Making Cyanotype Prints
Making Cyanotype Prints
A few days before the new year Lens Culture featured the work of an artist, Lindsey Beal who using her smartphone made use of a early 19th century technique known as the Cyanotype process.
Lindsey Beal's work can be see at the following link:
https://www.lensculture.com/articles/lindsey-beal-commonplace#slide-19
How to make your own Cyanotype Prints ?
Article is from Freestyle Supplies web site 12/30/2014
"Cyanotype is a contact print process and you will need a negative the same size as the size of the print you want. A cyanotype with a blue image on a white background is obtained using a negative transparency. In order to obtain a pale white image on a blue background, a positive transparency must be used.
Cyanotypes are created with a simple solution of ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide. If you don't want to find your own chemicals, Freestyle carries an excellent all-in-one kit for you.
The cyanotype emulsion is sensitive to ultraviolet light. Therefore either sunlight or another UV light source must be used for exposure. For consistent results, a UV light box is recommended. Freestyle offers an excellent, hand made version that is perfect for this application. Another option is to use a General Electric 275-300 watt sunlamp, but the light gets extremely hot, so keep your material at least 12-18 inches away from the bulb. It may be tempting to use a piece of glass to keep your negative down, but bear in mind that glass does not transmit UV light well.
Besides all the chemicals and a UV light source, Freestyle Advisory Board Member Jill Enfield recommends the following:
Apron, gloves, cheesecloth, hair dryer, clothesline, mask, clothespins, mixing rod, contact print frame, newspaper, cups and bows, pencils, distilled water, plastic spoons, drafting tape, plexiglas, drying screen/blotter book, scale, fan, tongs, glass and wax paper."
If you want to read further about this process go to :
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/alternative-process/cyanotype
http://www.christopherjames-studio.com/materials/The%20Book%20of%20Alt%20Photo%20Processes/SAMPLE%20CHAPTERS/CyanotypeProcessSm.pdf