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Christina Anderson says ziatypes are not as sensitive to paper types as other alt processes.

Awesome cyanotype. What Christina is saying about Ziatype is true. But cyanotypes it's another story.

Cheers!

 

[nsurit]

I've used arches BFK, Cot 320, Stonehenge, Arches Platine most recently and a student was kicking my butt with Canson Edition 250 gms bright white. I bought mine in full sheets (30X44) from Jerry's Artarama at about $3.70 a sheet with free postage. I did buy a 25 sheet package. I print some fairly large images using negatives produced my scanning my film and some are printed fro silver gelatin negatives. Bill Barber

 

[Klainmeister]

I've been using the Revere Platinum....for um...platinum and it's a stunning paper. It's so good, in fact, that I want to buy a whole roll meself. It prints well with other processes too

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Stonehenge did not work for me for gum or pt/pd, so I don't know if it would be good for ziatypes (aprocess i've yet to try).

Sly, a good soaking in a 1% solution of sulfamic acid will sort it (some people use 10%, but not necessary with Rising Stonehenge). I used to be able to print with no problems on Rising Stonehenge, but it looks like they changed something in the paper, probably the sizing. I was going to give up when I saw a thread here somewhere talking about the use of Sulfamic Acid. Sulfamic acid (tile cleaner) can be bought at a hardware store. It also increased printing speed and Dmax.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I already use citric acid as a clearing bath for my Ziatype process. So I soak the paper in a 1% or 10% solution then hang up to dry? I've also heard soaking the paper in gelatin will increase D max with salt printing.