The Experimental

Having recently scored my very own Wayne Barrar cyanotype, I (more recently) decided to score myself some cyanotype chemicals. Thanks Bostick and Sullivan.

I'd never made cyanotypes before so it was kind of exciting.

Fortunately some years ago I purchased small contact printing frame so that was one thing I didn't need  to worry about.

Thanks to the French Art Shop I managed to score some suitable paper and a brush.

Thanks to the Lightbulb Man I managed to also score a UV bulb so that I could, in theory, get more consistent results and not have to rely on the vagaries of Wellington weather.

Finding a suitable time and place to coat the paper (11pm, kitchen) wasn't too difficult, but finding a suitably dark location to dry and store the coated paper was a little trickier.

Eleven hours later and I was ready to play.

My first attempt was one hour under the UV lamp.

I failed. I thought the negative might have been too dense so I changed negative. And thinking that the bulb might not have enough grunt, I changed location.

My second attempt was about 6 minutes outside, mid-afternoon on a cloudy but bright day.

I failed. Cyanotypes need to be over-exposed. Judging that over-exposure is something I need to learn.

A little research post-trial, and I found this quote which would have been useful to find some time earlier ... like before I bought the bulb ...

The optical power requirements for cyanotype are frightening. Remember, we're talking many minute exposures under sunlight, and sunlight contains over 100W of UV per square foot.

Oh well, you live and learn. I shall be continuing with the learning part.

My third attempt was early evening in changeable light. Can't remember how long exactly but ...

I failed. It clearly still wasn't long enough. But I'm getting closer.