The Van Dyke photographic process, sometimes called sepia print, was patented in Germany in 1895 by Arndt and Troost. While the process is similar to Cyanotype, Van Dyke achieves a more photographic look with 10% tonal gradients resulting in a finely nuanced image, compared to Cyanotype, which only has 30% tonal steps.
Never having done this style of photography before, I was the perfect candidate to try the PAR Do It Yourself Van Dyke Kit. The box contains clear step-by-step instructions, and all the materials you require to create 25 images, with plenty left over.
No proper darkroom is required, though the paper needs to be coated with the light-sensitive chemicals in a darkened room, such as with curtains drawn or in the evening, then dried before use. I booked in a sunny day, and painted the paper the evening before, so it had time to dry. I left the still-damp sheets under an upturned box to prevent the morning light exposing them. Once dried, I was ready to print on them.
Following the instructions, I attached my acetate negative to the paper with clips, making sure the acetate and paper were flat together to give a sharp resolution. This was then exposed to sunlight and in a couple of minutes I had a good result. Not bad for someone who didn’t really know what they were doing! I thought I’d better show it to an expert.
Photographer Kimberley Annan immediately improved on my first attempt. She had the ingenious idea of using a cheap frame and glass to press the acetate negative and coated paper together, and her results were much sharper than mine.
While the supplied textured paper gave my prints a softer feel, Kimberley achieved higher resolution on smooth papers. The best professional paper is the Hahnemühle Platinum Rag, which is specially made for Van Dyke and Cyanotype techniques.
As a painter to a photographer, we talked about the possibilities of painting the image onto the acetate, using transparent colours so that different densities would create tonal variation. Drawing on the acetate with dots and cross-hatching would also result in varying tones. The potential is amazing..!
Overall, we found the PAR Van Dyke experience exciting and seamless, producing clear sepia tone photographs that looked beautifully retro. The DIY pack is incredibly comprehensive, with clear instructions and every material for each step in the box, which made the cost so worth it. Even the unboxing experience was nice, everything packed with tissue paper which gave it a luxurious feel to open.
With replacement chemicals used in the Van Dyke process available in both personal and bulk amounts, both individuals and schools can explore this exciting photographic technique.
View Kimberley’s “Van Dyke Cheat Sheet” for even better results!
Kimberley Annan’s PAR Van Dyke prints of Detroit.