What is a Cyanotype?
A cyanotype is a blue photographic print created by a chemical reaction between the sun and a sensitized surface. The cyanotype process was developed by John Herschel in 1842 and was one of the first photographic processes created. Traditionally, this process was used to make copies of schematic drawings known as blueprints. The process was also used by Anna Atkins to publish the first work using photographic illustrations. In the Create Symposium class, we employed this process in creative and artistic ways to connect with our community.
To begin the process of making a cyanotype, a material needs to be coated in specific chemicals that react to UV light and influence the material's color. A ferric ammonium citrate solution and a potassium ferricyanide solution are created separately and mixed together in small increments until enough of the coating has been made to prepare the material. The ferric ammonium citrate is responsible for the light trigger while the potassium ferricyanide give the cyanotype its signature blue color. For most of our projects, we used cotton fabric for the material, although, other porous materials like paper or ceramics can also be used.
The next step of the process involves placing objects on the material to block out the sun and create a design. The covered areas will come out white and the areas exposed to the sun will be blue. These objects can be nearly anything: leaves, film negatives, crocheted doilies, bicycles, even human bodies. Objects with different levels of opacity can create interesting effects because of how they block only some of the UV light. Any shadows cast on the cyanotype while it exposes will also affect the final result. Because of this, objects that are flatter tend to create crisper edges while more three-dimensional objects often make less defined shapes. The varieties in opacity and crispness give the artist many options when planning their design.
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For the smaller cyanotypes we made at the beginning of the semester, we used plexiglass sheets and binder clips to secure our designs and take them outside. We set them in direct sunlight for approximately twenty minutes and were careful not to cast any shadows on them during their exposure. The bedsheet-sized cyanotypes that the Big Art Project group created were exposed indoors under an artificial UV light.
After the exposure of a given cyanotype was complete, the objects on top were removed and the fabric was then quickly washed out in a bucket of water. This removes the excess iron salts that did not expose in the UV light stopping any further UV related chemical processes. The cyanotype then begins to develop but, for the sake of time, we chose to accelerate the process by dunking it in a second water bath that contained a little hydrogen peroxide. The end result is a white and blue print of the arranged design. Many examples of our cyanotypes can be found throughout the website. Check them out!