cyanotype: rice, mulberry and others asian papers

[Tetium]

Hi everybody,

I’m trying to work with Asian papers, as Kozo, Gampi, Xuan, etc.
(All rice, mulberry-based papers)

I was wondering if some of you are used to working with these papers and if you could help me choose the right paper. Of course there isn’t a “right” paper, but I would like to know which are the Asian papers that actually work with cyanotype.

Can you help me figure this telling me what Asian papers you successfully used with cyanotype?
And also, what is your method to coat them with solution?

These papers are very thin and absorbent, so how do you manage to properly coat them?
I have tremendous difficulty to make a proper coat with these thin papers…

 

[GregW]

I used a Kozo paper, but not particularly thin like an esaki, I sized the paper with 2% Polyvinyl alcohol. You might try the papers for PT/PD, I think Freestyle is going to be carrying a new line of papers like this. It's Awagami gampi paper, they're getting it in March.

 

[Tetium]

GregW thank for your tip,
Could you please explain to me the benefit of using PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) on this kind of paper ?

I have read a printmaker that mixed a PVA solution (~5%) directly into the cyanotype solution before coating some rice-mulberry paper, so I'm a little bit curious about that.

 

[removed account4]

have you tried learning the "grain" of the paper ( denise ross gives examples of how to do this in her book )
then taping the corners down and coating it with a little gelatin before you put your cyanotype fluids on it.
leaving it taped, make your exposure and wash too ( taped )?
i have a bunch of thin papers like you have described, that i have plans on coating with both silver emulsion and iron emulsion
and that is the way i plan on doing it, ( except for when i put the silver in a camera, but i'll tape it to process it afterwards )

good luck !
john

 

[GregW]

It strengthens the paper and makes it easier to coat evenly. I just put it on first, it dries very fast.