How long can I wait between coating and exposure - cyanotype and VDB?

Andrew Patteson · Jan 3, 2017

Hello APUG non-silver friends, I have been searching for this information and have seen some widely diverging claims. I will be using traditional (not Ware's) cyanotype and VDB with students in a class that meets 3 days a week, hence my interest.

I know there is not a single right answer but I am hoping to hear personal experience with these 2 processes.

Thanks!

pdeeh · Jan 4, 2017

Cyanotypes.
I have found that paper acidified before coating keeps better than non-acidified. But I have managed to get decent prints even from paper that has turned green in storage. Still, I personally wouldn't want to coat and store sensitised cyanotype paper for more than a week or ten days, even with acidified paper.

(by acidified, I mean washed in an acidic bath - say 5% citric acid - then washed and dried before coating; there are a few threads on acidifying paper already, and a search should throw them up - use the "google results" in the APUG search.Here's an example: (there was a url link here which no longer exists). I use citric because I have lots to hand)

I can't speak for vandykes. But I use a process invented by Rodolfo Namias called Papier sepia which makes a very nice brownprint indeed. There's a thread on it here (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

My experience with Namias' process is that the coated paper (I acidify all my paper) keeps well for months.

Hope this helps

Tetium · Jan 4, 2017

Hello Andrew,

In my tests with cyanotype it appears that the less time between the coating and the exposure and the better is the development.

I usually coat the sheets the day I intent to expose them.
It’s a safe way to avoid common problems.

On the other hand, I’d already “forgotten” coated paper for several days and weeks in dark before expose them.
The sheets turned slowly green/dark green, but the results were good.

I would recommend that you follow the advice of Pdeeh about acidifying the paper before coating it.

removed account4 · Jan 4, 2017

hi andrew
i've never done vdb but cyanotype classic formula, on regular cheap xerox and velum drawing paper, butcher paper and #!0 envelopes (my favorite nowadays )
i've let paper go too long regretted it, usually a couple days max has been best.
if i was coating for people in a class i'd coat, dry 1 day and use the next.
what you might try is coat 4 sheets of paper, wait 1 day, do a test exposure, 2 days, test exposure 4 days test exposure &c ... and see what works best for your utah environment
it might be you live in a place dry enough that a couple of days isn't a problem. i am in humid-summer new england, and it is the worst...

Andrew Patteson · Jan 4, 2017

Thank you, to each of you. This is all helpful. I wonder how those pre-coated cyanotpye products keep so well... Some kind of preservative? I have used some pre-coated paper that is 3-4 years old with good results!

pdeeh · Jan 9, 2017

Andrew Patteson said:
I wonder how those pre-coated cyanotpye products keep so well

that is an extremely good question ...

cliveh · Jan 9, 2017

How long can I wait between coating and exposure - cyanotype and VDB?

I would suggest as long as you like.

pdeeh · Jan 9, 2017

We're not deaf, clive

removed account4 · Jan 9, 2017

pdeeh said:
We're not deaf, clive

what?! HUH ?!

cliveh · Jan 9, 2017

pdeeh said:
We're not deaf, clive

It's not loud sound, just big type and not done intentionally.

Vaughn · Jan 9, 2017

I have had luck coating and drying paper -- then inside of two ziplocks in the freezer until I wanted to use them (platinum).

Andrew Patteson · Jan 10, 2017

cliveh said:
I would suggest as long as you like.

Hi Clive,

Would you mind expanding on this? Do you mean you have had success with cyanotype and VDB paper that you coated a long time before exposure?

Thanks,
Andrew

cliveh · Jan 10, 2017

Andrew Patteson said:
Hi Clive,

Would you mind expanding on this? Do you mean you have had success with cyanotype and VDB paper that you coated a long time before exposure?

Thanks,
Andrew

I can't really comment on cyanotype, but don't see how it would differ to VDB and all my VDB prints were exposed dry.

How long can I wait between coating and exposure - cyanotype and VDB?

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