NaturePrint Paper

noexit · Jun 18, 2007

I bought this stuff at the local artist supply here in Seattle called NaturePrint Paper. It's basically a cyanotype paper for photograms, but I bought a pack today to investigate it's use for contact prints. I haven't gotten a chance yet to make cyanotypes from my own emulsion, and haven't had access to a dark room since I started making pictures on my 4x5, so it was cool to have a cheap and very easy way to make contact prints anywhere. My only beef is that the paper size is 5x7, just too small for 2 full 4x5 negs. Next step is making my own paper and building a printing frame.

Anyone else used this stuff?

ann · Jun 18, 2007

the summer camp program where i teach photography has used it for some of their sessions.

For the children and more specific the number of children involved it was a great and easy method.

Curt · Jun 18, 2007

Dead Link Removed

A larger size is available; 11x17 inches.

Vaughn · Jun 18, 2007

I have bought the pre-coated fabric from Freestyle for a class before...we made sort of a "prayer Flag" sort of thing out of them using 8x10 pinhole negatives...lots of fun.

I just checked the Freestyle site and they are either out or low on stock for the 8x10 paper at the present time....and for a bit over a buck for an 8x10, making it oneself is a heck of a lot cheaper!

But it is very easy to do-it-yourself...either from the two basic chemicals, or from a kit.

Vaughn

Salmonoid · Jun 19, 2007

Thanks for the link to Lumierephoto! This stuff is interesting to me, and I might give it a try. 25 sheets of 5x7 water color paper run about $8, and this stuff is only about $1 more. Sounds pretty economical to me. They probably do a better job coating the paper than I do. Does any one have any results to show off?

noexit · Jun 19, 2007

The paper isn't nearly as nice as watercolor paper, and since I haven't made it myself yet, I don't know how the results compare. I'm only using it because it's very convenient, and right now I don't have a darkroom or scanner, and can't afford the local lab, so it's the only way I have to make proofs of my 4x5 negs. If I can get to a scanner sometime this week, I'll scan a couple prints.

Akki14 · Jun 19, 2007

You don't need a darkroom for cyanotypes, you know that, right? Just buy a 15watt bulb and keep it further than 3ft away from your workspace and buy the chemicals, weight, mix with the purest water you can find, and coat whatever you have to hand. It's easier than you think it is, as long as you can get the chemicals. That's the harder part for some.

noexit · Jun 22, 2007

Akki14 said:
You don't need a darkroom for cyanotypes, you know that, right?

I know, that's why I'm using it.

Akki14 · Jun 22, 2007

noexit said:
I know, that's why I'm using it.

I meant you could mix up your own chemicals and use your own papers too.

z-man · Jun 27, 2007

repackaged blueprint paper is not for continous tone

the paper in these kits comes on rolls 3-4 ft wide and 50-60-ft long and is sold to the printing trade to proof separation negs etc because it is dirt cheap and you dev in a gal of water with a capful of hydrogenperoxide

so they cut it to size and resell at a very large profit-last time i bought a roll it was $12-15 but that was some yrs ago

the only problem with it is that is not coated for continous tone-so just use a piece of nonglare glass or a letraset screen or a neg of sand paper to breake up the image in a sort of low tech halftone-can be a very nice effect

the freestyle kit comes with a peice of acrylic which says on the protective sheets you must remove "KEEP OUT OF SUN AND AWAY FROM HEAT"-so how are you supposed to use this to make 'sun prints' ?!?!?! -the freesyle catalog lists plexi but the kit is really only a money maker for uc berkley

vaya con dios

NaturePrint Paper

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