New cyanotype is BAD! And fixing issues with Ferric Oxalate formulas
I wanted to compare new cyanotype with the blue flash formula on a fair comparison so I did several tests using Hahnemühle Platinum Rag paper. All tests were done on a 4x5 enlarger using a 100 watt 380 nm UV led and a 4x5 Ortho Litho negative. The new cyanotype formula took anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes and the blue flash formula took from 9 to 15 minutes. The first discovery was the new cyanotype formula is way to low contrast for me anyway and did not accurately represent the negative, this could be fixed on a digital negative with a curve applied but my goal was minimal fussing around especially for beginners, the blue flash formula preformed well and almost exactly matched the tonality of a silver gelatin print. The second discovery was with any formula I used using the Ferric Ammonium Oxalate in it there was a very noticeable brown / yellow stain in the highlights, after some research I found out that a simple 1 to 2 % or 4 to 5 PH citric acid bath fixed the problem, you simply develop the image in this bath and place it in 2 or more baths of citric acid before rinsing in plain water to remove the stain. The most impressive thing I discovered about the blue flash formula is it is perfectly suitable for almost any paper, for example new cyanotype on Canson XL turns blue and unusable in an hour but blue flash works just fine, it also worked amazingly on Masters Touch hot press acid free 20% cotton watercolor paper and in fact it looked the best of any of the prints. And finally the new cyanotype and blue flash are perfectly suitable for toning however they are not at all suitable for due tone or tri color cyanotypes as they discolor badly with multiple layers, I also found it is best to use ammonia to bleach cyanotypes made with Ferric Ammonium Oxalate.
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Thank you for your time. Great shot for the examples. I’m glad that you’re still posting and am looking forward to your post on duo/ multi tone cyanotypes.
Thanks for your time with the citric acid bath tests!
Great info!
thanks for putting the time in to tell us about all this great progress. Chemicals are on their way. Also, cannot wait for your results with in-camera cynanotype negatives. That should be fun!
Really appreciate these videos. They mirror my trial and error struggles in many ways. I’m still doing classic formula but interestingly - similar issue. I’ve started using a new brand of Chinese-made watercolour paper called “Baohong” that has entered the market here and is reputed to equal the old European mills, 100% cotton 300gsm. It feels great and has potential. But first thing I noticed though, was my exposed highlights were fogged with this exact yellowy browny stain. I may try some Citric acid washes and see if it makes a difference.
Great presentation! 👏 Everything I've read about Ware's New Cyanotype formula suggests it's an example of fixing something which wasn't broke. It comes across as an overly fussy, quirky, and complicated alternative to what's worked for the last 180 years. I own the kit sold by Photographers Formulary. I keep avoiding opening it and mixing it. Your video makes a strong argument for keeping it that way. It having been created for use with a specific paper and its being more toxic - those are problematic as well. I get the feeling the New Cyanotype works flawlessly, but only if your name is Mike Ware. I feel more enthusiastic about your Blue Flash process. I'll be trying it out when I finish using my batch of the original formula. Have a safe and wonderful summer. Best wishes from Vermont - Stockwell. 🌻🐧🌻
@matthewbary1
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I am glad you found the information helpful. I would say that my biggest piece of advice for anyone is in general stick with classic cyanotype formula and you can achieve more or less contrast by ether adjusting the amount of Ferric citrate or simply using a acidified developing bath, the formulas using Ferric Ammonium Oxalate have specific purpose in my mind anyway mainly the lack of needing a curve and the speed of the emulsion is better suited for analog film applications such as UV enlargement large format printing out and possibly in camera cyanotypes. I think the biggest advantage of the "blue flash formula" is 1 no curve needed and 2 not picky about paper. These two things are a big deal to beginners or to anyone simply trying to learn on a budget as you can use any paper and any printer with almost any type of transparency film and possibly even simple paper negatives.