about my cyanotypes
A piece of coral on top of paper at the start of exposure to UV light, and the resulting finished print.
Cyanotype is one of the earliest forms of photography, invented in the 1840s. My cyanotypes are photograms, contact prints made without a camera.
I start by painting a light-sensitive solution onto watercolor paper in a dimly-lit room. When the paper is dry, I place found objects on top of the paper and secure them in place with a piece of glass. The paper and objects are then exposed to sunlight. The paper is developed in water, creating a print in shades of blue.
I expose some prints to solutions of vinegar or baking soda or soak them in baths of tea, coffee or wine tannin to achieve varieties of coloration.
They are unique, one-of-a-kind prints.