whiteprint

drafting

Also known as: diazotype

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July 15, 2026

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A whiteprint is a type of diazotype print where the image appears in black or color on a white background. This process, also known as whiteprinting or diazotyping, is favored for its clear, dark lines on a light background.123

This method differs from traditional blueprinting, which produces white lines on a dark blue background. In whiteprinting, a drawing on translucent material is exposed to light after being placed on sensitized paper. Light destroys the diazonium salt in the paper, and an alkaline agent then causes a coupling reaction to form an azo dye, creating the visible image. Whiteprinting is a more recent development compared to the older blueprinting method.2

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blueprint
…as the blueprint and the whiteprint, or diazotype. In blueprinting, the older method, the drawing to be copied, made on translucent tracing cloth or paper, is placed in contact with paper sensitized with a mixture of ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide, which is then exposed to light. In the…
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…as the blueprint and the whiteprint, or diazotype. In blueprinting, the older method, the drawing to be copied, made on translucent tracing cloth or paper, is placed in contact with paper sensitized with a mixture of ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide, which is then exposed to light. In the…
Read More