photo linen

archer · Oct 10, 2009

There used to be a sensitized fabric that you could print on and process in a coffee can type container. Does this still exist? I believe it was called photo linen and I recently saw a portrait stretched like a canvas and selenium toned. It was beautiful and is definitely fabric.
Denise Libby

Ian Grant · Oct 10, 2009

It was, funnily enough I dug out an image printed on some on my last trip back to the UK in may.

It disappeared from the market a few years ago now, two companies sold it in Europe Tura or Pal I think and John Blishen in London. Someone said it may have been coated by EFKE in Croatia.

There are formulae for sensitising fabrics if you want to try making your own, but Photolinen was very resilient you could re-wash the print/material in quite warm water with no adverse effects.

Ian

fschifano · Oct 10, 2009

What you saw might have been hand coated. There are products like Rockland Colloid's Liquid Light and Maco's Black Magic made for this sort of thing.

ann · Oct 10, 2009

lumnous made some, you might find it on ebay.

removed account4 · Oct 10, 2009

denise

if you don't mind making a sun / contact print
using a very slow emulsion
there are formulas posted here that might be of some interest ..

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

good luck!
john

archer · Oct 11, 2009

Thanks everybody, I'm just trying to get an early start on some things for Christmas.
Denise Libby

thefizz · Oct 11, 2009

Fotospeed and Maco made a Photo Linen material but stopped a few years back. Nobody is making any thing like this now so coating a fabric with a liquid emulsion could be tried.

Nicholas Lindan · Oct 11, 2009

Cyanotypes may be the easiest - and the messiest - way to go. If you then 'tone' the image in tannic acid / tea (the drinking sort) you will get a black-brown/purple image that does look a bit like a selenium toned print. The chemicals are also very cheap.

The cyanotype image is very permanent and is tightly bound to the fabric - you can wash the cloth and the image will remain.

Try the Cyanotype II process http://www.alternativephotography.com/process_cyanotype2.html

You can buy the fabric pre-coated Dead Link Removed http://www.blueprintsonfabric.com/

Dave Pritchard · Oct 11, 2009

I remember seeing ads for photographic linen years ago in the photography magazines (usually in the back). Does anyone else remember anything about it? Any idea what sort of process was used?

AgX · Oct 11, 2009

They were handled like paper.

photo linen

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