Argyrotype
Encyclopedia
Argyrotype is an iron-based silver printing process that produces brown images on plain paper. It is an alternative process
derived from the Argentotype, Kallitype, and Van Dyke processes of the 19th Century, but has greater simplicity, improved image stability, and longer sensitizer shelf-life. It was developed by Dr Mike Ware
.
While this process may not have the permanence of other processes such as platinum or palladium printing, it is much less expensive and more user friendly. It is a good first process to try. The sensitizer used is very slow, so printing must be by contact with a large format
negative, using an ultra-violet lamp or sunlight.
As with most alternative processes there is room for manipulating the process to achieve different effects, and since the image is produced on plain paper many drawing or print making processes can be combined with the original image.
Alternative process
The term alternative process refers to any non-traditional, or non-commercial photographic printing process. Currently the standard analog photographic printing process is the gelatin-silver process, and standard digital processes include the pigment print, and digital laser exposures on...
derived from the Argentotype, Kallitype, and Van Dyke processes of the 19th Century, but has greater simplicity, improved image stability, and longer sensitizer shelf-life. It was developed by Dr Mike Ware
Mike Ware (photographer)
Mike Ware is a chemist and photographer, known for his work in alternative photographic processes, earlier methods of printing photographic images that were succeeded by the more common silver-gelatin used today...
.
While this process may not have the permanence of other processes such as platinum or palladium printing, it is much less expensive and more user friendly. It is a good first process to try. The sensitizer used is very slow, so printing must be by contact with a large format
Large format
Large format refers to any imaging format of 4×5 inches or larger. Large format is larger than "medium format", the 6×6 cm or 6×9 cm size of Hasselblad, Rollei, Kowa, Pentax etc cameras , and much larger than the 24×36 mm frame of 35 mm format.The main advantage...
negative, using an ultra-violet lamp or sunlight.
As with most alternative processes there is room for manipulating the process to achieve different effects, and since the image is produced on plain paper many drawing or print making processes can be combined with the original image.