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08/17/2003 Entry: "dry time"

Never did get around to half of what I'd hoped yesterday. It was just that hot and sticky. Today's been a mix of housecleaning and photo play, with both the bathroom floor and oodles of alt-process work drying. The photo stuff was a lot more fun. Play time with Polaroid image transfers in the early morning, two or three of which worked nicely, a housework break, then some cyanotype and Van Dyke play in the afternoon. I even got brave and overexposed a couple of cyanotypes to try the Blue Van Dyke process.

I've tried the process before with mixed results. It's apparently much happier when the image has some strong lines and geometric forms, rather than a blend of soft tonal gradations. The result from today's trial looks pretty nice. There's a few areas of stronger blue, some of dark brown, but the largest part of the image has lovely mix of the two tones, a slightly faded blue and a light tan jumbled together. It produces a sort of abstract look that's quite different from my usual style but intersting in its own way. The first print's still drying and the second attempt is waiting on the Van Dyke emulsion to set up enough to print. Scans coming soon.