Continuing the Cyanotype Journey

[Chris Calohan II]

The first is a standard botanical cyanotype and the second the same but toned with Tannic Acid.

The Last Vestiges of Summer

Winter Gives No Quarter to Fall's Last Offering​

 

[Asher Kelman]

Chris,

I really like the first for its openness and the second for its fullness and completion.

But the second is also extraordinarily rich and surprises me. Is it a crop of something much larger?

Asher

 

[Chris Calohan II]

Straight 8x10 on HPR. The last one is a three toned image (cyan, yellow, and brown), bleached between each layer. It's complicated and takes three days as each layer must be dried for a minimum of 12 hours.

 

[Asher Kelman]

How do you achieve the varied distributions of color effects?

 

[Chris Calohan II]

There is no "control" so to speak. Mostly what I do is hand apply specific areas with differing chemicals to get the desired effect I want - well, in so much as the process will allow my fantasy of my desires. I do know the straight cyanotype will give varying shades of blue and that the herb, turmeric will give off a bit of yellow. The browns are achieved by light to dark applications of tannic acid combined with black coffee and I can achieve a greenish hue through the bleaching process. I also use black Himalayan sea salt, paprika, Kosher salt, dill weed, soap bubbles and saran wrap for special effects....and a three to four hour exposure in the sun. Here is one more I processed today: