Cyanotype Printing During Lockdown.

My final major project has been mainly focused around the process of Cyanotype. This is a photography/printing method that leaves you with silhouettes when exposed to the sun. Also known as sun printing, you can create beautiful prints when left exposed to light.

My project is based on a recent trip to Amsterdam, it combines imagery from the Hortus Botancius and the architecture around Amsterdam. The Cyanotype process allows me to layer my own drawings with found leaves, this recreates the essence of what I saw in the De Hortus Bontancius.

Before the pandemic, I was creating long lengths of Cyanotype fabric in university, this was a quick and easy method where I could create lots of interesting imagery in a short amount of time. It was really interesting to see my line drawings next to real silhouettes of leaves, I knew then that this process would play a major part of my final project.

The one problem with Cyanotype is that it is blue, therefore, I tried experimenting with changing the colour of the Cyanotypes. I tried toning the colour with green tea, coffee and bleach. Some experiments worked well while others didn’t. Bellow are some examples.

I have been so fortunate that the weather has been so great during lockdown. Through this strange and worrying time I have still been able to carry on with creating cyanotype prints at home. At first, I struggled to get them as crisp and clear as I would have in University but by the end, I think I have got the hack of it! Let’s just say my mums not too happy I’ve been using majority of her garden plants to create unique prints.

Here are some of my home-made Cyanotypes!!!!