By Jessie Swimeley
Cyanotype is a fantastic printmaking medium! It is highly versatile and forgiving which makes it easy to experiment with! (If you would like to know more about the history and traditional cyanotype printing, check out What is Cyanotype on my personal blog!)
The wonderful Prussian blue color of cyanotype is easily altered by changes in pH. The addition of acids, like vinegar, creates strong blue effects, while alkaline substances, like baking soda, give green, gold and orange effects. I use Jacquard Cyanotype chemistry or Cyanotype chemistry from Photographer’s Formulary . The Jacquard brand is widely available from local shops or any of the big art stores and is great for beginners or people who use cyanotype once in a while. Since cyanotype is one of my main mediums I have switched to the chemistry from Photographer’s Formulary. I find the chemistry is fresher and leaves less streaks on traditional type prints. For Wet Cyanotypes you might not see a huge difference. Before we start I want to say, Wet Cyanotype is highly experimental. It doesn’t always come out the way you think it should. Results can vary because of the temperature, the water, your exposure time, the humidity, they angle of the sun, or a butterfly flapping it’s wings on the other side of the world. Some days they just don’t turn out the way you would like. I do keep a record of my experiments so I know what to change or try to keep the same. I suggest you do the same! You need:
- Hot Press Watercolor paper. Using hot press watercolor paper gives your prints crisper edges. I like to see a defined edge to my leaves. Other watercolor papers have too much tooth and can give softer edges.
- Cyanotype Chemistry
- Spray Bottle with white vinegar (dilution is up to you so experiment!)
- Spray Bottle with water and baking soda (cyanotype is very sensitive to alkaline substances, start with a weak dilution then experiment with more as you learn its effects!)
- Turmeric-optional
- Some kind of printing frame, an old picture frame will work fine
- High UV Day (like hot, middle of summer day)
- Botanical specimen, please note this will more than likely get ruined in the process.
- Gloves, we’re going to get messy.
There are two ways to start your wet cyanotype. The first method is to coat the paper with the cyanotype emulsion and let it dry before starting. The second method, and the one I prefer and teach in this post, uses the emulsion immediately after you coat the paper, so it’s wet into wet.
Let’s get experimenting! Wear your gloves for this part, you don’t want weirdly stained fingers, plus its just best practice when working with chemicals.
Place your paper on the bottom of your printing frame. It will be very hard to move your print outside to the sun if you don’t. Apply your emulsion to your paper! While it’s still all wet place your botanical subject.
Now it’s time to introduce your vinegar (acid) and your baking soda solution (alkaline). I like to concentrate my vinegar in one area of the print and the baking soda in a different area. You get the best color separation that way. It’s okay if there is some over lap and mixing. It’s all an experiment anyway!
Optional- To add some more texture to your print you can add some turmeric! It also has the added benefit of sometimes staining your paper a lovely yellow.
When you have finished with your composition, place your glass on top. I use a contact printing frame. This frame is designed especially to keep the subject pressed tightly to the glass. It’s okay if you don’t have anything fancy. The real job of the glass is to keep our subjects from blowing away.
Bring the whole juicy mess out into the sunshine, be careful not to drip on your carpet! I almost always prefer using the UV light from the sun to make prints. (I do have a light box for working when it is cloudy, the experimental prints take much, much, longer with a UV light and I find the results are less exciting.) I have found the higher the UV rating and the hotter the day the better results I get (remember, results can vary).
Leave your experimental cyanotypes in the sunshine for 1 to 3 hours. This overexposes the cyanotype chemistry and can cause an effect called solarization (it may give some color/tone reversals). The overexposure can also lead to the veins of thicker leaves being visible in the final print. My basic exposure time is about 2 hours.
After the exposure has finished bring the printing frame inside. Usually the print has dried in the sun, but sometimes it is still wet in some areas, you can choose to wash the print while it is still wet, or you can let it dry completely in a dark space. (Be aware if you have a tightly closed printing frame, you might experience an indescribable smell with you open the frame, it’s like cooked plants and turmeric, and other unidentified things….. )
Pick your botanicals off of your print and wash it in cool water for 5 to 10 minutes. The water stops the development of the cyanotype and fixes the image to the paper. It can also wash away fine details, so it is good to keep an eye on it while you wash. At this point some of the turmeric will also wash off, some will adhere to the paper.
Hang your print to dry. You might notice some color changes over the next 24 to 48 hours. Cyanotype naturally oxidizes.
Quick trouble shooting:
- Use 0000 steal wool to clean any cyanotype stains from your glass.
- Sometimes your paper will stick to the glass, you can soak it off, it’s okay to wash your print for longer
There is really no wrong way to create an experimental cyanotype! It is a process of what ifs. What if I use lemon juice instead of vinegar? What if I add paintbrush cleaner? What if I add instant coffee grounds? What if I add salt?
It is a simple process that gives you unexpected and amazing results every time. You can also get great eco prints from the crushed plant stems, a little bonus surprise!
To see more of my work join me on Instagram: @jessies6005
