Thank you, Andrew for such a thoughtful and insightful piece. I really appreciate the way you explained the cyanotype process, and the beautiful images. A real pleasure to read and see!
I will start with the obvious - Peggy is a sweetheart. I am following your exact technique (I live in a rather foggy city i Transylvania), and after making my own solutions, I decided to buy them online, because the results were often unpredictable. I am very disappointed that my rather expensive printer completely sucks at delivering good results on transparency sheets, so I have made a few experiments with tracing paper. Slight improvement, still not truly content, because I want to make cyanotypes from portraits digital negs, and I have yet to achieve a better negative. Thank you for the post.
Very timely article Andrew. Only yesterday I was struggling to produce a 5×7 negative with the correct contrast for a cyanotype. I’d not thought of combining the paper negative type process. I really love the cyanotype process - toning with botanicals etc adds another dimension if you want something other than blue. Thanks for the paper recommendations.
Thanks Deborah, I love those early shots of her (she is six now) but she is in the doghouse this week after badly biting my left hand, which has ballooned up!
These look amazing Andrew. I experimented a little last summer with the cyanotype process, specifically making digital negatives. It was a really enjoyable process - I need to tweak a few things the next time as my prints came out very soft. I think this was to do either with the printed negative or the way they were places on the pager. I’ve saved this post for my next try, and will hopefully get some better results.
Beautiful images Andrew - I love the castle landscape. Thank you for explaining the whole process in such a clear and concise way - it’s really helpful.
Lovely prints and a great roadmap how to get there…. Thank you!
Thank you my friend.
I think the Eileann Donan Castle, is stunning. Nicely done with the lighting.
Thank you Mark.
Very timely as I look into embarking on Cyanotypes!
@Blackthorn and @Deborah Parkin have some very nice work too.
🙏
I’m looking forward to seeing your work on this Doug!
I hope you are young and healthy in that case.
It is making progress however. I already had the chemicals (from iron blue toning of silver gelatine) and I found a pack of 8×10 ortho-litho film.
Running out of excuses….
😂. You’ll get there
Thank you, Andrew for such a thoughtful and insightful piece. I really appreciate the way you explained the cyanotype process, and the beautiful images. A real pleasure to read and see!
Thank you John.
I will start with the obvious - Peggy is a sweetheart. I am following your exact technique (I live in a rather foggy city i Transylvania), and after making my own solutions, I decided to buy them online, because the results were often unpredictable. I am very disappointed that my rather expensive printer completely sucks at delivering good results on transparency sheets, so I have made a few experiments with tracing paper. Slight improvement, still not truly content, because I want to make cyanotypes from portraits digital negs, and I have yet to achieve a better negative. Thank you for the post.
Thank you. There may be a lab that can make digital negs for you.
Very timely article Andrew. Only yesterday I was struggling to produce a 5×7 negative with the correct contrast for a cyanotype. I’d not thought of combining the paper negative type process. I really love the cyanotype process - toning with botanicals etc adds another dimension if you want something other than blue. Thanks for the paper recommendations.
Thanks Adrian.
Thanks for this Andrew! Always beautiful work & so kind of you to share your infinite knowledge & experience. I love the image of Peggy in particular.
Thanks Deborah, I love those early shots of her (she is six now) but she is in the doghouse this week after badly biting my left hand, which has ballooned up!
These look amazing Andrew. I experimented a little last summer with the cyanotype process, specifically making digital negatives. It was a really enjoyable process - I need to tweak a few things the next time as my prints came out very soft. I think this was to do either with the printed negative or the way they were places on the pager. I’ve saved this post for my next try, and will hopefully get some better results.
Thanks Amy. Did you hold the neg down with glass? If not, this is the cause of the softness.
I had some clips on either side - I think I might have needed more though - I’ll try that next time :)
Try a layer of bubble wrap as padding and clips on four sides.
Beautiful images Andrew - I love the castle landscape. Thank you for explaining the whole process in such a clear and concise way - it’s really helpful.
Thank you Lin.
I must get around to trying this one day.
I will probably buy a kit for Cyanotype to see how I get on with it rather than buy the raw chemicals.