other ways to develop paper?

jfoote · Jan 29, 2011

Can anyone give me some direction on how to develop paper without nasty chemicals? I work in an elementary school and do not want to bring in the usual stuff. I've heard about coffee(maybe that was film) and other processes. I know the chemicals are safe but I just don't want any issues.....

bdial · Jan 29, 2011

What about exploring things like cyanotype which is developed in water, and exposed with sunlight?
There are tons of possibilities for image sources, pictograms, drawings the kids would make, enlarged negs made on an inkjet, or large format camera negs.
You can buy pre-coated paper from Freestyle and a few other sources.

guitstik · Jan 29, 2011

Caffenol can be used to develop paper but depending on the paper, can stain. You will still need to fix the image and that means another chemical. What is it that you are trying to do?

If you check out my gallery you will see Lumen prints. Lumen prints use photo paper, a subject, sun light or a UV light source, a fixing chemical (the only chemical) and wash in water.

Give us a few more details as to what it is you are trying to do. If you are teaching processing you will find it hard to get totally away from chemicals.

Joel

removed account4 · Jan 29, 2011

if your class doesn't mind doing something kind of "hybrid"
they don't even need to fix images made in the sun with regular photo paper
( fresh or expired, it doesn't matter )..
i have made ( and make them on demand / on commission )
cameras that have a glass lens and are used to make long long exposures
in the sun. they can be loaded and unloaded in sunlight and depending on the light
images can appear on the paper in as little as 34-40 mins ...
one of those desktop devices can be used to turn the image on paper into something useful ... and there are no chemicals involved ...
people believe that regular photo paper so sensitive that it will turn black or brown or get fogged
just by opening the box ... but i have loaded and unloaded one of these cameras in bright afternoon sunlight
and had no problems with the paper being fogged ..

have fun !
john

boswald · Jan 29, 2011

John is right, you can use regular printing paper to 'print out'. Beg or buy cheap some outdated paper,
put negs/ objects on, expose till visible paper is dark purple, then fix. Don't worry, old-fashioned 'hypo'
is used in pools and drinkable water supplies to reduce chlorine(when they have to 'shock' for algae in
pools, or after leaks/repairs in public water systems). After you are done with it, teach the kids about
recycling/reclaiming silver w/a piece of steel wool in the fix. The iron(some of it) will replace the silver, leaving a small amount of silver dust precipitate.

David William White · Jan 29, 2011

As john says with just paper.

Also, John Herschel experimented with plant and fruit dyes. Mash/grind up some leaves, make a slurry, squeeze through cheesecloth and brush onto paper. Set objects (or masks or negatives) on the paper and put it in the sun. Weeks later, the exposed dye will bleach out, leaving a colour positive. Should get past any scrutiny.

piu58 · Jan 30, 2011

Maco sells a print developer without hydroquinone: Rollei Vintage Classic. It does not contain more unhealthy chemicals as washing powder.
Link to Maco's shop: http://www.macodirect.de/rollei-vintagebrclassic-developerbr1-liter-p-450.html

2F/2F · Jan 30, 2011

I'd do stencils on cyanotype paper. It develops with plain water.

Photo developing chemicals aren't really nasty in the grand scheme of things. Some of the crap those kids' parents feed them is far worse, I can assure you.

Steve Smith · Jan 30, 2011

The chemistry to process paper isn't particularly nasty.

Steve.

other ways to develop paper?

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