Art botanique

Create your own botanical cyanotypes

You have admired Anna Atkins' cyanotypes and you want to make some too. Here is the method to make your own cyanotypes at home by following the steps in this practical guide.

What is a cyanotype?

Cyanotype is a photographic process invented in the 19th century. It allows you to create unique prints without a camera, using sunlight.

A specimen - an object, a plant - is placed on a sheet coated with a photosensitive solution and exposed to the sun. The result after rinsing with water? A negative print. The elements arranged on the sheet stand out in white against a deep blue background, known as Prussian blue.

Materials needed to create a cyanotype:

To get started, here is the list of materials you will need:

thick paper , able to withstand rinsing with water
a mixing kit for photosensitive solution * (ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide)
a large brush to apply the solution evenly on the paper and a glass jar like a jam jar
a glass or plexiglass panel to hold the plants in place during exhibition
clothespins and a rigid support to stabilize the different layers during exposure to the sun

and of course,

plants : flowers, leaves or any plant element that you wish to immortalize

* Tip: you will find on the eshop a box with all the necessary material , including the mixing kit for photosensitive solution, to create your cyanotypes (without the plants).

How to create a botanical cyanotype? The detailed steps:

1. Preparation of the support

In the darkest room possible:

Prepare the photosensitive solution : Add water to each bottle (the one with the ferric ammonium citrate powder and the one with the potassium ferricyanide) to create a solution. Shake each bottle well to ensure the powders are dissolved. Pour an equal proportion of each of the two solutions into the glass jar and mix them.
Dip the brush in the solution obtained and apply it to your paper, ensuring even distribution.
Let the paper dry by covering it so that it remains in the dark (for example, you can let it dry in a cardboard box)

2. Composition of your botanical image

When the paper is dry, place it on a rigid support , such as a cardboard board.
Arrange your plants carefully on the sheet
Cover your composition with the glass or plexiglass panel
Hold the different layers together (cardboard, paper, plants, glass panel) using clothespins

3. Exposure to the sun

Place your composition in direct sunlight for 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the light intensity. The stronger the light, the shorter the exposure.

4. Revelation of the cyanotype

Once the exposure time has elapsed, when the paper turns a gray-brown tint, lift the glass frame, remove the plants and pass the sheet under cold tap water (or immerse it in a tub filled with water) to reveal the characteristic blue of the print. Then, let the sheet dry in the open air.