Anyone use old photographic paper for cyanotypes?

philldresser · Apr 17, 2006

I have a large store of Agfa Portviga and Brovira papers that I inherited when I purchases my enlarger. Can I use the paper as a base for Cyanotypes?

I would obviously fully fix it first but wanted to know if anyone has tried this and if so how do they take the coating?

Phill

winger · Apr 17, 2006

If you're sure it's fogged, it might be worth trying. Our lab used to use RC for a process to test for gunshot residue particles on clothing around bullet holes. This involved fixing the paper, then applying a chemical mix that reacts with nitrates in the presence of acid. The paper took that really well and ones that were done 10 years ago are still around.

reellis67 · Apr 17, 2006

I've heard of people doing this, but I have not personaly done it - yet. I have a box of old paper that I know is partialy fogged and was planning on fixing out 3 or 4 sheets to try with cyanotype. I probably won't get around to this anytime soon though... I would be curious to see the difference between RC and Fiber paper as far as coating goes...

- Randy

Nige · Apr 17, 2006

I tried some recently and didn't get much of a result. It was one of the old Agfa papers your mention, a glossy surface one. That was the problem... coating was very wishy washy and I got streaks everywhere. I had fixed it. I think I was using a foam brush, maybe a proper one might work better. I did try a piece using it as POP, which sort of worked! Exposed for 1hr in sunlight, would need to scan to show what happened, too hard to describe!

donbga · Apr 17, 2006

philldresser said:
I have a large store of Agfa Portviga and Brovira papers that I inherited when I purchases my enlarger. Can I use the paper as a base for Cyanotypes?

I would obviously fully fix it first but wanted to know if anyone has tried this and if so how do they take the coating?

Phill

Hi Phil,

I have a friend here locally that uses the back of fixed FB paper for palladium printing so I imagine the same can be done for cyanotypes. I'm not sure which paper he uses but I think it is some kind of Kodak paper.

Don

nze · Apr 17, 2006

For sure you can I did some and it work quite well. For sure you should fix and whas the paper beofre applying the cyantoype solution. You should add a good bucnh of Tween 20 and make a double coat and you 'll get nice sharp cyanotype.

John_Brewer · Apr 17, 2006

I've tried it without much success, although I didn't add tween as Christian has said. The problem I had was the paper absorbed the sensitizer like a sponge and this resulted in a patchy image. I think if I were to try this again (unlikely) I would harden the gelatine more than the hardening fixer did, with formaldehyde. I would experiment with soaking the paper in sensitizer rather than brushing it on. I probably wouldn't bother for two reasons, one being that I like the different watercolour papers available for cyanotyping and two, I'd like to use my out of date and probably fogged paper for oil printing. When I get time!

donbga · Apr 17, 2006

John_Brewer said:
I've tried it without much success, although I didn't add tween as Christian has said. The problem I had was the paper absorbed the sensitizer like a sponge and this resulted in a patchy image. I think if I were to try this again (unlikely) I would harden the gelatine more than the hardening fixer did, with formaldehyde. I would experiment with soaking the paper in sensitizer rather than brushing it on. I probably wouldn't bother for two reasons, one being that I like the different watercolour papers available for cyanotyping and two, I'd like to use my out of date and probably fogged paper for oil printing. When I get time!

John,

I'm confused. Are you talking about coating the emulsion side or the paper back?

John_Brewer · Apr 18, 2006

donbga said:
John,

I'm confused. Are you talking about coating the emulsion side or the paper back?

The emulsion side of fibre based paper.

donbga · Apr 18, 2006

John_Brewer said:
The emulsion side of fibre based paper.

I think we are talking about the fiber side, at least that is what I meant.

Dye transfer paper is reported to work very well for platinum too, if you can get it.

philldresser · Apr 19, 2006

I just removed a wad of paper and fixed it in preperation for some Cyano trials and the Agfa paper has a visible watermark on the rear (when wet anyway). Should be interesting to see if its visibleafter coating etc.
I am going to try emulsion and fibre side.
By the way, is Agfa Brovira a RC paper?. Feels really plastic!

Phill

psvensson · Apr 27, 2006

I tried this on the gelatin side of fixed-out RC paper, which doesn't have the problem of sensitizer soaking into the paper. The cyanotype came out very sharp, but density was low.

nze · Apr 27, 2006

just double coat and you will get the good density

Anyone use old photographic paper for cyanotypes?

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