Cyanotypes II — Examples
After the introduction to the basics of the cyanotype process in the first part of the series, we now turn to three different artistic approaches: photograms, textures and digital negatives.
Photogram extraordinaire
As mentioned before, photograms — images created without a camera by placing an object directly onto light sensitive material — are the absolute classic when it comes to cyanotypes. Many artists use pressed plants, leaves or feathers and there are some intriguing experiments with wet cyanotypes, where the photosensitive solution and/or the object are still wet or sprayed with acids before being exposed.
But few have taken the aesthetics of classical floral silhouettes in cyanotype printing as far as Sarah van Gameren and Tim Simpson who run the Studio Glithero. They have used cyanotype to print onto ceramic tiles which can then be arranged to form massive patterns.
The exact process is somewhat of their secret but it seems as if the glazed tiles are first coated, exposed, and fixed like in the standard cyanotype process. However, the resulting image is merely the blue print for the next step in which the intricate floral silhouettes are carefully scratched into the tiles by hand, using a technique called sgrafitto. The highly laborious work results in clear images and strong contrasts. Over the years, Team Glithero have also become experts in conserving herbals and created a huge “herbarium” archive for the pressed plants and flowers that are the building blocks of their fantastic work.
Textures and shadows
Just like photograms, the second approach to cyanotypes does not require a negative either but goes a step further. Here, it is only the texture of the paper itself that creates an image. Paper is wrinkled and the numerous folds cast complex shadow and light patterns when exposed to light, not unlike waves or mountainscapes. This technique was mastered by the fabulous Wu Chi-Tsung.
Chi-Tsung has talked very openly about his process. He uses different types of Xuan paper — particularly soft yet durable paper traditionally used for ink painting and calligraphy. Large sheets are coated in cyanotype chemicals, wrinkled, and then hung outside for around 30min. Afterwards the paper is washed, flattened and finally mounted on a surface such as canvas or metal using rabbit skin glue and acrylic gel. By collaging parts of different papers together, Chi-Tsung can create vast and absolutely stunning works in reminiscence of classical Chinese landscape painting. The work is finished with a UV-protective varnish to prevent the cyanotypes from fading.
Digital negatives
A third way to make cyanotypes is by using photographs or digital images. In contrast to black and white photography, cyanotype is a contact printing process, so the negative of the image has to be the same size as the final print. Because larger negatives are hard to come by using only analog means, digital negatives, which can be easily processed and printed in any size, are common among many artists.
Beginners should not worry too much about the intricacies of the process. Often it is enough to ramp up the contrast of the image a bit using Photoshop or a similar software. Creating really good negatives though is somewhat of an art in itself. For instance, in Photoshop the tonal range of an image, from highlights to shadows, is represented in curves which need to be adjusted before printing. It is also recommended to print the negative on transparent foil using EPSON printers such as the 3880 or P600 models and Ultrachrome ink for high quality negatives.
Besides these technicalities, printing with digital negatives of course also allows for more manual interventions such as toning prints using herbs, tea and pigments, as well as the combination with other alternative printing processes, such as gum-chromate printing. There are many great artists using digital negatives and this two-part series on cyanotypes ends with a small sample of their versatility that will hopefully inspire you to try it out for yourself.
