Cyanotype paper produces blue prints of notes and diagrams using UV light. This is an ancient technology that has existed for centuries since its invention by Herschel in 1842. Exposing these papers under a certain chemical to light leaves a lasting image that was used in storing memories before advent of photography. No machines or cameras are used in producing the images.
The process is both natural and manual making it exciting and fun for the technicians. The rewards lie in seeing an image that is generated without the aid of a machine. Positioning the negatives and images requires caution since they might end up blurred or distorted. Only UV light can be used to produce the images.
You are required to use the objects or their negatives before exposure to the light. The solution is then washed off the paper and pressed to reveal the image. This is how the prints are generated with the potential of uniformity. This is how people managed to reproduce images before the advent of photocopying.
The choice of water color papers to use should be informed by their features. The outcome can be jeopardized by coated papers that react with the coating chemical. Uncoated and non acidic papers are preferred. Natural textile is another alternative instead of using synthetic material. The natural selection produces incredible results.
Chemicals used in making the coating substance are mildly toxic and should be handled with care. This includes the use of protective clothing like goggles, masks and gloves as protection on bare skin. A premixed solution works best when the scale of work is not as much. Large scale users find customized mixing more economical and easier for their operations.
The chemicals mixed in order to form the covering substance are potassium ferricyanide which is added to ammonium citrate. Instructions on mixing and handling are provided and it is advisable to follow them. The mixture loses potency with time and should therefore be used immediately. This will guarantee reliable results.
Only natural UV light can react with the chemical to produce the images. It is therefore possible to do your work in a dark room under artificial light without damaging these images. The dark room provides the best conditions before the eventual exposure to the sun.
Images are generated using the actual object or a negative of the object. The challenge while using the actual object is to fit it within a limited piece of paper. A negative can compress the image and make it fit on any paper size. The paper is then rinsed to initiate iodizing by removal of the coating substance. This is the way to reveal the images.
Cyanotype paper images will be clean only if you wash off the chemical completely. Too much washing is known to lighten the images printed. The image surface is then hang to dry in the sun or laid on a flat ground. The light helps in bringing out the blue coloration better.
The process is both natural and manual making it exciting and fun for the technicians. The rewards lie in seeing an image that is generated without the aid of a machine. Positioning the negatives and images requires caution since they might end up blurred or distorted. Only UV light can be used to produce the images.
You are required to use the objects or their negatives before exposure to the light. The solution is then washed off the paper and pressed to reveal the image. This is how the prints are generated with the potential of uniformity. This is how people managed to reproduce images before the advent of photocopying.
The choice of water color papers to use should be informed by their features. The outcome can be jeopardized by coated papers that react with the coating chemical. Uncoated and non acidic papers are preferred. Natural textile is another alternative instead of using synthetic material. The natural selection produces incredible results.
Chemicals used in making the coating substance are mildly toxic and should be handled with care. This includes the use of protective clothing like goggles, masks and gloves as protection on bare skin. A premixed solution works best when the scale of work is not as much. Large scale users find customized mixing more economical and easier for their operations.
The chemicals mixed in order to form the covering substance are potassium ferricyanide which is added to ammonium citrate. Instructions on mixing and handling are provided and it is advisable to follow them. The mixture loses potency with time and should therefore be used immediately. This will guarantee reliable results.
Only natural UV light can react with the chemical to produce the images. It is therefore possible to do your work in a dark room under artificial light without damaging these images. The dark room provides the best conditions before the eventual exposure to the sun.
Images are generated using the actual object or a negative of the object. The challenge while using the actual object is to fit it within a limited piece of paper. A negative can compress the image and make it fit on any paper size. The paper is then rinsed to initiate iodizing by removal of the coating substance. This is the way to reveal the images.
Cyanotype paper images will be clean only if you wash off the chemical completely. Too much washing is known to lighten the images printed. The image surface is then hang to dry in the sun or laid on a flat ground. The light helps in bringing out the blue coloration better.
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