Cyanotype is a photographic process much like printing photograms in a darkroom. It’s one of the oldest methods for creating photographs and photograms. Cyanotypes create a blue (or cyan) toned image.
The process:
You can either buy pre-mixed chemicals that come as a liquid or buy the chemicals and mix them yourself. I decided to use the liquid, pre-mixed just so I could get used to the process.
Everything you need (individual chemicals, mixed chemicals, storing bottles, trays etc) can all be bought from the Photographers’ Formulary.
(sorry this picture is so grainy, I had to take it at 1600ISO becuase the chemicals are, obviously, UV light sensative so you need to coat the paper or fabric in a fairly dark space)
Supplies. The chemicals, brushes and paper(watercolor paper and muslin fabric).
You need to coat the paper in a fairly dark room, I’ve heard some people do it in a windowless bathroom but I have a backroom in my house that, when the blinds are closed, most of the light is blocked but not so dark that I can’t see.
For the chemicals -
You need EQUAL parts of each mixture and just pour it into a small plastic cup. It goes a looong way so I just used the caps of the bottles to measure it out equally. Then you can use eyedroppers to get the chemical onto the paper or fabric. A foam brush works best to spread it out, go both directions to get it covered well.
Okay.
Then you need to let it all dry. If it’s not dry and you put a negative on top, the emulsion will most likely peel off so be careful. When printing on fabric, the drying will take a bit longer. But within 10-15 mintues most paper should be dry.
Then arrange your objects onto the paper. You can use cyanotype as a contact print and print 35mm negatives or you can use 4X5 negatives or get a photo printed onto transparency paper and use that. Or use flowers and leaves and ribbon, whatever!
Then you use just put a black garbage bag on top of the paper while you carry it outside then lay it down and watch!
My prints were out in the sun for 5-10 mintues max. But I don’t think you can really over-expose it at all and some things might take several hours depending what you’re trying to print.
(cell phone pictures from yesterday)
Then bring it inside and place the paper into a tray of water. This will rinse away the excess chemicals and stop the printing process. To increase contrast and make the blues darker you can you hydrogen peroxide and (just use a cap full) pour it on the print then submerge under the water again and rub the image with your finger.
(I’ll have better pictures of the prints once they are dry and can be scanned)
Then you’re done!
Fun, fast and easy.
I love it.
I think I’m addicted.
For some more technical information here is a chapter from Christopher James’ The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes (he’s going to be my teacher soon!)
