Cyanotype Process and Pictures Old and New

 Since in class were learning about cyantopes, I decided to post the process and what it is. I did one last friday that turned out and it looked very cool but I whish my image was centerd. As said below, I did a similar process where I picked out a transperacy laid it on paper with Potassium ferricyanide and Ferric ammonium citrate put glass over my image and laid it out in the sun for about a half and hour. 

What it is:

Unlike photographs set in silver, like in black and white photography, cyanotypes are using a solution of iron compounds.

The photograph can be taken with a camera, like a digital camera, and the resulting photo turned into a negative that can be used to make a cyanotype.

The basic cyanotype recipe has not changed very much since Sir John Herschel introduced it in 1842. However, some advances have been made by Mike Ware in what is referred to as the New cyanotype process. Ware’s cyanotype formula has less bleed, shorter exposure times and a longer density range than Herschel’s, but it is also slightly more complicated to mix and uses more toxic chemicals.

The Process:

Mixing chemicalsThe cyanotype is made up of two simple solutions.

• Potassium ferricyanide and Ferric ammonium citrate (green) are mixed with water separately.

• The two solutions are then blended together in equal parts.

• Paper, card, textiles or any other naturally absorbent material is coated with the solution and dried in the dark.

• Objects or negatives are placed on the material to make a print. The cyanotype is printed using UV light, such as the sun, a light box or a UV lamp.

• After exposure the material is processed by simply rinsing it in water. A white print emerges on a blue background.

• The final print is dried and admired.

Preparing the canvas

Printing the cyanotype

Processing and drying