cyanotypes.
Cyanotype is a very old monochrome photographic printing process which produces a cyan-blue print.The English scientist and astronomer Sir John Herschel discovered this process in 1842. However Herschel is perhaps the inventor of the cyanotype process.
Anna Atkins
Anna Atkins was a english woman who was the first person to use cyanotypes to photograph things such as plants for a scientific purpose she released her photos in to a journal . she was the first person to ever release a book illustrated with photographic images it was a 12 part book titled british algae. Her images are featured in the header.
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton is a scottish photographer who after studying art went on to document plants on the uninhabited island of Storma. His images have a resemblance to Anna Atkins images as they are both obviously documenting rare plants however Alexander Hamilton's images seem slightly more detailed and defined and the colour of the paper seems to be a lot darker. I prefer Hamilton's images to Atkins as i think the colour is a deeper blue and the centre piece of the images look a bit more translucent and more interesting.
Cyanotypes
Image 1. for my first cyanotype i used objects that showed up quite well and are defined . The composition on this is better than my other piece in my opinion however it could still be made alot better by using different objects and finding more interesting ways to present them on the paper. I also rubbed the paper to much which made the inside of the shapes quite smudged.
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with this image the shapes came out very clear and they aren't smudged. but the composition isn't very good at all and i prefer the composition of the first one. Because it doesn't look like any thought has gone into why things have been placed where they have and the objects aren't particularly interesting. However the actual quality of how the images have come out is very good they are really defined.
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the process.
1. Combine chemicals to make a photo sensitive solution for the paper.
2. Brush the solution on to the paper {the paper should be cotton based water colour paper}
3. Let the paper dry.
4.Place negative image or object over the paper and expose to uv light {sunlight}
5.after a while wash the paper in water for it to develop.
2. Brush the solution on to the paper {the paper should be cotton based water colour paper}
3. Let the paper dry.
4.Place negative image or object over the paper and expose to uv light {sunlight}
5.after a while wash the paper in water for it to develop.