Films to avoid using for contact printing cyanotype?

Candlejack · Sep 15, 2021

Hello! I was wondering what black and white films should be avoided for contact printing cyanotype and van dyke? I remember someone saying some films have UV protection.. I just dont know which ones.

Thank you!

Vaughn · Sep 15, 2021

The only one I know of is TMax100. The Tmax400 is fine.

VinceInMT · Sep 16, 2021

I spent all last spring doing cyanotypes and van dykes in an advanced photo class I was taking. I was shooting in 35mm and then enlarging that onto litho film that I developed in Dektol. I’d then cut the litho film images up and reassemble the pieces and contact print them on sensitized watercolor paper, some cyanotypes and some van dykes and some in a 2-step process that combined the two. Great fun.

Candlejack · Sep 16, 2021

VinceInMT said:
I spent all last spring doing cyanotypes and van dykes in an advanced photo class I was taking. I was shooting in 35mm and then enlarging that onto litho film that I developed in Dektol. I’d then cut the litho film images up and reassemble the pieces and contact print them on sensitized watercolor paper, some cyanotypes and some van dykes and some in a 2-step process that combined the two. Great fun.

That sounds really cool! Unfortunately i dont have an enlarger/darkroom yet. It would be nice to have a large format camera to take photos with the litho film and use that for contact printing.

Andrew O'Neill · Sep 16, 2021

Like Vaughn said, Tmx100. If you are planning on contacting them directly onto cyanotype sensitised papers. Any other film that has high base fog is tricky to work with. HP5 build up quite a bit of density with conventional developers, making it difficult to get a decent black. High contrast developers to the rescue! DK-50, D19. The nice thing about cyanotypes is the DR doesn't have to be super long like it is for carbon printing.
Of course if you are gong the digi neg route, then any film, and format can be used...

softfascination · Sep 20, 2021

VinceInMT said:
I spent all last spring doing cyanotypes and van dykes in an advanced photo class I was taking. I was shooting in 35mm and then enlarging that onto litho film that I developed in Dektol. I’d then cut the litho film images up and reassemble the pieces and contact print them on sensitized watercolor paper, some cyanotypes and some van dykes and some in a 2-step process that combined the two. Great fun.

Quick question... is it the Arista Ortho 3.0? If you don't mind me asking what dilution were you using with the Dektol?

VinceInMT · Oct 2, 2021

softfascination said:
Quick question... is it the Arista Ortho 3.0? If you don't mind me asking what dilution were you using with the Dektol?

(Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I just started school again and have been swamped. I’m finishing up a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Plus the good weather here isn’t going to last and I have this new motorcycle to ride.)

It was an Arista Litho/Ortho I had from some years ago. I used Dektol 1:2. Here’s a couple photos.

Peter Schrager · Oct 3, 2021

Bergger print film is the bomb for making enlarged negatives... AAA rated product!

Films to avoid using for contact printing cyanotype?

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