Toning The Cyanotype Print: Bleach & Redevelopment in Tannic Acid

Decided to tone a cyanotype print in Tannic Acid. It's very simple and straight forward!

[@dalehammond1749]

You got a very nice toned black print. But the Cyanotype print was also very good especially with the background. Most artists would choose the black print. Most non-artist consumers would go with the blue. Very nice, thanks

[@seanmac5507]

Another beautiful print ! Thanks for sharing this technique, the result is much better looking than the blue of the original cyanotype.

[@analogueandy8x10]

Thank you! I agree. The toned print is much nicer.

[@fruitlessbeast]

Nice! Wish I could like it twice.

[@bernardkelly235]

That's a lot of spoonfuls for one print, but it was worth it. Thanks.

[@analogueandy8x10]

I know, right?? That amount seems to give me the colour and depth that I like. Thanks for commenting, Bernard!

[@francesmalcolm5565]

Beautiful! Is this treatment light fast? Or does it make the print more sensitive to light (and fading) over time? I’m so impressed. ❤

[@analogueandy8x10]

The print should be fine, and I suspect once toned, it should last just as long.

[@svurskasvurska8019]

Most likely Spanish Chestnut from Slovakia or European Chestnut from Italy and either way, they use it in Italy to vegetable tan leather and hence the saddle smell. Really nice print, btw. Personally I like the tone first, bleach later approach because the contrast is so damned nice but this, well, couldn't hurt to do both, right?

[@andrewweis3028]

Hi Andy, I just started working with tannic acid toning and have found that for me 5 gems per 500ml of water has worked extremely well and would save a bit of ‘the green’ over time. Not sure if you tried this but my prints are coming out very nice. Just a thought. Andrew

[@analogueandy8x10]

That's great to hear, Andrew! What tone did you get? I'll dilute the stock that I have and see if it works for me. I also stuck in a wee bit of potassium dichromate to see if that will prevent mold. Cheers!

[@andrewweis3028]

@@analogueandy8x10 I used the tannic acid that I also got from Amazon. Another ‘trick’ you might consider is I warmed the 500ml of water up first for just a minute in the microwave. Then stirred in the 5 gems until completely mixed and it works. Toned it for an hour just like you. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

[@andrewweis3028]

Andy; just an FYI, my prints on Bergger COT320 come out in a very rich, dark, sepia tone, with deep grey as an undertone. Also the Bergger paper does not go back to its normal off-white base, but takes on the very vintage light brown look that gives the appearance of images from the mid-nineteenth century.

[@stephenryde78]

What a beautiful print Andy I love the process Can the liquid tanic acid solution be saved for future use? Does it have a shelf life?

[@analogueandy8x10]

Thanks, Stephen. Apparently is will grow mold over time. I will probably stick a bit of dichromate in. Maybe that will help.

[@jrmorganpetro]

Did I miss the ratio of water to tannic acid? Mine was more ice tea vs goopy mud.

[@analogueandy8x10]

I prefer the look I get with "goopy mud" 😄... I've settled on 5 table spoons per 500ml water. What's your ratio?

[@jrmorganpetro]

It looked like 500 ml but then at the last second it switched it to 1000.👍

[@jrmorganpetro]

What kind of paper?

[@analogueandy8x10]

It's Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag

[@peter2712]

Nice video, would have been better without the music.

[@analogueandy8x10]

Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate it!