Cyanotype storage questions

[djgeorgie]

I was thinking of doing enlargements onto 18"x24" watercolor paper using cyanotype. Say a pad of water color paper had 50 sheets of 18x24. Could I prep cyanotype paper now and store it in a paper safe until summer when it's constantly sunny?

Or would the emulsion die by summer?

Also, after drying, would stacking the prepped paper ontop of eachother cause problems? (i don't think they'll stick together over time)

 

[sly]

I've had paper coated for cyanotype darken over time stored in a paper safe. Perhaps it would last longer if kept airtight and at a constant temperature. As it is fairly easy to coat the paper, why not do it when you need it?

 

[nsurit]

I've stored it for two or three weeks before exposing it, however if I knew it would be months, I probably would wait and coat it when I was going to use it. It always seems to be even lighting in my UV light box. You might think about buying or building one. Sure helps to get repeatable results.

 

[jp498]

You can toss it in the freezer to make it keep. You should be able to do cyanotypes this time of year; it will just take twice as long. You might try that paper before coating a whole book of it too.

 

[djgeorgie]

I've had paper coated for cyanotype darken over time stored in a paper safe. Perhaps it would last longer if kept airtight and at a constant temperature. As it is fairly easy to coat the paper, why not do it when you need it?

Because it would be easier to prep 50 sheets of paper, then expose them. Makes it more efficient that way.

 

[djgeorgie]

You can toss it in the freezer to make it keep. You should be able to do cyanotypes this time of year; it will just take twice as long. You might try that paper before coating a whole book of it too.

I'm not really worried about exposure time being twice as long. It's just that the sun will set around 4:30 today (damn daylight savings).

tip: google 'time of dusk today' and google will tell you what time dusk will be in your area

 

[JBrunner]

Because it would be easier to prep 50 sheets of paper, then expose them. Makes it more efficient that way.

I find problems if more than a couple of hours passes. I'm sure my local lack of humidity is a big factor.

 

[sly]

Why months in advance though? The cyanotype Christmas cards I just made were coated in the evening, dried overnight and exposed the next day. I could see, once the days are longer in the spring and the weather forecast favourable, you could coat a stack of sheets and use them as time, sun, and inspiration co-incide. Then you can let us know how you stored them and how they fared as time went on.