Yesterday was partly sunny… Sunny enough for anthotypes, I thought.
After a late breakfast*, I prowled the yard, scissors in hand, for plant material. I ended up exposing about a dozen sheets of paper for six hours. The four ‘keepers’ are shown below.
Perceptive viewers will note that the first image (Untitled #5) has a lighter background that the others. It was done on a different paper (Rives Heavyweight) than the others (Strathmore Vison drawing paper). The Strathmore is an inexpensive, acid-free, wood pulp-based paper that seems to work quite well for anthotype. The Rives is a 100% cotton rag paper that is fairly lightweight (175 gsm). It too seems to work well.
Yesterday, I also tried some Stonehenge Light (135 gsm) that did not work well at all. The color in all the of these prints ran when I sprayed them (even very lightly) with the washing soda solution to ‘develop’ them.
In the past, I have tired a number of heavier (250-300 gsm) watercolor papers as well. These did not work well either. The prints were low contrast because, I think, they held too much of the yellow pigment. With these papers, the background was fairly dark even after a very long exposure.
Today is bright and sunny, so I did the same again although breakfast was at the usual time. I have exposures going outside as I write. They should be done shortly. If there are any good ones in the batch, you’ll see them here tomorrow!
[scrollGallery id=778 – autoscroll = false width = 600 height = 600 useCaptions = true]
* Complications involving cousins delayed breakfast
These are wonderfully laid out and unique in the look. I hope you are able to have a public display of these latest techniques. Hell, I’d even drive back up to NH to see them!
I look forward to future Anthotypes!
Keep them coming and let the cousins wait. . .
Comment by Joe Kennedy — 20 May 2021 @ 6:55 AM