Blueprint (a.k.a. Cyanotype or Ferrotype):
A brief procedure by Todd Walker

Formula A:

Water	30	milliliters (1 oz.)
Ferric Ammonium Citrate	2.5	grams
Potassium Ferricyanide	0.4	grams

The chemicals are dissolved in the order given in the amount of cold water specified. The solution should be freshly mixed in order to avoid staining of the support paper or fabric. The mixture is coated smoothly onto paper or fabric and dried under safelight conditions. Any yellow light such as a "bug bulb" is an adequate safelight.

The dried paper or fabric is exposed through the negative by contact to sunlight, or other light source rich in ultra-violet light. The length of exposure depends on the light source, the negative and the print desired. Using a portion of the material as a test strip is the easiest and most effective way to predict the quality of the print. The negative should be held intimately in contact with the paper or fabric.

After exposure, the print is immersed in a tray of water; after three or more changes of water (running water does not speed the process),the yellow stain in the paper will no longer be visible.

Another formula which may be kept under refrigeration for several weeks is as follows:

Solution 1:	to 150 milliliters (6 oz.) water, slowly add 25 grams Ferric ammonium citrate.
Solution 2:	to an equal amount of water in another bottle, add 4 grams of Potassium ferricyanide.

Each bottle with a tight lid should be well marked and kept under refrigeration. Equal parts of the two solutions are mixed just before use.

Note: the picture may be intensified by the addition of a few drops of household bleach (hypochlorite) to a tray of water.

Suggested reading:
Modern Heliographic Processes by Ernst Leitze.
Ferric and Heliographic Processes by George E. Brown.
Both list formulae for altering the color of the blueprint. Generally, the colors are much weaker than the original blueprint.

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The preceding information is from a class handout written by Todd Walker which he distributed to his Non-Silver Photography class, ART 444, at the University of Arizona in the Fall semester of 1984.

The following notes made of remarks by Todd Walker during that class were taken by Jerry Ferrin . If any of the notes are inaccurate in terms of information, it is due to my note-taking.

THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

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This page was last updated March 26, Y2K.