Anthotype with UV light

ofofhy · Oct 30, 2006

I am attempting some anthotype prints using some transparencies that I have printed. I mixed some dyes with tomato leaves and germanium petals with isopropanol. Of course, I do all this mixing, and then realize that I don't have a spot that stays sunny all day long during the late-fall and winter months. I have access to a long-wave and short-wave UV light source. Will UV light tend to bleach the pigments or is it better to use the full spectrum of sunlight? I know that complimentary colors will tend to bleach each other out, which makes some sense, but most of these pigments also absorb in the UV. I am currently leaving it overnight under the UV, but if it is worthless to do so, I can go save some bulb life.

Fulvio · Nov 9, 2006

As far as I know anthotypes require very long UV exposure. I once tried it for fun... But the exposure lasted 2 weeks and yet the image was reaaaally flat, laking of real dark areas. Use sun (or available natural light) rather a UV exposure unit.

Christopher D. Keth · Nov 9, 2006

You definately want to use sunlight for anthotypes. It's not so much that you want the full spectrum or not but one of brightness. You'll have to expose an anthotype for weeks in sunlight and probably indefinately with anything else.

removed account4 · Nov 9, 2006

good luck with that!
i left a printing frame in the summer sun
for the whole summer and didn't get an image
i used the instructions on the alt photography website ..
the only thing was, i didn't have poppies, which were suggested

--john

Christopher D. Keth · Nov 16, 2006

The best I have used is raspberries. It gives a pretty decent dmax for being juice and very pretty colors.

htmlguru4242 · Nov 16, 2006

How long are the exposures with raspberries and how much of them do you use / what solvent?

argent42 · Nov 17, 2006

ofofhy said:
I am attempting some anthotype prints using some transparencies that I have printed. I mixed some dyes with tomato leaves and germanium petals with isopropanol. >>

Hi:
That is your problem: using isopropanol. This is the wrong alcohol. "Rubbing alcohol" is usually a 30% dilution of isopronal, which even diluted, is the wrong item.
When Herschel writes "alcohol," he means "spirits of wine" or 95% alcohol. You could use denatured alcohol, which is similar and highly poisonous, but the point is to use the chemical that is recommended. Ethyl alcohol is the agent you need. Try it, even half and half with distilled water, and you will see much better results.
Christopher Wright/
www.visionsinsilver.com

rwyoung · Nov 18, 2006

htmlguru4242 said:
How long are the exposures with raspberries and how much of them do you use / what solvent?

Like Argent suggested but if you can get Everclear, try that! Then if it doesn't work out you can drown your sorrows in some raspberry flavored rot-gut. :rolleyes:

Anthotype with UV light

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