Cyanotype Highlights and Washing

What is the best way to get the highlights clean, how do you avoid to wash the blue out too much, when doing Cyanaotypes?

When I don't wash long enough, the highlights are still yellow or dirty. When I wash long enough to get them clean, the blue washes out. I have Cyanotypes with clean whites and Dmax at 1.3 to 1.6. My Dmax doesn't reach 1.1!

I use the Mike Ware formula and have never done Cyanotypes before.

Ralph
The yellow tinge is due to incomplete clearing (i.e. iron deposits still in paper). With cyanotypes its normally down to the paper or alkalinity but try these:

1. An acid first wash (3% Citric acid). This normally helps.
2. Acidify the paper with an coating of citric acid before sensitizing.

If none of this helps then you might need to change papers.
do you know if your water alkaline?

Phill

philldresser said:

Ralph
The yellow tinge is due to incomplete clearing (i.e. iron deposits still in paper). With cyanotypes its normally down to the paper or alkalinity but try these:

1. An acid first wash (3% Citric acid). This normally helps.
2. Acidify the paper with an coating of citric acid before sensitizing.

If none of this helps then you might need to change papers.
do you know if your water alkaline?

Phill

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Thanks for the quick answer. I've used 'Arches Auqarelle' a 100% cotton watercolor paper (very expensive). It claims to be acid free but makes no mentioning if it is buffered (I doubt it). I've seen sereal recommendations about using citric acid ranging from 1% t 3% (probably depends on the alkalinity of the paper). I've also seen different recommenadtion on how to apply it.

1. a few drops mixed with the sentitizer just before coating
2. coating the paper before sensitizing
3. a citric acid bath after exposure and prior to washing

Which is best, and how long to you guys wash the print before is loses color?

RalphLambrecht said:

Thanks for the quick answer. I've used 'Arches Auqarelle' a 100% cotton watercolor paper (very expensive). It claims to be acid free but makes no mentioning if it is buffered (I doubt it). I've seen sereal recommendations about using citric acid ranging from 1% t 3% (probably depends on the alkalinity of the paper). I've also seen different recommenadtion on how to apply it.

1. a few drops mixed with the sentitizer just before coating
2. coating the paper before sensitizing
3. a citric acid bath after exposure and prior to washing

Which is best, and how long to you guys wash the print before is loses color?

Click to expand...

Get a different paper. Any paper that prints well for platinum printing will work fine.

Ralph

I have used Arches Aquarelle exclusively for Kallitypes and Cyanotypes. I found that using 1 heaped teaspoon of citric acid crystals in 300ml of water cleared the yellow stain completely (5x4 prints) after 3 mins of continuous agitation. After this I wash in normal running water for 5 mins. After that length I get fading

Cheers

Phill

philldresser said:

Ralph

I have used Arches Aquarelle exclusively for Kallitypes and Cyanotypes. I found that using 1 heaped teaspoon of citric acid crystals in 300ml of water cleared the yellow stain completely (5x4 prints) after 3 mins of continuous agitation. After this I wash in normal running water for 5 mins. After that length I get fading

Cheers

Phill

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll try that, just have to wait until the chemist opens again. Thanks for all the help.

When washing I've found that too much of the darkest areas can get washed out if the water hits the print-side of the paper directly when in the wash. I soak prints in trays face down so that the running water goes across the back of the paper. Once I started doing this, my deep blues stayed deep through the wash and get quite impressive when dry, where before the entire print would get noticeably lighter in the wash and not recover even after 4-5 days dry time. I should note that I mix my own using a traditional formula rather than the newer methods.

- Randy

I think it is still time to with merry Christmass to everybody.

Arches Aquarelle is definitelynot a good paper for New Cyanotypes, or other metal salt prints. It is also certainly buffered. Acidifying might help, but I strongly suggest switching t another paper. I have recently made a New Cyanotype print on the New Crane paper, Weston Diploma Parchment, which is being extensively discussed in another thread, and it seemed to have very well - I intended to drop a note there after making for or fivwe test prints.
Buxton paper is expensive, but gives first-rate results.

Just for the record, since you mentioned these are your first efforts with New Cyanotypes: this process is more sensitive to paper than any other I have tried, but on the right paper it is able to deliver absolutely first-rate results. The darkest blue is very nearly black, and the tonal scale is in no way inferior to the finest platinum or salt print. There must be no fogging, no yellowing of highlights, thought there might be a slight purple tinge in the highlights due to alkaline washing water. If you add enough citric acid, you may print negatives with a tonal range suitable for salt prints, and you may print up to a negative tonal range of maybe about 1.4-1.5, though I think the best are those negs which are also best for platinum prints.