John Shafer
jo...@photographyreview.com
www.photographyreview.com
www.consumerreview.com
Lydia Bigras wrote in message
<01bf05f4$6fbbc900$0100...@bigrasathome.mala.bc.ca>...
Lydia Bigras wrote:
> I am wanting information on printing on watercolor paper.(black & white)
> Could you please tell me the chemicals used, times etc.
> If you also know of any articles written on the subject I would be very
> interested.
> Please e-mail me directly at bigr...@mala.bc.ca
> Thank you
Lydia:
Cyanotype is the easiest and best process for unsized watercolor paper. Do
a websearch using "cyanotype", which will lead to chemical sources.
Ive used Strathmore 300, a super-cheap watercolor paper available in art
stores on pads, for years.
Only two chemical are required: ferric-ammonium-citrate, which is a physical
mixture of both ferric citrate and ammonoim citrate, available as either
brown crystals, or a green powder, in general. The green powder is best.
These chemical are not very unhealthy. The other chemical, potassium
ferricyanide, is relatively toxic, and takes some care in use. It is
available in larger photographic stores, since it is used as "farmer's
reducer", for bleaching prints. A mixture of about 40 grams/100 ml FAC and
20 grams/100 ml potassium ferricyanide, is mixed together in the darkroom
using a 40 W. buglight (amber) as a safelite, and applied quickly to the
paper using a cotton swab in a rubber gloved hand.
The resulting print has a very intense, deep blue image tone. It can be
bleached in ammonia solution, until the image dissappears, then toned in
tannic acid solution (or very strong tea, which has the same chemical),
giving a nice brown/black toned image with great permanence.
Regards,
Gene A. Townsend