Cyanotypes
1. Understand the Problem
A cyanotype is a printing process that uses photo-sensitive chemicals to create a composition. The photos are blue in color because of the chemicals that are used, and the chemicals that are used are not as light-sensitive as other chemicals. Therefore, a typical exposure time for this process is 5-20 minutes.
The goal of this project is to explore a new printing method that allows for new ways to change a composition and use the process' outcomes to enhance the end product.
2. Research and Investigate
3. Generate Possible Solutions
For this project, I'm seeing that photos of water turn out very nicely with this process. The texture from those photos, as well as the contrast that is created from the white peaks and dark water show up very well in cyanotypes. I'm going on a trip to Baltimore for a competition soon and it would be a good time to get a photo of water. If I don't have a chance to take those photos, I also like taking landscape and nature photos. I need to keep in mind that the photo will need a lot of contrast, so I will need to use a photo that has both strong light and shadow. On the other hand, I will still need a photo that has a range of values so I don't just get straight blue and white in the photo with no variation in value.
4. Select AND DEVELOP Best Solution
I've found that I liked shooting nature and landscapes the most. I have chosen to use a photo that I took of a tree with lights on it. I think this photo will work well because the lights on the tree contrast well with the darkness of the tree, and I can turn up the contrast so that this difference is even more noticeable.
I don't really have any special plans for how I will paint the chemicals onto the paper for this shot. I think it would be cool to have some blue edging, but not too much. I don't want to paint it super streaky, but otherwise, I think most other painting methods will work just fine. So, I'll go for a pretty normal painting method, fill in the middle all the way and have a few rough edges. There is a problem with time and painting the paper though, because I will leave for Baltimore just after we're supposed to paint the paper, and the chemicals will go bad if I wait too long.
The photo that I chose to use. The negative can be found below.
5. Model and Prototype (Create)
To turn this photo into a negative, I put it into photoshop, made the photo black and white, inverted it, and turned up the contrast almost as high as it could go.
I did not end up painting my own paper, and so I had to borrow extra paper. The first page that I borrowed is with some bad chemical, so Mr. Coulson says that it might not turn out very well. Experimentation is always good though.
The negative I used for this project.
6. Test and Evaluate
From these three prints, I think I struggled most with the exposure times and fully washing off my prints. My first print was too dark, and because the chemical was old, it was also very yellow. For my second print, it was way too light. My last print had much better exposure, but it also turned out a little yellow along the paint splatters and some of the edges.
I think the problem I was having with exposure was mostly because I did my prints all on different days. My first print was done on a very sunny day, and it was exposed for 14 minutes. My second print was done outside on a rainy and cloudy day, and it had a 13 minute exposure. My last exposure was done on a pretty moderate day, and it was exposed for 9 minutes.
I think the strength of the prints is that they have good contrast. This can mainly be seen with the lights on the tree, with the bright white standing out against a dark blue tree trunk.
7. Produce
I included my best print at the very top of this project. Once again, I feel like its strength is that it has good contrast. However, its weakness is that it still had remaining yellow spots (which I edited out for the most part). I also feel like it's hard to tell what the photo actually is in this print. Even as the person who took the photo, it's a bit hard to tell what's going on in the photo at first.
I struggled with exposure and washing my prints. Overall, I learned about how much light changes and how easily a photo can become over or under exposed. I also learned more about alternative printing processes and how these processes can be used to aid a photo's composition.
