Vandyke Brownprint – Light-Sensitive Solution 50 ml

Van Dyke Brown – Light-Sensitive Solution 50 ml

Van Dyke Brown is a historical photographic printing process that produces prints with a characteristic warm brown tone. It belongs to the ferric-silver family of processes and, like cyanotype and salted paper, is printed by direct contact.

Van Dyke Brown prints are distinguished by good contrast, deep brown tones and a characteristic tonal rendering, making the process suitable for portraiture, landscape photography and graphic work.

Our ready-to-use light-sensitive solution is sufficient for approximately 50–70 A5 prints, depending on the type of paper, the size of the coated area and the method of application.

How does the Van Dyke Brown process work?

The paper is coated with the light-sensitive solution, dried and then contact printed under a negative using a light source rich in UV radiation.

Suitable light sources include:

• sunlight,

• UV lamps and UV exposure units,

• other ultraviolet light sources suitable for contact printing processes.

After exposure, the print is washed in water and then fixed in a sodium thiosulfate solution. Correct fixing and thorough washing are important for the long-term stability of the finished print.

Characteristics of Van Dyke Brown prints

Prints made using this process are characterised by:

• warm brown tones,

• good contrast,

• the distinctive tonal character of ferric-silver processes,

• compatibility with a wide range of papers suitable for alternative photographic processes,

• a hand-coated light-sensitive layer.

The process can be used with both analogue negatives and digital negatives printed on transparent film.

Why choose our Van Dyke Brown solution?

• ready-to-use light-sensitive solution,

• high yield,

• simple preparation of paper for exposure,

• suitable for both analogue and digital negatives,

• designed specifically for the historical Van Dyke Brown process.

Product specifications

• Volume: 50 ml

• Yield: approximately 50–70 A5 prints

• Process: Van Dyke Brown

• Application: historical and alternative photographic processes, contact printing

Our range also includes materials required for further print processing, including sodium thiosulfate used as a fixer in the Van Dyke Brown process.