Cyanotypes

What are Cyanotypes?

Cyanotype refers to a photographic printing process that creates a cyan-blue print. This process was used to create engineering circles well into the 20th century. The simple use and lost cost made this a very effective process for producing large scale copies of their work, known commonly as 'Blue Prints'.

This process works via sunlight. When objects are placed onto the Cyan Paper, the shapes will start to set onto the paper. After a period of time, when the chemicals are washed off, it leaves behind some white markings in the shape of the objects. The results van vary with the time exposed to sunlight and how much there is.

History of Cyanotypes:

In 1842, the English scientist and astronomer Sir John Herschel discovered the process. Although he was the one who discovered it, he did not do much with it. It wasn't until Anna Atkins started developing this process into photography where it started to take off. She created a limited of books, made using the cyanotype process, she used this to catalog the various ferns and plant life she had collected over time. Since she first used this, she was regarded as the first female photographer.


Examples of Cyanotypes:

Anna Atkins 'Algae'























My own Cyanotype

Experiment 1

We had a chance to produce our own Cyanotype images using this technique. To start with, we gathered some various random objects, and placing the objects on the page.

After placing the objects on the page we left them in the sun for the development to take place.
I waited around 20 minutes before taking the objects off and washing the chemicals off the paper.
Once the paper dried, this was the end result.

I feel that although it created some interesting shape, It would have been better if we had some better sunlight. unfortunately at the time the sunlight was rather dim. If I get chance, I would like to try this again with better lighting and a new order of objects.

Experiment 2

I did another attempt while using the same low amounts of sunlight, however this time I tried using lighter objects. I used three feathers and overlaid the ends so that the feathers spread out across the page from the corner.