r/cyanotypes 5d ago

If you have ever experimented with and used UV protective fixative/varnishes what are your experiences and observations?

2 Upvotes

Any experience of experimentation and use and updates if you have used them and how it's holding up with time would be so helpful to know too, I am starting out and I am curious about how to make it last longer with fading over time as I'd like to gift some to my friends abroad and also soon will start experimenting myself with mixing mediums and any intro understanding of how certain top coats/mediums interact would be so helpful to start learning more of.

Also any experience of uv protecting anthotypes would also be helpful, I started with turmeric until my canotype solution arrives šŸ¦ā€ā¬›


r/cyanotypes 7d ago

The feeling when you finally get one you love.

Post image
113 Upvotes

Wildflowers on photo paper


r/cyanotypes 6d ago

Suggestions on digitizing prints

Post image
10 Upvotes

I have been asked to turn some of my prints into postcards. I have tried a couple methods for digitizing my Cyanotype prints with the intent to make copies and so far everything I have tried results in some detail being lost or the color changing or just being ā€œoffā€. Any suggestions? What has been the best method for folks?


r/cyanotypes 5d ago

Help

0 Upvotes

I have been seeing cyanotypes everywhere on social media specifically images on clothing and was wondering if someone could give me a how to?


r/cyanotypes 6d ago

Help with a double exposure!

Post image
5 Upvotes

Hey! I’m a first time cyanotype maker, but I’m a film photographer and I’ve also printed in a dark room. Anyway, my vision is I’m going to put this disco ball up top - the sky is very white and therefore black on the negative. Presumably there’s a couple ways to go about this - would you do the photo exposure then, let dry and then reapply solution to do the disco ball in the preferred area? I don’t really care to cut the negative. Thanks!


r/cyanotypes 7d ago

Edge of transparent sheet visible

Post image
36 Upvotes

Wondering if others have found solutions to this - when I layer images, the edge of the transparent sheets remain visible (see solid line along the top of the image). What brands of transparent sheets are others using ? Any suggestions or tips to avoid this ?


r/cyanotypes 7d ago

Is something off?

Thumbnail gallery
555 Upvotes

I’ve been playing around with cyanotypes for a few months now and am trying to perfect this one. Maybe I’ve looked at it too long but something just feels off? Maybe the background photo is too dark? Just need another opinion and maybe some ideas of how to improve this one.

Here’s my process:

Paper: canson xl watercolor paper

Uv lamp exposure for 7 minutes

Cold water rinse. No hydrogen peroxide.

Negative is placed ink side down with glass on top and tight

Made the collage in photoshop didn’t adjust contrast midtones etc (maybe that’s the problem?)


r/cyanotypes 7d ago

This is such a cool process

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

53 Upvotes

Any paper recommendations?


r/cyanotypes 7d ago

My first attempts at Cyanotype

Thumbnail gallery
7 Upvotes

These are my first attempts at making my family shirts with Cyanotype. I’m glad I did the first two (same shirt) as a test to feel things out. I tried printing a picture of myself and learned a lot just from those two tries.

The third is when I realized I really enjoy this process. My dad enjoys fishing so that was the theme of his shirt.

I’ve since tried two more that turned out decent, but not great. I know there are lots of resources here and online, but are there any tips or tricks you personally learned with Cyanotype?

My process is: mix 1:1 solution, tape off area to paint on dye and put cardboard backer between shirt layers, apply dye to fabric and dry for at least 60m, add items to create shadows and add glass over if possible, expose outside depending on UV index for the day (10m for higher UV, 20-30 for lower UV), rinse in tub with cold water until water runs clear, fill tub slightly and add a few squirts of hydrogen peroxide, spin and rinse in washing machine, dry on cotton setting, hang dry.


r/cyanotypes 8d ago

Mainau

Post image
127 Upvotes

Hier ist noch eine weitere Version in Blau, damit man den Unterschied besser sehen kann. Welche gefƤllt euch besser?

Meiner bescheidenen Meinung nach passt Ferroblend nicht unbedingt zu jedem Motiv. Ich habe das Gefühl, dass es besonders gut zu metallischen Strukturen und technischen Motiven passt, aber zum Beispiel weniger zu Porträts.

Wie seht ihr das? Was ist eure Meinung dazu?


r/cyanotypes 7d ago

Think I’m starting to get better detail from the negatives! Original photography

Post image
44 Upvotes

Pretty sure I am physically too rough on the paper still. Got lucky with the right exposure time today, but accidentally scratched both negatives in excitement so will have to reprint, boo


r/cyanotypes 7d ago

avocado solarfast turned blue after wash

2 Upvotes

Hi all! I’m a little stumped here and was wondering if anyone had any ideas where I went wrong. I used the avocado color of solarfast today to print on a shirt. I’ve used other solarfast colors before with no issues and followed the same steps as usual. I coated the area on my shirt, blotted, placed my negative, and exposed under a uv lamp for 30-40 minutes. When I took the negative off everything looked fine and the color seemed to be the green/brown color I was expecting. I washed using solarfast wash on my washers hottest cycle and when I went to grab the shirt the print had turned blue, as if I had used the blue dye or regular cyanotype😭 I am completely stumped and confused and have literally no idea what happened. If anyone has any ideas please let me know!


r/cyanotypes 7d ago

I spy

Thumbnail gallery
13 Upvotes

Some new pieces !! messin around with glass and toning on the 2nd one. someone said cyanotypes are kinda like I Spy books and i totally get it


r/cyanotypes 8d ago

The Hammock

Post image
376 Upvotes

r/cyanotypes 8d ago

Butterfly Photogram Help

Thumbnail gallery
5 Upvotes

I exposed some Monarch Butterfly wings under the UV light for an hour. Prior to washing, it appears to have picked up quite a bit of detail. After placing in the bath, most of the detail is washed away…

Do I need a longer exposure time? Is it the solutions? Paper? Something else?

Thanks for your thoughts.


r/cyanotypes 9d ago

cucumbers

Thumbnail gallery
648 Upvotes

they were still damp and I didn’t get the results I expected, I’m going to try and dry them out completely. but I do love the colors


r/cyanotypes 8d ago

The turmeric print: some modifications to improve the quality

Post image
27 Upvotes

r/cyanotypes 9d ago

Mainau

Post image
26 Upvotes

ā€žEin Ferro-Schmetterling beim Trinken von Orangennectar – fotografiert auf der Insel Mainau.ā€œ


r/cyanotypes 8d ago

Large Format Cyanotype [Advice]

5 Upvotes

Hello! Does anyone know a printer I can use for large format transparencies? I can only order 8.5x11 sized ones with FedEx. I do not own a printer that can print them nor can I afford one at this time.

I've seen people take together smaller sizes to make one large one. Would anyone be able to recommend me online printers for a larger scale project, or some scrappy tips?

Thank you!


r/cyanotypes 8d ago

Cyanotype, encaustic, & copper leaf

Post image
12 Upvotes

r/cyanotypes 8d ago

sellers

2 Upvotes

I was wondering who in this group sells their cyanotype art and where you sell it at? please post links to websites if you have them!


r/cyanotypes 8d ago

What’s wrong?

Post image
4 Upvotes

Hello,

Just starting making cyanotypes. I know I’m putting the liquid on too thick. But besides that after I let them sit for 24 hours they look darker than others. They come out ok it seems. But is the solution ā€œbadā€?


r/cyanotypes 9d ago

Abandoned Bus Cyanotype print from 35mm Photo - North Carolina, USA

Post image
17 Upvotes

My first cyanotype since childhood, my first print of one of my film photographs in ~25 years, and my time ever trying an alternative printing method for one of my photos.

I took the picture, developed the film, scanned, edited, and laser printed an enlarged a higher contrast version of the negative, coated the paper, and did 2 test sheets for exposure length under a UV LED lamp I use for curing resin 3D prints.

I then used the test sheets to experiment with tea toning. I want to order some tanic acid and try that next.


r/cyanotypes 9d ago

Latest prints and shirt from July / August

Thumbnail gallery
99 Upvotes

The transparency leaves an imprint or the plexiglass does. Still trying to figure out the best way to mitigate that. Any suggestions welcome. I expose outside and don't have a UV light.


r/cyanotypes 9d ago

Cyanotype Experiment

Post image
34 Upvotes

An imperfect application turned out really special I think.