Cyanotype problem

[SuXarik]

Hello all.
I've tried cyanotype for the first time and had little luck.
I've used a 6x7 negative and noname paper for art purposes. First of all the emulsion won't get dry after hour (that is bad I guess?). Actually one page still wet, sticky after 24 hours
Next I put paper+negative under UV lamp 125W for 35 min, directly under lamp, like 10 cm.
At the end of exposure I can see a normal picture, but then it's time to wash it under water- everything got washed out, all the emulsion,except the "frame"- the part that wasn't cover by negative.
What did I do wrong? Since I get the normal picture, but emulsion won't stick.

 

[pdeeh]

You really need to give much more information before any sensible suggestions can be offered.

Tell us exactly which chemicals you used, how you mixed them, how you applied them to the paper, and what kind of paper you used. "noname paper" doesn't tell us anything.

The fact that you say the paper did not dry is extremely peculiar. Are you sure it is a paper made from fibres and not a plastic sheet of some kind?

Beyond that, it's difficult to say more

 

[SuXarik]

You really need to give much more information before any sensible suggestions can be offered.

Tell us exactly which chemicals you used, how you mixed them, how you applied them to the paper, and what kind of paper you used. "noname paper" doesn't tell us anything.

The fact that you say the paper did not dry is extremely peculiar. Are you sure it is a paper made from fibres and not a plastic sheet of some kind?

Beyond that, it's difficult to say more

I can't really tell more about the paper, it's definitely not plastic, it's standard cheap paper for watercolor.
As for chemistry: I used 10ml 90% solution of ammonium iron(III) citrate and 10ml of potassium ferricyanide (18 grams on 100ml)
I mixed them 10ml each and applied on paper with brush. The color of the emulsion on paper was ok, like I've seen on tutorials.
May be I use a lot of solution on paper? Because it's sticky even after 24 hours.

 

[ced]

Try a light even coating and try to hairdry but not scorch.
Expose longer normally doubling up but her as you are already 30 mins. try 45 min.
my 2cent worth...

 

[pdeeh]

I can't really tell more about the paper, it's definitely not plastic, it's standard cheap paper for watercolor.
As for chemistry: I used 10ml 90% solution of ammonium iron(III) citrate and 10ml of potassium ferricyanide (18 grams on 100ml)
I mixed them 10ml each and applied on paper with brush. The color of the emulsion on paper was ok, like I've seen on tutorials.
May be I use a lot of solution on paper? Because it's sticky even after 24 hours.

That's a very odd mixture indeed - far far too much Ferric Ammonium citrate!

The "classic" cyanotype uses the following proportions:

Ferric Ammonium citrate 20% - that is, 20g in 100ml water
Potassium ferricyanide 8% - that is, 8g in 100ml water.

Equal parts of each solution are mixed to make the sensitiser.

People do use variations on these proportions but they are not wildly different

If you are really mixing 90g of Ferric Ammonium citrate in 100ml of water, it doesn't surprise me that the mixture is very sticky and won't dry.

Try it again with the proportions I've given.

 

[SuXarik]

That's a very odd mixture indeed - far far too much Ferric Ammonium citrate!

The "classic" cyanotype uses the following proportions:

Ferric Ammonium citrate 20% - that is, 20g in 100ml water
Potassium ferricyanide 8% - that is, 8g in 100ml water.

Equal parts of each solution are mixed to make the sensitiser.

If you are mixing 90g of Ferric Ammonium citrate in 100ml of water, it doesn;t surprise me that the mixture is very sticky and won;t dry.

The citrate solution is concentrated 90% in 250ml. Yes You right! I forget that the stock solution I have is concentrated. I need to dilute it, not just take from it equal portion to ferricyanide.
Thank You.

 

[M Stat]

Check the pH of you wash water. If it is too alkaline, your image will wash away.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

Instead of using cheap water color paper try using a better grade of paper. Paper can contain lots of additives that could effect how well the paper dries and how it reacts to the cyanotype chemicals.