Dazzle your friend with your magical ability to turn a blueprint into a brownprint! (You don't need to tell them that you are just using the chemical reaction between phosphate detergents and the blueprint photo - everyone is allowed to have a few secrets.)
Making a brownprint is a two step process. First you remove the blue, then you dye it brown.
Remove the blue:
- make a solution of 1 tablespoon of TSP in one quart of hot water (works quickly and turns the blue a bright yellow color) or 2 teaspoons of powdered laundry detergent, borax or baking soda in 1 quart of water (works more slowly and gives a dull yellow color).
- immerse the blueprint and agitate it in the solution until all the blue disappears. If this doesn't happen within a few minutes, add more dissolved product to the solution.
- rinse well in clean water. This part of the process makes your print a permanent yellow or gold color.
Make it brown:
- the brownprint is made by immersing your yellowprint in a tannic acid solution. The easiest and cheapest way to obtain a tannic acid solution is to brew a strong orange pekoe or black tea.
- boil 2 cups of water, add 8 - 10 tea bags and let steep 10 minutes until the tea is a rich, dark brown color.
- add the yellowprint and stir until it turns brown.
- rinse well and dry.
Variables:
- the color of the original blueprint will affect the color of the brownprint. A light original will give a tan tone while a darker blue will produce a darker brownprint.
- you will need to refresh your tea solution if you are doing several pieces as the color is absorbed into the fabric.
- the image of the original print will still be clearly visible although the white areas will have a brown tint.
- the brown tones will fade with repeated laundering but you can just repeat the tea dyeing process to restore them.
- If you aren't satisfied with the brown tones you have created, you can use a bleach solution on the brownprint to return it to the yellow color and try again. The blue cannot be restored.
Once you have reached the yellowprint stage, you can use Seta Color transparent dyes if you want a color rather than the sepia tones.
References for this section are:
Family Keepsake Quilts: Capturing Treasured Memories in Cloth by Vivian Howell Ritter
Quiltworks Across Canada: Eleven Contemporary Workshops by Gail Hunt
Blueprints-Printables instruction sheet
Complex Cloth: A Comprehensive Guide to Surface Design
by Jane Dunnewold
Click here for a complete list of references with publishers' addresses and contact information.
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