Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 28

Welcome to part 28 of my ongoing experiments with the wet cyanotype process.

This batch of prints was the ultimate endgame of my concurrent experiments with SolarFast solar dye. I wanted to try combining the two, but there were several technical issues to think through, due to the two processes having  different usage instructions. I settled for really putting the "wet" in wet cyanotype, applying the fresh solution to the center of the panels and then painting the red SolarFast around the margins. I added some good sturdy leaves, tall blue lettuce and tulip poplar, and spritzed the whole works with a bit more water. These cotton sateen panels, at 24" square, were larger than any of my glass, so I used a clear piece of vinyl. There were fold lines in the vinyl which I hoped would ease out in the sun--they didn't, but it turned out to be a bonus.

To round out the batch I did some straight wet cyan prints on cotton sateen, using chestnut oak leaves:

And I snuck another tulip poplar leaf in there as well. This was in early August, with the weather almost unbearably hot and humid. A three hour exposure seemed sufficient.

When I brought the prints in I had another choice to make.

Cyanotype prints need to be rinsed thoroughly  in plain water. SolarFast prints need to be washed out with textile detergent. I let the damp prints dry overnight in a dark room to hopefully further set whatever reactions I had going on there.They did look promising.

The regular wet cyan prints looked promising as well.

I love taking pictures of them at this stage because the imagery is so fleeting.

The next day I rinsed out the excess cyanotype chemicals, then held my breath and washed the panels with Synthrapol to remove the excess SolarFast product. And it worked! These prints exceeded my expectations.

I really like the way the two sets of chemicals moved around and co-mingled, and the marks left by the creases in the vinyl covers.

The regular wet cyan prints were also a delight.

I haven't worked with chestnut oak leaves for a long time, and now I'm all about them again.

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