Experimental Poke (Polk) Berry Dye for Cyanotype Tinting

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Started by just trying various paper scraps around to see how it would affect them and ... no effect whatsoever.

Startled that it has ZERO ability to tint my watercolor paper that i use for cyanotypes.

"Pokeberry does not work well on cotton, hemp, linen or other plant fibers"

"It seems to work best on wool, with silk turning out a coral color. The cotton cross ties in my skeins did not absorb any color at all. "

Tips For Pokeberry Dyeing on Wool - Botanical Colors

We're pretty obsessed with pokeberry dyeing right now for dyeing wool, making ink and just squishing them up and dropping them on paper.

botanicalcolors.com

So what you observed might not be out of place. However, you should try again after heating the juice without boiling.

 

[nmp]

I had hoped to tint the paper first and then expose cyanotype over the tint, but guess that's not going to work.

Maybe I will try putting a small portion in with the A+B mix and, if it doesn't coagulate or precipitate, see what happens.

Not sure what you are trying to do here. You want to tint the whole paper magenta and then print cyanotype over it or you want to tone cyanotype with it. If latter, it is good that it does not touch the paper. That way your highlights will stay white. You might want to try and see what happens when a printed cyanotype is treated with tit.

:Niranjan.