Adventures in cyanotype

Producing prints naturally with sunlight.

1. Choose foliage with small, translucent leaves and flowers with unusual shapes (nothing too big or blocky, fern/grass/small flowers are ideal).

2. Apply the cyanotype mixture sparingly (too thick and it won’t dry) with a paintbrush or a roller to a sheet of cold-pressed, smooth watercolour paper.

3. Arrange the foliage design on the watercolour sheet.

4. Cover with another sheet of paper or a sheet of glass.

5. Uncover in direct sunlight for 10-15 minutes, or until the areas coated with the cyanotype mixture turn a muddy blue-bronze colour.

6. Remove the foliage and rinse the paper in water to reveal the final print.