I don't use cyanotype for landscapes that often. Nothing wrong with the result it is just I like gold salt prints a bit better. But sometimes cyanotype really works well for a photo. Here is a Wahclella Falls cyanotype that really captures the beauty of the falls. You might ask - where is the world is Wahclella Falls? Wahclella is one the dozens of waterfalls in the Columbia River gorge in Oregon. I think it is my favorite but it is not that well known. For starters it is a bit off the usual tourist path. Next, it is a…

The cyanotype process can be used to make a wide variety of art objects. Here is a set of prints that my wife made into greeting cards. What I like is the different tones possible with the process. These range from lighter blue to very dark, almost black, blue. The subject matter ranges from a tiny dandelion to a massive oak tree. These cards will be part of my Summer art show offerings. We will be at several shows this Summer around Wisconsin and I want to have a wide range of art work. This includes a wide range of…

Sometimes cyanotypes come in waves! This set of prints was made from images of waves on the Fox River in Appleton. The rains last week plus the melting snow resulted in massive waves in the rapids. This is the first set of prints from this outing. I have 3 or 4 more images that should make excellent prints. If you look closely you will see variations in each print. Each print is indeed unique based on the sunlight during exposure, how I coat and sensitize the paper and variations in washing/development. I also did some experiments with my chemistry for…

Time for an experiment! This is a cyanotype of a skunk cabbage flower. I used a duotone technique which produces two different colors. Cyanotypes are typically (or should I say naturally) blue. But you can modify the color by treating the print after it dries. The most common is to tone with tannin to give a brown or even black color - I use coffee or tea. You can also bleach the print with sodium carbonate. This gives a more pale color from gold to yellow. This print was made by first separating the negative into two color layers. The…

Busy is happy! There is an old saying in the Navy that a busy crew is a happy crew. Seems true to me that the way to be happy and creative is to be action oriented. The more over thinking the less you actually get done. Opportunities come and go and often the window to accomplish something is very small. Yesterday I had an exhausting day job day. When I got home I wanted nothing more than to chill out and relax. But then I remembered a few cyanotype experiments I wanted to do. But the studio was cold and…

Just a short video showing the final steps of my cyanotype process. I usually use sunlight to expose my cyanotypes but it was too cold and dreary outside so I used an LED UV lamp for this print. After exposure the print is taken to a dark room, removed from the printing frame, and washed with tap water. The wash process removed unreacted iron from the dark areas in the negative. This leaved behind the image in Prussian Blue dye. It also renders the image light safe. I usually do 4 rinses in the dark room followed by about 10…

I get to travel a lot in my life and have been many wonderful (and not so wonderful) places. The Pacific coast in Oregon is one of my favorites! Here is a cyanotype made from a picture I took on the beach in Oregon. It was a cloudy and rainy day and I saw the almost glowing piece of driftwood. The contrast between the white drift wood and the wet rocks was very appealing so I snapped a few frames. This is a 10in x 14in cyanotype of that scene. The process really accentuated the contrast between the dark rocks…

A Cyanotype print of lily pads and sparkling water. This 12in x 9in print is for sale in my Etsy Shop I used the new cyanotype process for this print which produces deep cobalt blue color - almost black. I think the contrast of the water sunlight sparkles and the dark water is especially beautiful. This print was made using a film (black and white) negative from pictures I did this summer in Northern Wisconsin. Here is another photo which shows both the amazing color and the texture from the renaissance wax finish. This print really brings me memories of…

Character is Power - a cyanotype. This 9in x12in cyanotype is meant as a Christmas present (and a few copies will be offered for sale). I am not sure where I first encountered this drawing and it was certainly many years ago. I have an earlier cyanotype version hanging on my office wall and I find it to be filled with meaning and inspiration. I though I should find the original author and ensure I was not infringing copyright to offer my cyan interpretation. I spent a lot of time digging and finally found the original author. The drawing is…