Cyanotypes on Glazed Ceramic Tiles

Zarraboy · Dec 5, 2010

I was looking for some advice on sizing ceramic tiles for cyanotypes and came across Photo Engineer´s APUG recipe:

10 g 250 BI photo grade gelatin
90 g Distilled Water at RT

Mix and gradually raise to 40 deg C.

Add 5 ml of 10% Chrome Alum solution.

Add a suitable wetting agent if needed if tests show problems coating.

Spread on clean, grease free tile at about 10 - 15 ml / foot square.

Allow to cure for about 1 week.

Has anyone tried this successfully? Is it possible to do the same using some kind of varnish instead?

Zarraboy · Dec 12, 2010

For those interested, i tried poliurethane varnish without any success.

michaelbsc · Dec 14, 2010

Zarraboy said:
For those interested, i tried poliurethane varnish without any success.

Do you mean that you tried to prep a surface of poly finish using the gelatin mix without success?

Did you try the gelatin on tiles?

I'm curious. It seems that cyanotype on tile would make a very good base for decorations.

Zarraboy · Dec 15, 2010

Hi, i tried to prep a glazed ceramic tile with poliurethane varnish but there is no way the cyanotype solution will be absorbed by that. I will now try the formula above. I havent tried it yet because i do not have photographic grade gelatin available.

Nicholas Lindan · Dec 15, 2010

Making the cyanotype on an unglazed tile and then glazing it might work better.

alexhill · Dec 16, 2010

Zarraboy said:
Hi, i tried to prep a glazed ceramic tile with poliurethane varnish but there is no way the cyanotype solution will be absorbed by that. I will now try the formula above. I havent tried it yet because i do not have photographic grade gelatin available.

Just use knox gelatin that you get at the grocery store. It is suitable for subbing. I just coated a glass plate with a knox/gloxal layer and it is perfectly transparent. Good luck!

Zarraboy · Dec 16, 2010

Nicholas, how will the solution stick to the unglazed tile? Alex, transparency is not the issue, is the cyanotype solution uniformely absorbed by the gelatin?

alexhill · Dec 16, 2010

Perhaps I should have put references with my previous post.

[...]Once the glass is perfect, and dry, you need to pour a warm gelatin, with the Gloxal added to it, over its warmed surface.

Christopher James The book of Alternative Photographic Processes

And just to be sure I just did a test on a scrap piece of glass with cyanotype chemistry and it came out great.

I scrub the heck out of my glass plates with 'Bar Keepers friend" until I get even sheeting. Once they air dry I warm them with a hair dryer and pour apply 15ml of a 40% glyoxal solution to 250ml gelatin (6.5 grams knox to 250ml cold. Swell for 15mins the bring up to 140f for a few mins).

To improve the prints I'd recommend 2 coats of cyanotype chemistry before exposing.

EDIT: Also I have never found a need in my own experiments for photo-grade gelatin in subbing layer. Perhaps PE can give more information on this

Zarraboy · Dec 21, 2010

Recipe looks good! I will try that on tiles. Thank you!

Zarraboy · Dec 21, 2010

Alex, where do i find Glyoxal? Is there a more generic name for it?

alexhill · Dec 28, 2010

Sorry to bring this thread back. I ordered my glyoxal from photographers formulary. However, you can use formalin, which is sold at aquarium supply stores in place of glyoxal.

combine 25ml of formalin to 1000mls of distilled water (outdoors) and submerge your paper coated with (plain) gelatin for a minute or two then hang to dry outdoors for at least a day. Formalin contains formaldehyde which is flammable and poisonous. Wear nitrate gloves, and definitely work out doors.

Glyoxal is my preference because it is slightly easier to work with. The jurys still out if it is less dangerous, so I take every precaution.

dpurdy · Dec 28, 2010

Regarding printing on an unglazed tile as per Nicholas suggestion, I have made a platinum print on a green fired plain white tile and then put clear glaze over the print and refired it. I did that about 20 years ago and I still have it today in use as my coffee mug place on my counter. Very durable.. but light in tone.

dennis

Zarraboy · Dec 30, 2010

Alex, when you say "submerge your paper" above, can i read "submerge your tile"? This second advice from you is quite different from your previous one in this same thread!

alexhill · Dec 31, 2010

If possible go for the glyoxal version, the formalin is pretty bad for you. But if you are on a tight deadline, it'd be quicker to acquire some formalin because it can be found locally. If you have chrome alum around you can use PE's recomendations as well. My poorly communicated point was that for a subbing layer, knox gelatin seems to be sufficient in place of photo-grade gelatin.

Yes you can substitute the tile for paper in the above post. Haha

Zarraboy · Dec 31, 2010

Thanks Alex, i will try the first recipe you mentioned (glyoxal + gelatin, heated). Instead, i will replace the glyoxal with formalin. Happy New Year!

wcurrie · Nov 1, 2012

Nicholas Lindan said:
Making the cyanotype on an unglazed tile and then glazing it might work better.

Do NOT heat cyanotype chemicals - see below
Reactivity:

Releases hydrogen cyanide gas if heated, if hotacid is added, or if exposed to strongultraviolet light (McCann, 1994)
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Cyanotypes on Glazed Ceramic Tiles

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