I am a photographer by trade and have held a camera since I was a child, for 40 years. It is part of who I am. I have a creative drive that constantly wants to come out. Whether it is in pictures or bracelets matters little, as long as I get to create. I discovered cyanotype a few years ago and was captivated by the blue tones, especially those that are not so blue, but rather lean towards the blue-green and copper-colored spectrum.
Cyanotype is an art form that began to be used in the 1800s and is the most environmentally friendly printing technique used today. The process involves painting ion salts onto paper or fabric, and placing plants or objects you want to depict on top. Then you lay it out in the sun and let it expose. The time varies, but it is usually between 5-20 minutes depending on how dark a blue color you want. Then you rinse the paper in water and after about 20 minutes, the blue tones have formed and the artwork is complete.
Who actually invented the cyanotype?
Well, the man who discovered the cyanotype was named Sir John Herschel. He started by experimenting with sun prints (or photograms). This was one of the earliest forms of photography and involved placing an object on chemically treated paper before exposing it to the sun. Later, in 1842, he used paper coated with a solution of iron salts, sun exposure, and after a water bath, he had created the very first cyanotype – a white image against a deep blue background.
This method was used by Anna Atkins when she created what is believed to be the very first photo book in the mid-1800s. She was a botanist and photographer, and you can buy her book at places like Adlibris.
