Step back in time, away from the instant gratification of digital screens, and explore the rich, tactile world of historical photographic processes. Among these captivating techniques, Van Dyke Brown printing holds a special allure. Known for its distinctive warm brown tones and painterly quality, it offers a unique way to interpret photographic negatives, transforming them into tangible works of art. This process, rooted in the pioneering days of photography, continues to fascinate artists and craftspeople seeking a hands-on connection to image making.
A Glimpse into History
The Van Dyke Brown process belongs to the family of iron-silver printing methods, which emerged in the mid-19th century. While Sir John Herschel’s groundbreaking work in 1842 with the cyanotype (using ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide) and his experiments with silver salts laid the crucial groundwork, the specific formulation we recognize as Van Dyke Brown evolved later. Its name is often linked, somewhat romantically, to the deep brown hues found in the paintings of the Flemish master Anthony van Dyck. However, there’s no direct historical link between the painter and the process; the name likely arose from the visual similarity of the print’s color to the “Vandyke brown” pigment used by artists.
It gained traction towards the end of the 19th and into the early 20th century, particularly as a more accessible alternative to the costly platinum and palladium processes. While lacking the extreme permanence of platinum prints, Van Dyke Brown offered comparable aesthetic richness—soft gradations and deep, luscious browns—at a fraction of the expense and with simpler chemistry. This made it popular among pictorialist photographers and dedicated amateurs eager to explore artistic printing without prohibitive costs.
Understanding the Van Dyke Brown Process
At its heart, Van Dyke Brown printing is a contact printing process. This means the negative must be the same size as the desired final print. The image is formed by the action of ultraviolet (UV) light on paper coated with a light-sensitive solution.
The Chemistry Involved
The sensitizer is typically a mixture of three key components dissolved in distilled water:
- Ferric Ammonium Citrate: This iron salt is the primary light-sensitive ingredient. When exposed to UV light, the ferric iron (Fe3+) is reduced to ferrous iron (Fe2+). It primarily dictates the speed of the paper.
- Tartaric Acid: Often included to increase contrast and potentially improve the stability of the sensitizer solution, though its exact role can be debated among practitioners. It helps keep the silver in solution before exposure.
- Silver Nitrate: This provides the actual image-forming material. The ferrous iron (Fe2+), produced during UV exposure, chemically reduces the silver nitrate (Ag+) to metallic silver (Ag), which forms the visible brown image.
The beauty lies in its relative simplicity compared to some other alternative processes. Mixing the sensitizer requires care and precision, often using specific ratios kept in brown bottles away from light, but it doesn’t involve highly complex or volatile compounds.
Preparing the Paper
The choice of paper is crucial and significantly impacts the final print’s appearance. Heavyweight, well-sized papers, often 100% cotton rag watercolour or printmaking papers, work best. The sizing prevents the sensitizer from soaking too deep into the fibres, keeping the image sharp and on the surface. The paper’s texture will also become an integral part of the image.
Coating is done under subdued tungsten light, as the sensitizer is sensitive to UV. The solution is typically brushed onto the paper using smooth, even strokes with a foam or soft hake brush, or applied using a coating rod for ultimate evenness. The goal is a uniform layer without puddles or streaks. Once coated, the paper must be dried completely in total darkness. A hairdryer on a cool setting can speed this up, but patience is key.
Exposure: The Magic of Light
Once dry, the sensitized paper is ready for exposure. A large format negative (created either traditionally or digitally) is placed emulsion-side down onto the coated side of the paper. This sandwich is then secured in a contact printing frame, ensuring tight contact between the negative and paper.
Exposure is made using a UV light source. Direct sunlight is the traditional method, offering strong UV radiation but variable intensity. More controllably, artificial UV light sources like dedicated exposure units, sunlamps, or even banks of UV fluorescent tubes can be used. Exposure times vary widely depending on the negative density, sensitizer batch, light intensity, and desired effect, ranging from a few minutes to over an hour.
Van Dyke Brown is a Printing-Out Process (POP). This means the image becomes visible during the exposure itself, darkening from a pale yellow-green to the characteristic brown. Experienced printers learn to judge the correct exposure by observing this density change, often aiming for slightly more density than ultimately desired, as some density is lost during wet processing.
Monitoring the exposure progression is part of the craft, often involving quick checks in subdued light.
Development and Clearing
Unlike many photographic processes, Van Dyke Brown doesn’t require a traditional chemical developer. The ‘development’ is simply a water bath! The exposed print is first rinsed or gently agitated in plain water. This washes away the unexposed ferric ammonium citrate and tartaric acid. As these wash out, the image, composed of metallic silver embedded with residual iron compounds, becomes clearer.
Initial water baths will turn yellow-brown as the unexposed iron salts dissolve. Washing continues through several changes of water until the water runs clear, typically taking around 5-10 minutes. This step essentially ‘clears’ the non-image areas.
Fixing for Permanence
After clearing, the print still contains unexposed silver nitrate that could darken over time if exposed to light. Fixing removes these residual silver salts, making the image permanent. A weak solution of sodium thiosulfate (also known as hypo) is used, typically around 2-5%. Prints are agitated gently in the fixer for a short period, usually only 1-2 minutes.
Over-fixing is detrimental to Van Dyke prints. Extended time in the fixer can bleach the image, stripping away the delicate silver particles and weakening the brown tones. Always use fresh, dilute fixer and adhere strictly to recommended fixing times for optimal image stability and appearance.
It’s crucial to use a fresh fixing bath for each session or after a small number of prints, as exhausted fixer can lead to staining and poor permanence.
Final Wash and Drying
Following the fix, a thorough final wash is essential to remove all traces of sodium thiosulfate from the paper fibres. Residual fixer can cause image degradation and staining over time. A wash of at least 20-30 minutes in running water or multiple changes of standing water is recommended. After washing, prints are carefully air-dried, often by placing them face-up on clean blotting paper or screens.
The Aesthetic Appeal
What makes photographers return to this historical method? The prints possess a unique character:
- Rich Brown Tones: The defining feature is the range of browns, from warm chocolate to cooler, near-black shades, influenced by paper choice, negative contrast, and any toning applied.
- Softness and Detail: While capable of rendering fine detail, the process often imparts a subtle softness, especially on textured papers, lending a painterly or ethereal quality.
- Matte Surface: Van Dyke prints typically have a matte surface, absorbing light rather than reflecting it, which enhances their tactile quality. The image appears embedded within the paper fibres.
- Process Artefacts: Brush strokes from coating or slight irregularities can become part of the final image, emphasizing the handcrafted nature of the print.
Van Dyke Brown in Contemporary Practice
Today, the Van Dyke Brown process enjoys continued popularity within the alternative process community. Its appeal lies in several factors:
- Accessibility: The chemicals are relatively easy to obtain and less hazardous than some other historical processes (though proper safety precautions are always necessary).
- Creative Control: Every step, from paper choice and coating style to exposure judgment and potential toning, offers avenues for artistic expression.
- Distinctive Look: It provides an aesthetic distinct from standard silver gelatin prints or digital outputs.
- Connection to History: Engaging with the process connects photographers to the rich history and craft of early photography.
While digital negatives have made large-format negatives accessible without a large-format camera, the core principles and hands-on nature remain unchanged. It’s a process that rewards patience, experimentation, and an appreciation for the beauty of imperfection.
A Note on Permanence and Toning
While fixing makes the print light-safe, unfixed iron compounds can sometimes remain, potentially affecting long-term stability compared to processes like platinum/palladium. For enhanced archival permanence and colour alteration, Van Dyke prints can be toned using gold chloride (producing purple-brown to reddish tones) or selenium (cooler browns, increased Dmax). Toning adds another layer of creative control and can significantly improve the print’s longevity.
The Van Dyke Brown process is more than just a chemical reaction; it’s an invitation to slow down, engage directly with materials, and create images imbued with warmth, history, and a unique, handcrafted beauty. Its enduring appeal testifies to the timeless power of combining light, chemistry, and artistic vision.
