Yet again its been quite a while since I’ve posted on this page.
Time for a new start! I have some exciting new projects underway including a new women’s project with the Otago Museum and Ive been playing around with alternative photography processes.
I first played around with alternative processes while at art school, so its been a while. I’m not even sure what sparked this, I got quite creative during lock down and wanted to start something completely different I guess.
I remembered working with cyanotypes and van dyke browns at art school, painting them on papers and exposing them in the sun. Seemed like an easy place to start.
The cyanotype emulsion is made up with two chemicals Potassium ferricyanide and Ferric ammonium citrate (green). They sound nasty but are pretty harmless chemicals.
I wanted to make up my own mix as the pre-mixed kits are quite expensive. I’ve probably bought enough chemicals to make about 1,000 8x10inch prints.
I printed out some digital negatives and was planning on using some leaves and flowers from the garden.
You can paint the emulsion on under low fluorescent light as its UV light that the emulsion is light sensitive to. Its a lime green colour so you can see it and be selective with your application.
I didn’t quite get the results I wanted straight away. I rushed to get the emulsion on the paper and just slapped it on. I also didn’t take much notice of white side of the paper I applied it to (apparently that matters!) I also didn’t give them enough time in the low winter sun.
You can see the images above how the colour of the emulsion changes as its out in the sun.
It seemed like the emulsion was washing off more on some papers than others. The fabric was the same, I need to figure out how to get that really dark rich blue I’m looking for.
Will keep trying! Ive started a workbook so I can track my progress.