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First of all, I combine ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide with water to create a light-sensitive formula. 

 

My 2nd step is choosing a subject. I’ve used large negatives of my own digital images, but usually go for a walk in the woods and pick up anything that interests me. There’s something about using the elements of nature to make a print. It’s so magically organic.

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The 3rd step is painting watercolour paper with the prepared chemical formula. I love doing this because I feel that I am embracing my past love of watercolour but using it in a new way.

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The 4th step is matching the dried paper to the subject. I so enjoy experimenting with positioning of the subjects and deciding which paint strokes have the best connection with the object.

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The 5th step is securing the paper & subject and placing it out in strong sunlight to expose. Using the sun to expose the prints is tricky because you have to watch to see if the quality of sunlight changes based on the time of day or clouds. Creating cyanotypes this way changes the context of my prints and allows me to connect with nature in a very specific way. I love the experience of soaking in the rays of the sun and watching them slowly alter the quality of my prints. 

 

The 6th and final step is rinsing and drying the prints. I can never predict exactly how a print will turn out until this point so it’s exciting to see the exact colour, sharpness, and complete feel of the print!

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See my collection of CYANOTYPES