Amateur Photographer - UK (2019-08-23)

38 17 August 2019I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113

Technique C YA N O T Y P E S

IUSEthewetprocessbecauseit

is moreunpredictableowingto

theinteractionbetweenthewet

chemicalsandthesurfacematter,

andcangiveinterestingresults.

I applythechemicalmixusing

a brushtowatercolourorinkjet

paperthenapplythesubject

matterwhilethechemicalis still

wetonthesurface.I mostly

useplantmatterfollowedby

productsthatwillreacttothe

chemicals.Thismightinclude

salt,spices(turmericis

effective),foodcolouring,

spritzingwithdilutedvinegar,

andsometimescovering

withclingfilm.

Oncethecompositionis

createdit willbeheldin

placewitha sheetof glass

in a clip-frameandthen

placedoutsidein thesun

andlefttoexpose.Exposure

times can range from 30

minutestodays,andreallyit is

uptoyoutodecidehowlongyou

wanttoleaveit. I thendevelopthe

cyanotypebyrinsingwithwaterfor

around 15 minutes;thisstopsthe

chemicalprocess.

I willoftentakephotographs

orscansof theworkthroughout

theprocesssothatI canuse

thepre-washimagesin my

compositingworkastheyhave

interestingcoloursandtextures.

Duringthewashthecolourwill

changeandthefinalprintcolours

willstarttoappear.Unlikethe

dryprocesstheremaynotbe

a significantshifttowardsthe

familiarPrussianblue.Youare

morelikelytoseesubtlebrowns,

greensandbluesandtheeffect

of anycolouringyoumayhave

placedonthesurface.

I willthenleavetheprintto

dry,andasit oxidises it will

become darker.

Getouttheturmeric...

GlenysGarnettrevealshowshegetscreative

using everyday substances found at home

Before exposure After

Using substances such as food colouring and turmeric creates special effects

process.‘Itis importantto

followsafetyprecautions

whenmixingandapplyingwet

chemicals,’sheadvises.‘Gloves,

eyeprotectionanda mask

shouldbewornwherethereare

risksofspillsandinhalation.

Doalsobeawarethat

cyanotypechemicalsstain.’

Whenit comestoselecting

thebesttypeofpaper,Jois full

ofgreatadvice.‘Forprintsthat

willbearchivalyouwillwant

tousepaperthatis freefrom

alkalinebuffering.Paperswith

lowpHcanyielda greentone

inthefinishedprintandthose

witha highpHcangivea grey

tonetoyourfinishedprint.I

prefertousea smoothsurface

andworkprimarilywithhot

pressedpapers,suchasBristol

boardandHahnemühle

platinum rag which both give

a strongbrightwhitetothe

finalprint.A coldpressed

paperwillberougherin

texture.Thepaperneedsto

survivethewashingprocess,so

althoughanycanbeused,it’sa

goodideatostartwithheavier

weightedpapers.’

Butit’snotjustpaperyou

applythecyanotypechemicals

to.‘I’vecreateda seriesof

wetcyanotypesinbroken

eggshells,’Josays,‘whichI then

gildedwithgoldleaf.Fabricis

anothermedium,whichlends

itselftothewetprocess,and

naturalmaterialssuchas

cotton,hempandcalicoare

goodtouse.’

Whenit comestogettingthe

finaltoneofyourprintright,

Joadvises:‘Awashinalkali

solutions(pH>7)ofammonia,

sodium bicarbonate and borax

willlightena print.A washina

bathofacidicsolutions(pH<7)

suchastannicacid,gallicacid

orstrongteaorcoffeewill

darkentheprint.Shouldyou

wishtokeepthetonalrange

similartoyourcyanotypeyou

canbleachthefinishedprint

and rinse prior to washing in a

toningsolution.Asit can

takeseveraldaysforthefull

oxidisationtotakeplaceit

maybea goodideatowashin

dilutedhydrogenperoxide

priortoa toning.ThepHofthe

waterwhereyoulivecanalso

affectthecoloursof the

fi nal outcome.’

Eggshellsandanynaturalmaterial

also work well for the process

© JO STEPHEN

© GLENYS GARNETT