A photograph of a cyanotype print drying on a towel. The print is blue and is of two photographs, the top one is people wearing kimonos, the bottom image is of flowers on a magnolia tree.

How I made cyanotype prints

Cyanotype prints are beautiful blue experiments with light and shadow. Paper is covered with a light sensitive mix and left to dry in the dark. The mix tints the paper yellow, this is the side which gets exposed to the light. Anything which blocks or reduces the light reaching the paper can be used as subject matter, once in place the paper can be exposed to UV light, this process works under glass left in strong sunlight over a number of hours. 

exposure unit

 I had access to an exposure unit which rapidly sped up the process!

 

 

 

 

I use black and white photo negatives printed onto acetate, hand drawn marks, tissue paper, found fabrics or papers to make my prints.

photo negatives and mesh fabric on the glass of an exposure unit, ready for making a cyanotype print.

 

 

 

 

 

After exposing the paper to light, the chemicals get mixed out in a shallow bath of cold water and the print begins to appear in front of your eyes! 

a blue cyanotype print being washed out in a water bath an image of a cyanotype print drying on a towel, the print has two photographs on it, one of people dressed in kimonos and one of a magnolia tree flowers
And the beautiful prints become beautiful earrings, wearable art just for you. 
 
Click here to shop all cyanotype earrings. 
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