Down on the Farm - Art Gallery of Alberta

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The Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition ProgramCyanotype Printing 7-12BackgroundThe cyanotype (blue image on a white ground) is an old photographic process using chemicalsavailable from scientific chemical companies. It works well on paper and natural fibers likecotton, silk and canvas. Most familiar from timeless botanical prints, architectural drafts knownas “blue prints” or kindergarten science experiments, the cyanotype printing process deservesto be taken out of the dark ages. This is a fun cyanotype project using limited dollars, time,facilities and experience.Cyanotype printing is essentially printing with shadows. Weuse black paint to create dark shapes that block the sunlightfrom hitting the fabric. Images we paint will appear as whiteon the fabric because the blue sensitizer cannot turn bluebecause of the image shadow. Exposure times will varyaccording to geographical location, season and time of day,usually from 8-30 minutes.Unlike traditional print photography development, there is noneed for a real “dark room.” The cyanotype sensitizer is notnearly as light sensitive, so any room lit only with regular lightbulbs will be fine. We call this the “dim room.” You will alsoneed a “light room”. This is an outdoor space large enoughfor the fabric to lay flat outside without intruding shadows. Wemake the “film positive” larger than the fabric to lay over theedges for seamless printing and then use small straight pins topress the film positive on to the fabric with sensitizer and theblack cloth.Woodland Horsetail(Equisetum sylvaticum)Anna Atkins (1799-1871)Materials• 2 yards x 36” black canvas• Clear Acetate Roll .003” 25” × 12 fthttp://www.dickblick.com/1/1/60262-25-12-ft-003-grafix-clear-acetate-rolls.html• Measuring tape• Scissors• Drafting tape (optional)• Liquid black acrylic paint or India ink• ¼ “ paint brush or bamboo calligraphy brush• Printing paper or fabric with sensitizer http://www.blueprintsonfabric.com/store.php?cat=8• (20-30) 3/4” flat head straight pins• 4 weights or ink cans• Wash basin• 4 oz hydrogen peroxide (optional)AFA Travelling Exhibition Program, Edmonton, AB. Ph: 780.428.3830 Fax: 780.421.0479youraga.ca
The Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition ProgramCyanotype Printing continued 7-12Procedure1. Measure and cut fabric to 25” x 72” and acetate to 20” x 65” with measuring tape andscissors. The fabric and the acetate are your contact printer.2. Lay acetate on clean work surface. Use drafting tape to secure edges of acetate if it is rollingup.3. Dip brush in black acrylic paint and paint on letters or design of your choosing. This will beyour film positive. When paint is dry remove drafting tape.4. Dim Room: remove wrinkles from fabric with sensitizer with a dry iron on low setting.5. Dim Room: place fabric on work surface and lay fabric with sensitizer flat on center of fabric.Lay film positive, paint facing up over fabric.6. Dim Room: locate a painted portion of film positive and slide a straight pin through theacetate, both pieces of fabric and then back though the acetate.7. Dim Room: Repeat step 6 until the pins secure the film, acetate and cloth together to form aflat surface. Loosely roll up contact printer so fabric is on the outside.8. Light Room: Walk to a flat sunlit area and unroll contact printer with film positive and fabricfacing up.9. Light Room: Place weights on each of four corners of fabric to weigh contact printer down.10. Light Room: Expose in sunlight in desired time. Gently roll up contact printer with the fabricon the outside.11. Dim Room: Return contact printer to dark room and remove pins.12. Rinse fabric in washbasin with cool running water until the water runs clear. About 3minutes.13.Dim Room: Pour hydrogen peroxide over fabric and rinse in washbasin. Wring out water.14.Dim Room: Lay fabric flat until dry.* Straight pins will form shadows so try to keep them to darkly painted portions of the filmpositive.• Try to place pins in painted portions of film positive because the paint will conceal the shadowfrom the pin.• If print is too light repeat and create another print and increase exposure time by a few moreminutes. If the print it too dark, decrease exposure time.• The hydrogen peroxide from the drugstore (diluted 3-8%) immediately deepens the blue colourof the scarf. Do not use it if you prefer to keep a light colour.• Use your own design! You could place a design drawn on paper underneath acetate and traceimage with paintbrush.AFA Travelling Exhibition Program, Edmonton, AB. Ph: 780.428.3830 Fax: 780.421.0479youraga.ca
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Down on the Farm - Art Gallery of Alberta

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