I saw the print; really like the toned version, more so than the untoned one. The highlights differentiate a lot better in the toned version, which your image really benefits from.
I should have some tannic acid on order; some years ago I used to bleach cyanotypes in household bleach or carbonate and then tone with tea. I also once made an extract of oak that gave a very nice purple tone. It was a specific type of American oak that gave this color; one with particularly small fruits. European oak didn't have the same effect and toned more brown.
Pretty much everything you throw at a cyanotype stains like a motherf*** except pure tannic acid it seems, which is why I'd like to give it a try sometime.
I quite liked the tone; it's sort of a cool brown, if that makes sense. It doesn't have any of the magenta hues other toners have, and leans distinctly towards cyan.
Yeah, sadly it stained the paper really badly. The type of tea will make some difference, but they all stain in the end as far as I can tell.
Popped together a video showing the toning of the print, Columns, being bleached and redeveloped in Tannic Acid. It's such a simple process...easier than shooting/editing videos! Both the untoned and toned print are in the Gallery. I hope you like it!
Does the tannic acid toning enhance the permanence of the image?
Nice! thanks for sharing. Cyanotypes are fun to make. I got tired of the Prussian blue so I stopped making them. I'll revisit making cyanotype and tone them. I don't know if I missed it, but can you reuse the tannic acid or toss it after each toning session?
I learn something new every day from you Niranjan. Stick around!
Does the tannic acid toning enhance the permanence of the image?
Thankfully you can reuse it. Tannic Acid is not cheap. I paid $13 Canadian plus taxes for only 100g, and they was pre-covid.
Thankfully you can reuse it. Tannic Acid is not cheap. I paid $13 Canadian plus taxes for only 100g, and they was pre-covid.
Solutions of tannic acid are likely to grow mold upon storage.
I would image than one could try adding small amounts of thymol to a tannic acid solution to inhibit this growth, much has some folks do with their ferric ammonium citrate solutions. (I have not tried this but I don't see why it shouldn't work.)
Storing the tannic acid solution in the refrigerator would also slow the growth of mold.
Regards,
--- Frank (www.frg-photo.com --- www.gorga.org/blog)
I wondered about that. I wonder if one could put a wee bit of dichromate in...
Thankfully you can reuse it. Tannic Acid is not cheap. I paid $13 Canadian plus taxes for only 100g, and they was pre-covid.
I have only done this with wine tannin, and yes, the solution will go moldy. I have had some nice results on commercial Sunprint paper (see Wine tannin toned cyanotype in Gallery ) and I will probably do it again.
I like the result you obtained - a little like platinum with the soft greys.
Bostick and Sullivan have tannic acid at $87 US for a kilo (and $46 for 1.1 pound). Artcraft for $43 a pound.
Plus shipping and taxes, of course. A little cheaper than most prices on Amazon...might find a better deal, but I prefer to support B&S.
I'm wondering if a wee bit of dichromate might keep mold in check?
Nice result! I'll have to try some wine tannin. Thanks!
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