Creative Cyanotype E-Book

Angela Chalmers

• Herausgeber: The Crowood Press
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 182

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

This practical book is a complete guide to the beautiful process of making cyanotype photograms and photographic prints, also known as camera-less photography and sun printing. It demonstrates the different ways to explore working with cyanotypes using toning techniques, gold leafing, decorative textures and artists' books. Aimed at all artists and photographers, it shows how the traditional method can be advanced to produce inspirational work.

Leseprobe

CONTENTS

Preface

1 Cyanotype in Practice

2 Getting Started

3 Process and Development of Cyanotype

4 Paper Choices and Alternative Supports

5 Toning Cyanotypes

6 Creative Techniques

7 Advanced Ideas and Finishing Techniques

Sources, References and Further Reading

Index

Acknowledgements

PREFACE

Iowe much to my parents for laying solid foundations and nurturing my love for the creative arts. As a small child, I was fortunate to be given a camera and limitless rolls of film. My father was a keen amateur photographer with incredible scientific knowledge. He passionately encouraged my curiosity about photography and supported my freedom of choice during my art student days. My mother equally influenced my creativity, taught me simple drawing and stitching techniques, and shared fascinating stories about her painting flowers on bone china teacups while working in the pottery district of England.

This cyanotype was double exposed using a variety of botanicals.

During my art studies, the camera became the sketchbook that captured my inspirations and future ideas. Those early days set me on an exciting journey toward the Fine Arts, and my interest in experimental art-making began. In the beginning, I was a mixed-media and watercolour artist. My early works were large paintings executed with acrylic inks on heavyweight papers. I loved the process of laying down washes of colour, and I felt like a magician making an image appear by manipulating water.

My introduction to alternative photography began at art school. I was drawn to the striking Prussian blue colour of the cyanotype, but most significantly, I was fascinated by the science and position of it within photography’s history. I have a deep-rooted affection for the Victorian era, and cyanotype is one of the earliest photographic printing processes born in that time. I instantly saw its resemblance to watercolour painting in that a surface absorbs a liquid solution and can be controlled with astounding results. Cyanotype photograms are straightforward to learn, and the simple method of a single exposure on paper is suitable for every ability. Since discovering the technique for myself, the cyanotype process has grown in popularity, with many contemporary artists and buyers discovering its fine qualities.

The guidelines presented in this book are based on my experience as a professional artist working with the cyanotype process for almost two decades. I share my techniques for mixing the necessary chemicals and coating various substrates such as paper, textiles and glass with step-by-step instructions. I also expand on the possibilities of working with this beautiful process through several creative projects.

This book can be helpful for beginners, artists and photography enthusiasts who want to expand their practice by using this historical process in ways you may not think are possible. It also demonstrates how the traditional method can be manipulated to create different colours with exciting results. Finally, the ideas and projects have no limits; I hope they will inspire and become a starting point for your creativity. The most important thing is to have fun experimenting with this captivating process.

CHAPTER 1

CYANOTYPE IN PRACTICE

Cyanotype is one of the oldest photographic printing processes, dating from the nineteenth century. This relatively simple method remains the same today as when it was first invented. It produces beautiful eye-catching images with a distinct rich blue colour. Cyanotypes, also known as sun prints, are more accessible and cheaper than any other alternative photographic processes and suit all abilities, from beginners to professionals. Contemporary artists are experimenting with the cyanotype process on various surfaces, such as fabric, glass, stone, ceramics and wood. The blue monochromatic images can be created at home with no darkroom required, using only sunshine as the light source. I believe it is a magical process that is highly addictive.

Cyanotype printing outdoors with the beauty and fragrance of sweet peas.

INTRODUCTION TO CYANOTYPE

The essential requirements for making cyanotypes are sunlight, water, chemicals and surface. The cyanotype emulsion is made from two iron salts, ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide. When the two chemicals are dissolved in water and combined, they become a light-sensitive solution. A cyanotype print is made by coating a surface with the sensitising solution, followed by exposure to a source of ultraviolet (UV) light and final development. During exposure, a chemical reaction occurs with the combination of iron salts impregnated on the surface. This changes the colour of the exposed emulsion from lemon-yellow to greyish-green. Afterwards, the cyanotype is developed through a simple wash in water to clear unexposed chemistry, allowing the beautiful cyan-blue image to emerge slowly. A cyanotype photographic image can be made using a camera and negative (a photograph) or without a camera using actual objects, commonly known as a photogram.

What is a photogram?

A photogram offers an alternative way of representing a three-dimensional object by capturing its shape and form using rays of light. This technique is sometimes called cameraless photography and creates a shadow-like photographic print. With practice, the precision of multi-layered, soft, ethereal images full of movement can be achieved, creating stunning effects.

Cyanotype photograms are made by contact printing using objects that obstruct light from penetrating the chemically treated surface. For example, a flat solid object will significantly block light when flattened by a sheet of glass and produces a negative shadow of the object. Areas of the surface that are not shielded by light will have various tones of blue depending on the exposure time. The action of light, such as the sun on a clear day, will cast dramatic shadows from three-dimensional objects. For instance, an item such as a ball will block out light where it touches the surface, and its shadow will partially obstruct light, which results in a variety of mid-tones. On a dull day, the light is diffused and the photogram will only reveal the shape of the object where it was placed.

Contact printing is when an object or negative is placed directly on top of the lightsensitive paper and exposed to light. Here, a fern leaf is placed on the chemically treated paper and exposed to ultraviolet light. After washing, the placement of the fern that covered the paper remains paper white, and the uncovered areas change colour due to a chemical reaction with ultraviolet light.

The shadow cast by the ball produces a variety of tones, encouraging soft shadowy effects. On a cloudy day, light exposure is diffused and the final image may have fewer tones. To capture shadows, you require clear skies and direct bright sunshine. Be mindful of where shadows are cast in your composition.

The invention of the cyanotype

In Victorian England, scientist and astronomer Sir John Herschel (1792–1871) discovered the technique in 1842. At the time, Herschel worked closely with pioneering photographer William Henry Fox Talbot (1800–77), who had made influential contributions to photography a few years earlier. From 1834, Talbot created photograms using salt and silver chloride, which he called ‘photogenic drawings’. He placed ferns or objects on coated papers and laid them in the sunlight.

During this richly inventive stage of early photography, many scientifically minded artists and alchemists contributed to solving the problem of stabilising a photographic image. Talbot used common salt to temporarily fix his images until Herschel discovered that sodium thiosulphate would act as a fixing agent commonly called hypo, which is still used today. Unlike Talbot, it appears that Herschel was more curious about the science of the photochemical process than the final image. Alongside his inventions, he made significant contributions to the history of photography by coining the terms ‘photography’, ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ and applying these to the art form.

Wild Fennel, by William Henry Fox Talbot, 1841–42. This salt print was one of his earliest photograms, which he called photogenic drawings. (Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.)

Art and science

In terms of Talbot’s developments and Herschel’s chemical know-how, this synchronicity combined to generate the perfect adventure for a family friend of theirs, Anna Atkins (1799–1871). She was a botanist, collector and an outstanding illustrator with friends and family connections to the botanical and scientific community.

Portrait of Sir John Herschel by Julia Margaret Cameron, 1867. (Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.)

In 1843 she started an artistic journey by creating detailed botanical cyanotypes in her first book, Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions. This significant moment has placed Anna Atkins in history as the first person to produce a book using photographic images. In a letter to a friend, Anna wrote: ‘I have lately taken in hand a rather lengthy performance, encouraged by my father’s opinion that it will be useful. It is the taking photographic impressions of all (that I can procure) of the British Algae and confervae, many of which are so minute that accurate drawings of them are very difficult to make.’

Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, c. 1853. Every page of Anna Atkins’ photog raphic book was handprinted using the cyanotype process. (Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.)

While Fox Talbot may have been the instigator of producing camera-less photographic prints, it was perhaps a fascination with Herschel’s wonderful invention that pushed Anna toward cyanotype photograms. She felt plants needed to be presented visually for scientific reasons and their aesthetic nature.

Conferva gracilis, c.1853. A cyanotype photogram by Anna Atkins. (Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.)

Something about Mary, cyanotype on muslin, 2015. This cyanotype dress was inspired after a research period during an art residency at St Martin-on-the-Hill, Scarborough.

Surprisingly this skilful combination of art and science gained little popularity among photographers and the art connoisseurs of the Victorian era. Research suggests that the vibrant blue was not favoured and was criticised by some as a medium to create art. Yet, for Anna, her accomplishment in the history of photography is highly significant. In Larry Schaaf’s Sun Gardens: Cyanotypes of Anna Atkins, he praises Anna, stating that her contribution to the art of botanical illustrations ‘was both prophetic and profound’.

Today we find that interest in cyanotype has renewed on a tremendous scale. Cyanotypes are admired for their striking Prussian blue and ethereal qualities. The process has been rediscovered by fine artists, photographers, crafters and hobbyists worldwide. Over the last few years, there has been an explosion of cyanotype imagery on social media platforms, which is exciting to see. The process has gained widespread popularity but, more importantly, the presence of cyanotype in art galleries and public spaces provides widespread recognition and a long-awaited voice for the process compared to the criticism of the distant past.

Blueprints

When Herschel first discovered the cyanotype, the primary purpose of his invention was to make copies of his drawings and notes for himself. The process eliminated the need to handtrace original drawings. After he died in 1871, cyanotypes gained commercial success as a copying process which could accurately reproduce engineering and architectural drawings, hence the term ‘blueprint’. This ingenious use allowed for multiple copies to be made quickly and easily by engineers and architects, who would draw out their plans on semi-transparent paper and then place the drawings against chemically treated blueprint paper before exposing them to sunlight. Like Anna’s botanicals, the light would be blocked where the ink lines were drawn, creating white lines against a blue background.

The power of blue

Blue is more than just a combination of chemicals in the cyanotype process. Blue is an attractive colour in that it has the power to elicit so many emotions and even temperatures. On one level, blue denotes serenity and calmness; on another, it can suggest melancholy and sadness. We talk about the winter blues, feeling blue, having the blues and being blue.

Then there is the notion of purity, with blue the colour most often associated with the gown of the Virgin Mary. These links to Christianity result in blue being associated with peace, spirituality and religion. In Hinduism, there are gods, such as Krishna, Vishnu and Shiva, depicted with blue skin.

There are many different shades, tones and values of blue. The ‘true blue’ of lapis lazuli created the ‘ultramarine’ blue (taken from the Latin, meaning ‘beyond the sea’). It was the earliest known blue taken from the semi-precious stone crushed to make pigment and used in paintings, particularly during the Italian Renaissance. It was seen as a symbol of high status due to the significant expenses of the artist and the art patron’s ability to afford such a painting.

Prussian blue was discovered by accident when a dye maker tried to create a new red in 1704. It was adapted by a French chemist in the early nineteenth century and used by painters instead of the more expensive ultramarine. In the latter half of the period, cerulean blue was developed as an artistic pigment, adding to the range of blues available for painting. Cobalt blue was used with ceramic and jewellery, particularly in China, leading to the distinctive blue and white patterned porcelain.

St Dorothea, patron saint of brides, florists and gardeners, by Sir Edward Burne-Jones. Mid-nineteenthcentury stained-glass window at St Martin-on-the-Hill, Scarborough.

Within Western society, blue is commonly associated with males, yet this is a relatively recent concept since, in the past, blue was seen as a feminine colour suitable for girls. Likewise, the idea of pastel colours for children was only introduced in the mid-nineteenth century. Before this, children were generally dressed in white, allowing clothing to be quickly boiled and bleached clean. The chosen colour for denim is the rich blue of indigo harvested from the leaves of the Indigofera plant, and it has become a popular hue for dying textiles.

There are links to lewd, rude behaviour – blue humour, blue movies, blue talk, turning the air blue. Interestingly, while in the West adult films are referred to as ‘blue’, in China films depicting nudity are referred to as ‘yellow’ movies.

Finally, variations of blue are a firm favourite for the many companies who use them for corporate colours ranging from the lightest blue to the darkest. You only need to look at the social media giants to see how their use of blue psychologically attracts attention, possibly due to the popularity and seeming favour of blue worldwide.

Detail of the stained-glass window by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, St Martin-on-the-Hill, Scarborough.

SOURCING CREATIVE INSPIRATION

Everyone is a photographer these days. Across the world, billions of smartphones are used daily to capture our precious moments. Small cameras are literally in our pockets, so on seeing a beautiful sunset, flower or tree trunk that looks like it has a face, some of us will find ourselves quickly grabbing our phones and taking a shot in seconds. If we want to find out what particular species of plant we have seen, we can search the internet, and with a tap of a few keys we are given instant access to thousands of detailed images and information.

A smartphone is a relatively recent development for instantly making images and recording the world. In the dim and distant pre-internet days, access to full-colour photos in books was standard, and we thought nothing of it. This concept of a world of full-colour images, all the time, whenever we want, is so ingrained that we struggle to imagine anything else.

Picking wild sweet peas. In the summer, the flowers are vibrant, and even though you will be only translating their forms onto paper, the visual impact is inspiring.

The social media platforms, such as Instagram and Pinterest, allow visual content to be shared extensively, which is a great way to show your pictures and find inspiration. The internet is a stimulating place for your eyes and mind which can kickstart the creative flow and ignite the imagination, especially when looking at the great masters of photography and painters in art. Spending time researching, thinking, writing, learning about new things and visiting art galleries, museums and theatres is an essential part of the art practice for many contemporary artists who encompass everything when sourcing creative inspiration.

Observe the beauty of nature

Looking back at ancient art is fascinating. The Egyptians used rigid, stylised methods based on their knowledge of forms and shapes. The Greeks followed their path, yet the result of their art was highly different. Their marble statues appear full of life, as living and breathing before us. The artists imitated the beauty of nature with simple harmony and balance. They approached their subjects with direct observation and expressive freedom compared to the early Egyptian style, which was limited by strict laws.

The same methods can be used today by observing nature closely; it is the perfect art teacher. The beauty of the natural world has captivated artists and designers for centuries. Many beautiful examples of nature-inspired artworks have existed throughout the history of art, such as the flower paintings of artists Georgia O’Keeffe and Claude Monet. Both artists were inspired by their surroundings, using objects of still-life, flowers and scenery as their subjects.

There is much to learn from the elements of nature by watching flowers, plants and trees throughout the year. Absorb yourself in the changing seasons, especially the fresh new growth of spring and the golden days of autumn. Dried leaves, flowers, twigs and grasses will add beautiful shapes and forms to your final image. Great art can materialise from the study and contemplation of the natural world, which is an outstanding visual reference to work from.

The landscape, such as a local park, woodland, moorland and countryside, provides many species of plants to collect and utilise. Find fascinating specimens in your garden and the surrounding neighbourhood and collect unusual finds. However, always be mindful when gathering plants, especially rare species. Always check your local by-laws before uprooting plants or flowers. Most importantly, make yourself familiar with the ones that are toxic and might cause irritation.

Look closely at nature’s intriguing patterns and overall rhythms in a wild garden.

Observing plants in their natural environment will help you to enhance your compositions back in the studio.

A woodland walk offers a variety of living things, including species of plants, insects and animals, in the ecosystem of one area.

Hold a leaf up to the sky to examine the finer details and silhouette.

When I am back in the studio with a collection of plant life, I create imaginary landscapes through instinctive and informed decisions.

Embark on a road trip to discover new scenery and connect with unfamiliar places. A trip to the seaside can offer exciting finds at any time of the year, and in general you may find that the collection of dried seaweed, seashells, small pebbles and fragments of sea glass that you pick up will create beautiful shapes in your artwork. Engaging with your environment becomes a multi-sensory activity of wandering, seeing, smelling, touching, gathering and perhaps enjoying a session of outdoor cyanotype printing.

Always observe your surroundings with a curious eye and explore your territory thoroughly. I love to immerse myself in a beautiful landscape, such as a wonderfully scented forest or a lakeside walk. On a sunny day, I notice how sunlight casts shadows through leaves and trees on the ground. Whenever I travel, I photograph the colours and textures of trees and plants and write notes about anything that has caught my eye.

I am also deeply inspired by the art and design of highly decorative museums and churches. The best ideas always come to me when I least expect them and are sometimes born only after many months of visiting places.

Treasures from the seashore. Look for shells with holes and pretty fragments of sea glass, as they work remarkably well in photograms.

Language as inspiration

A simple word or phrase is often enough to inspire a new concept and lead you along a motivational path. Words themselves can be used as a metaphor. Try thinking of a word and research its definition. For example, the term ‘ambiguous’ suggests more than one interpretation; something indistinct, mysterious or weirdly unfamiliar. Perhaps a photogram can be considered ambiguous and otherworldly. I certainly think so.

Flower Power, cyanotype on Fabriano watercolour paper, 300gsm. The phrase is uplifting and evokes strength, resilience and calmness. The hand is a universal symbol used in many cultures and spirituality.

Reflective moments

Reading stories or poetry and listening to music can arouse strong emotions and psychological reactions that can be expressed visually. Lyrics and sounds may transport you to another time or place, and so can a moment of silence. These connections often provide a deeper understanding of oneself and may lead to a new approach to your creativity.

Most importantly, be authentic, honest and true to yourself and do what you feel is right. Allow yourself to be free to share your thoughts and ideas. Embrace the mundane and the extraordinary – question everything – and allow yourself to take risks, as this will add more magic.

DEVELOPING AND EXPLORING IDEAS

It is always helpful to surround yourself with like-minded people and have a brainstorming session to expand your creativity. A conversation with someone with the same interests can often trigger new ideas. Forming connections with other artists and interesting people worldwide through social media may also lead to exciting opportunities. It is a perfect place to receive feedback, connect with your customer, share skills and open creative pathways.

The creative process is different for everyone. For some, it may start with a period of reflection or a deeper study of a favourite topic; for others, it may begin with a concept. Works of art never appear out of the blue (unless it is a cyanotype); they evolve through a series of thought processes guiding you towards your final idea.

The search for your creative style depends significantly on independent thinking, experimentation and risk-taking. In Lisa Congdon’s book Find Your Artistic Voice, she suggests that every artist’s creative journey is not the same, yet we share the same bumpy ride; it may not be smooth, and motivation will undoubtedly come and go.

I find that potential ideas manifest themselves through a daily ritual of mindfulness and visualisation. I approach my work from a place of research with curiosity and critical thinking. Furthermore, I consider my work as play and will generate ideas by engaging with different materials and experimenting with unusual objects. By doing this, my artistic creativity is encouraged, and ideas begin to flow.

Choosing your subject matter