Cyanotypes

Contents

1 The Cyanotype Process:
2 Cyanotype Kits
3 WARNING!!
4 Coating the Paper:
5 Photograms with Cyanotype
6 Contact Printing with Cyanotype
7 Contact printing using an enlarged digital negative
8 EXPOSURE:
9 DEVELOP AND FIX:
10
11 USING MATERIALS IN THE HOME
12 USING THE UV LAMP
13
14
15 USING THE SINK IN THE PHOTO UNIT
16 Artists working with Cyanotype
17 ANNA ATKINS
18 RESOURCES AND LINKS:

The Cyanotype Process:

Auntie Jin by Linda McCartney, 1984

Exposure using UV Light:

Cyanotype is an ultraviolet light sensitive printing process. It uses a mixture of iron compounds that react when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light to create a ‘latent’ image

Developing:

When an exposed Cyanotype print is washed in cold running water it will oxidize (develop) to create the Prussian Blue image.

Washing and Fixing:

Immersion in cold running water will also wash away the unused iron salts and fix the image. Because the process requires water rather than chemicals for development and fixing, it is a very safe and accessible.

Cyanotype Kits

Jaquard Cyanotype solution (Parts A and B).

The Cyanotype process uses two chemicals: ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide

They are sold as kits such as the one seen here by JACQUARD and are usually very simple to use.

ALWAYS read the instructions before using your kit and contact your technical demonstrators at: photographicserviceunit@brighton.ac.uk if you need any advice.

WARNING!!

NEVER mix Cyanotype solutions with any form of acid or any substance containing an acid as this can produce POISONOUS cyanide gas.

IRRITANT: The cyanotype mixture can also be an irritant to skin and eyes so ensure you always wear gloves and goggles when handling it!

Coating the Paper:

•For best results, the paper should be quite thick and absorbent to soak up the Cyanotype solution.

•Try a good quality fine art paper like cartridge or watercolour paper.

•Coat in subdued tungsten light (no UV or daylight)!

•Measure equal amounts of A and B of the solution and mix together (you can use an old jam jar or sturdy plastic pot/container but it will stain so be careful).

•Coat using foam applicator or clean paintbrush.

•Leave to dry for at least 12 hours away from light and heat. Either hang to dry or lay flat on a covered surface.

Warning: Cyanotype solution WILL stain clothes and surfaces bright blue! Take care, cover surfaces, wear old clothes and always use gloves.

Photograms with Cyanotype

•By placing objects on the surface of the coated Cyanotype paper and exposing to UV light you can create Photograms.

•You can also draw on transparencies or glass, make stencils, or place other semi-transparent materials in front of your canvas – Experiment!

Contact Printing with Cyanotype

•You can make contact sheets by placing your negatives directly onto the Cyanotype material and exposing them in the same way you would in the darkroom.

•To prevent damage to your negatives always use a sheet of transparency or a clear neg holder between your negatives and the coated cyanotype paper.

Contact printing using an enlarged digital negative

You can also create enlarged negatives from digital image files by printing onto acetate or transparency film. You can then use this to create a positive Cyanotype print the same size as the digital negative.

To do this:

•Open your image file in Photoshop

•Invert the image to make it into a negative

•Print the image in greyscale onto acetate or transparency film (check your printer is compatible for printing onto acetate first!)

•Contact print it with your Cyanotype paper!

EXPOSURE:

Expose in sunlight or under a UV lamp.

Sunlight: 15 minutes to 8 hours depending on the strength of the sunlight and time of year.

UV Lamp is quicker (approx. 1-15mins) and gives more consistent results.

The coated Cyanotype paper starts off as a yellowish colour and will turn a steely grey colour as it exposes.

Cyanotypes will oxidise and darken to become a brighter blue as they dry.

Female Figure (ca. 1950), by Susan Weil and Robert Rauschenberg, monoprint: exposed blueprint paper, 105 x 36 inches. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation and Susan Weil.

DEVELOP AND FIX:

Develop and fix by immersing in cold running water for approximately 3-5 minutes.

Wash until the yellowish colour disappears from the white areas of your Cyanotype and the water starts to run clear off the print.

Warning: Over washing can erode the image.

Using a citric acid bath in the wash stage can help to gain deeper blues and whiter whites. Place your exposed cyanotype print in a weak citric acidic bath for a minute or two before washing can prevent fading caused by alkaline (hard) water. This should result in a better tonal range within your final print.

Dilutions of lemon juice can be used as a homemade (eco friendly) alternative for a citric acid bath.

USING MATERIALS IN THE HOME

Picture frames or the glass from an old frame can be used in replacement of a contact printer to hold your negatives or photogram materials in place for sharper focus.

Stencils or cut outs are great for bold graphic images.

Pressed flowers, petals, leaves, feathers and other natural materials can be lovely for Photograms.

Textured household materials like bubble wrap or lace can create interesting patterns and can be combined with negatives to create multi layered images or montages.

A glass picture frame with a leaf inside it on a wooden floor

USING THE UV LAMP

ALWAYS WEAR THE UV GOGGLES PROVIDED AS THE UV LAMP IS VERY BRIGHT AND CAN DAMAGE YOUR EYES EVEN WITH BRIEF PERIODS OF EXPOSURE.

THE UV LAMP CAN CAUSE SUNBURN TO SKIN WITH PROLONGED EXPOSURE – KEEP SKIN COVERED AND WEAR WHITE GLOVES (PROVIDED IN THE DEPARTMENT) TO PROTECT YOUR SKIN.

ALWAYS LEAVE THE ROOM WHILE YOUR IMAGE IS EXPOSING AND TAKE REGULAR BREAKS.

USING THE SINK IN THE PHOTO UNIT

Keep your coated Cyanotypes light tight until you are ready to expose.

When ready place them coated side up under the UV lamp with your neg or photogram objects on top – leave to expose.

After exposure you can use the sink in the Photo Unit to wash your cyanotypes and leave them to dry on the drying rack overnight or for at least 8 hours

Sink area for washing your Cyanotype prints – Book in advance via SISO: https://ubhpsu.siso.co/

Artists working with Cyanotype

ROSIE EMERSON

LIBERTY 2017 , HAND PAINTED CYANOTYPE WITH 22 crt GOLD LEAF ON PAPER FRAMED IN BESPOKE FRAME WITH CONVEX DOME

Rosie Emerson is an award-winning contemporary artist working almost exclusively on representing the female form. Her Cyanotype works enable her to montage objects with real size photographic negatives. Using UV light from the sun to expose objects and images directly on to the sensitized surface, the works are often hand painted or gilded with gold leaf.

ANNA ATKINS

Anna Atkins (1799-1871) was a botanist and early photographic practitioner. In October 1843 she became the first person to produce and photographically illustrate a book using cyanotypes. The book was called “British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions” and some of her work is now held in the V&A Museum Collections: http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O91281/papaver-orientale-photograph-atkins-anna/