Mike Ware Cyanotype- Which Papers work?

[boyooso]

I recently started to play with cyanotype and then Mike Ware's 'improved' version.

The only problem is it seems to be quite sensitive to papers, and impurities and such. I've tried:

Crane's platinotype
Weston Diploma
gampi torinoko
Another gampi
A few different kozo papers

And everything seems to re-act with it and fog...

Are there any proven papers?

Thanks

Corey

 

[FredW]

I am fairly new to cyanotype too, but the Strathmore 400 Drawing has given me some good results. I am also using the Mike Ware cyanotype.

Fred.

 

[nze]

Corey
The paper you use should work . In fact if you leave a sheet of coated paper for hours it will turn blue een without light;. Do you make your own solution or is it a commercial solution???
You may try again , but you should add a drop or 2 of 5% bichromate ammonium solution for a 30 drops of cyanotype solution (about what needed for an 8X10). The bichromate will avoid the quick fogging.

 

[boyooso]

Christian,

according to Mike Ware :

Choice of Papers
The cyanotype sensitizer is a delicate test of paper quality - especially if the coated paper is left for some hours in the dark at normal relative humidity: any change of the bright yellow coating towards a green colour is an indication of impurities or additives in the paper that are hostile to this process (and possibly to other processes as well). I recommend Atlantis Silversafe Photostore 200 gsm, Arches Platine 310 gsm, and Whatman Watercolour 290 gsm; but the best results (of course!) are obtained on Ruscombe Mill's handmade 'Buxton' paper, (see my article on paper)

Of course I could use one of the papers that he is suggesting, but none are available in my area and I wanted to see what people are having success with?

I bought the chemicals in liquid form From Bostick & Sullivan.

When I coat the paper, the coating changes to green pretty quickly. The prints I make are definitely fogging in the midtones & highlights...

Will the bichromate add contrast? reduce speed of the emulsion?

Thank You,

Corey

 

[boyooso]

I am fairly new to cyanotype too, but the Strathmore 400 Drawing has given me some good results. I am also using the Mike Ware cyanotype.

Fred.

Thanks Fred,

I'll give it a try.

Corey

 

[nick mulder]

COT320 - good but quite slow
Weston Diploma Parch - nice, I use this
Kid Finish Ecru - new batch, terrible (blotchiness, ammonia smells upon application etc...) ! old batch, beautiful - go figure ...

 

[doughowk]

I'm using Mike Ware's formulae (from PF) with Weston Diploma, and get good results especially with tea-toning. Bought the paper directly from manufacturer.

 

[boyooso]

I tried the Weston paper and the emulsion dried to a green color rather than yellow as it is supposed to...

 

[Phillip P. Dimor]

Strathmore 400 drawing, but i'm using the traditional cyanotype process. For the strathmore, I use a foam brush to coat. I've settled on the strathmore for coating cyanotypes and don't really bother to try anything else as it works so well for me. the 4x6 booklets are great for 4x5's. When you say fog, is it like a blue-green gray? The platinotype should work.. *shrug*

 

[nawagi]

I use Arches Platine, Arches Acquarelle, and Cot 360. I use a foam brush. Acquarelle and Cot are about 2 stops faster than Paltine. If your paper is spontaneously turning blue, that's not a good thing.

NWG

 

[FredW]

I just found a paper that works well, especially if you are looking for a whiter paper, its BFK Rives (white). Good DMax (solid blue-black), and nice clean whites, but retains a good tonal range.

This will probably be my go-to paper, until I see what Arches Platine does, my order will arrive sometime next week.

 

[John MacManus]

Ware New Cyanotype

Hi Corey:
The Ware New Cyanotype is definitely worth doing if you like cyanotype. I mixed my own “emulsion” using Ware’s directions which are very clear. I got twice the tonal range of the classic formula, i.e. 14-15 steps on a Stouffer-21 step wedge compared to 7-8 with the “old” formula.

The paper is VERY important to get the wide tonal range. Papers that did not work were COT320, Fabriano artistico and Arches platine (blue wash off). Arches aquarelle, the blue stayed on but was blotchy and patchy and looked like blue measles all over the print. Crane’s platinotype did give a reliable print but the Dmax was unacceptable to me.

The BEST paper was Buxton which I purchased from Silverprint in the UK. It gave beautiful smooth tones, good Dmax. These prints also tone very nicely in tannic or gallic acid.

If you like the classic cyanotype, you’ll love the New cyanotype … good luck … John

 

[kevs]

I had some nice results using Cotman paper last year.

 

[Dana Sullivan]

I've adjusted our formula to include .2% potassium dichromate added to the Ware Cyanotype solution. This has eliminated any fogging issues and hasn't affected the printing speed or quality.

Corey, if you have some form of dichromate (potassium, ammonium or sodium) go ahead and add a small pinch to your solution and it should fix your problem. If you don't have any, give me a call and I'll send you some for free.

 

[boyooso]

Dana,

I have a 1% solution of potassium dichromate. Can I add that? How much?

Corey

 

[Dana Sullivan]

Hmmm, you could get away with less dichromate in the solution, which means you could add about 10ml of your 1% dichromate solution to 100ml of cyanotype solution. That would give you .1% dichromate in your cyanotype solution, which should work fine for getting rid of the fog. The ware cyanotype solution we sell is about 40% stronger than the recipe calls for, so diluting it with 10ml of 1% dichromate won't noticeably affect it color wise.

Good luck,

Dana