Showcase for Your HCWP's

[AndrewBurns]

These turned out beautifully. Can you say more about how you toned these prints? And I really like your presentation. The (cherry?) wood frames really compliment the color of the toned cyanotypes nicely. Are these under glass with spacers?

Thanks Drew. They're "blue sheet" cyanotype, which is the same as the classic formula except using potassium ferrocyanide rather than ferricyanide. The blue-sheet mix seems to be about three times faster than classic and has a much longer tonal scale but lower dmax. It also mostly forms prussian white when exposed, and so immediately after developing the image is very light but it darkens considerably over a few hours as it dries and oxidises. The reason I'm using this formula is primarily because I'm using a projector and so classic cyanotype would be a several hour exposure.

For toning I make a small amount of very strong instant coffee (about two tablespoons in 150 mL of water) and I brush that onto the surface of the print immediately after developing but before the print has dried and oxidised (I do use paper towel to soak up any excess water on the surface of the paper first). I let it sit like that for about 15 to 30 minutes, wash it, use paper towel to dry the surface slight and repeat one more time.

 

[AndrewBurns]

These turned out beautifully. Can you say more about how you toned these prints? And I really like your presentation. The (cherry?) wood frames really compliment the color of the toned cyanotypes nicely. Are these under glass with spacers?

Oh and I just realised I forgot to answer your other questions. The frames are oak stained to a colour called 'Rimu' (a New Zealand native tree). The prints have a light wax coating (Dorland's wax medium) and are framed without any glass. I went for no glass for two reasons, first to keep costs down as I think the audience is going to be fairly price-sensitive, second because I don't know what the lighting is going to be like where these will be displayed and I didn't want to risk any annoying reflections or loss of contrast.

If anybody does buy one they can always have them re-framed with some glass, there's a spacer in the frame already so they could just insert a glass sheet in front and leave everything else as it is.

 

[koraks]

Got 6 of my toned cyanotypes framed for a darkroom/alt-process exhibition next weekend, really pleased how they turned out.

Very beautiful in every way, congrats!

 

[drew tanner]

Oh and I just realised I forgot to answer your other questions. The frames are oak stained to a colour called 'Rimu' (a New Zealand native tree). The prints have a light wax coating (Dorland's wax medium) and are framed without any glass. I went for no glass for two reasons, first to keep costs down as I think the audience is going to be fairly price-sensitive, second because I don't know what the lighting is going to be like where these will be displayed and I didn't want to risk any annoying reflections or loss of contrast.

If anybody does buy one they can always have them re-framed with some glass, there's a spacer in the frame already so they could just insert a glass sheet in front and leave everything else as it is.

Thanks so much for taking the time to share those details. Beautiful work and a really well executed presentation!

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Oh and I just realised I forgot to answer your other questions. The frames are oak stained to a colour called 'Rimu' (a New Zealand native tree). The prints have a light wax coating (Dorland's wax medium) and are framed without any glass. I went for no glass for two reasons, first to keep costs down as I think the audience is going to be fairly price-sensitive, second because I don't know what the lighting is going to be like where these will be displayed and I didn't want to risk any annoying reflections or loss of contrast.

If anybody does buy one they can always have them re-framed with some glass, there's a spacer in the frame already so they could just insert a glass sheet in front and leave everything else as it is.

Please come back here with a report on how your 'no glass' experience went. I'm no fan of how any type of glazing puts a barrier between print and viewer.