Instructional document created for 2017 Pinellas County Art Teachers Workshop at St.

Petersburg College.

What is cyanotype?
Cyanotype is a 19th century photographic process that produces blueish green prints. Cyanotypes are

an excellent way to introduce students to historical photographic processes, as they can be made

without traditional darkroom equipment. Cyanotypes use two chemicals, potassium ferricyanide and

ferric ammonium citrate, to produce a light sensitive emulsion that can be applied to paper and fabric.

Prints can be made from inkjet transparency negatives or everyday objects can be used to make

photograms. Premixed solutions can be purchased to avoid students and teachers handling powdered

chemicals.

History of the cyanotype process

Cyanotypes were invented in 1842 by Sir John Herschel (1792-1871), an English chemist,

mathematician, and amateur photographer. The process was often used as an inexpensive means to

reproduce notes and illustrations. Anna Atkins (1799-1871), often considered to be the first female

photographer, used the cyanotype process to illustrate botanical specimens for books. Her

Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions (1843) is considered to be the first book

illustrated photographically. The cyanotype process remained relatively popular for a time before

falling out of fashion around the turn of the 20th century. The process enjoyed a resurgence among

artists in the 1960s and remains popular today. In recent years in particular, there has been a renewed

interest in analog photography among students bored with digital processes. Because many schools no

longer have full darkrooms, cyanotype is a great way to allow students to reconnect to photography’s

roots.

Further reading:
For a New York Times article about the resurgence of interest in the Cyanotype process:
click here
Chemistry & Other Supplies
Cyanotype chemistry can be purchased pre-mixed. Photographer’s Formulary sells a Liquid Cyanotype

Kit that allows you to avoid the hassle of mixing your own chemical solutions. It is slightly more work

(but more cost effective) to buy powdered chemistry and mix your own solutions. To mix chemistry

from scratch, you will need the following:

• Potassium Ferricyanide and Ferric Ammonium Citrate

• Distilled water
• Brown plastic or glass bottles for storing mixed solutions

Other supplies you will need:

• Watercolor or other paper for coating (can also be coated on natural fabrics)
• Brushes for coating paper or small bucket / tray to soak fabrics
• Lamp with red light bulb (to coat materials in darkened room)
• Contact frame (or foam board and plexiglass slightly larger than the paper)
• UV light source to expose image
• Sink with a tray of running water
• Objects for photograms (cardboard cut outs, small objects, plant material)
• Rubber gloves, goggles, aprons, newspaper to protect work surfaces
• Scanner and Inkjet printer (optional for creating large negatives)
• Transparency film (optional for creating large negatives)

Where to Shop:
Freestyle Photographic Supplies
Freestyle is a one stop shop for everything you need to make cyanotypes. They have powdered
cyanotype chemistry and premixed kits, watercolor paper, inkjet transparency film, plastic trays for
washing, red safe light bulbs, contact frames, etc.

Photographers Formulary
Leading retailer for alternative process photography supplies. They have powdered cyanotype
chemistry and premixed kits (as well as kits for many other 19th century processes). They also stock
many of the other required supplies as well.

Making Cyanotypes 2 Bethany Souza

Preparing your Paper or Canvas
Steps 1 and 2 should be carried out under dim darkroom safelight or other very low light (a strand or
two of Christmas lights for example).

Step 1: Mix the Chemicals (if using premixed chemistry skip to step 2)
Mix Solutions A and B in separate containers, preferably using distilled water. Do not use metal
containers or spoons for mixing. Glass or plastic only.

• To mix Solution A, dissolve 25 g Ferric ammonium citrate in 100 ml water

• To mix Solution B, dissolve 10 g Potassium ferricyanide in 100 ml water

Once both solutions are thoroughly mixed, allow them to ripen for 24 hours if possible for best results.
If stored in a dark plastic bottle at room temperature, solutions A and B will keep indefinitely.

Step 2: Coating the paper/canvas

To create your light sensitive cyanotype emulsion, mix equal parts A and B together in a third container
(dark plastic or glass with a good seal). Once mixed together, solution should be used within 1-2 weeks
for best results.

For a paper surface, use a brush to paint the cyanotype solution onto the paper. Fabric can be
soaked in the solution in a small tray or bucket.

Making Cyanotypes 3 Bethany Souza

Cyanotype solution will stain your skin, clothing, and work surfaces. Be sure to wear an apron, gloves,
and safety goggles. Newsprint or drop cloths can be spread on your work surface to protect against
staining.

Once your material is coated leave it in the dark to dry.

Printing the Cyanotype

Place your coated paper or cloth on a rigid piece of cardboard or foam core with your negative or
objects on top of the coated surface. Place a piece of glass or plexiglass on top to create a “sandwich”.
Alternately, a contact printing frame can be used to sandwich paper and items together during printing.

Expose your cyanotype to sunlight (or another UV light source). Exposure times can vary from a few
minutes to over an hour, depending on the strength of the light source.

Processing and Drying

Once the print has been exposed, process your print by running it under cold water. Wash for at least 5-
15 minutes, until the water runs clear and any yellow tint has been removed from the paper. Once
washed, cyanotypes can be laid flat on drying racks or hung to dry.

Making Cyanotypes 4 Bethany Souza

Preparing a Digital Negative
Cyanotype is a contact printing process (as opposed to an enlargement process) and requires a negative
the same size as the finished print. Large negatives can easily be printed on inkjet transparency film
from digital files.

There are many different ways to set up a file to create a digital negative. You can search the internet
for specific instructions on different methods. Below is a basic set-up to create a standard negative in
Adobe Photoshop. You may need to do some experimentation to find the best method for your images,
materials, and software.

Some of the steps below will permanently alter your original image, so always make sure
you are working on a copy of your original file!

1. Open your digital file into Adobe Photoshop.

2. Remove color information (if starting with a color image):

Making Cyanotypes 5 Bethany Souza

 a. Image > Adjustments > Desaturate
3. Invert the tones in the image to create a negative: Image > Adjustments > Invert
4. Flip image horizontally: Image > Adjustment > Flip Horizontal
5. Adjust image as necessary. You generally want a somewhat high contrast negative. One
method I have found useful is applying a curve to the negative that looks something like the
one below.

Further reading:

February 2016 article in Hyperallergic reviewing the first major museum exhibitions of cyanotype works
at the Worchester Art Museum. Article includes a detailed history of the process and a variety of
cyanotype examples: https://hyperallergic.com/272915/photographys-blue-period-gets-its-first-major-
show-in-the-us/

January 2016 from Make Zine article outlining the cyanotype process of Meghann Riepenhoff:
http://makezine.com/2016/01/15/radical-cyanotype-process-meghann-riepenhoff/

October 2013 article from The Oklahoman detailing photojournalist Chris Landsberger’s cyanotype
portraits of the NBA’s Oklahoma Thunder players:
http://newsok.com/article/3898207

May 2011 article from The Atlantic detailing artist Lauren Redniss’s use of cyanotype imagery to tell the
story of Marie Curie:
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/05/radioactive-marie-curies-life-story-told-
in-cyanotype/239569/

March 2015 article from Tate, Etc. about the photogram. Includes some cyanotype work:
http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/articles/out-light-shadows

Making Cyanotypes 6 Bethany Souza