Cyanotype printing workshop

Today, I had booked a cyanotype printing class at an art studio, a 40-minute walk from here. I didn't want to arrive all sweaty, so I arranged for Umesh to take me. I was wishing I hadn't when he didn't turn up at the pre-arranged time, and didn't answer when I called him! I think he was asleep. When I called the second time, he answered. Luckily, he only lives down the road, so I wasn't too late!

I had never heard of cyanotype printing, but it looked interesting on the studio's website, and so it proved to be. Cyanotype printing is a simple, photographic process, first done in 1842, creating striking Prussian blue prints, often called blueprints, by applying a light-sensitive chemical solution (ferric ammonium citrate & potassium ferricyanide) to paper or fabric, placing objects or negatives on it, exposing it to UV light (sunlight), and then washing it in water to reveal white lines/images against a deep blue background. It's camera-less, eco-friendly, and popular for photograms (images from objects) and botanical prints.

The tutor, Aishwarya, was lovely. She gave clear instructions and was genuinely interested in the prints we produced. My fellow students were Abbey from Canada and her Indian husband. We spent a very pleasant three hours creating art with, in my case at least, zero artistic talent! It was fascinating to see our ideas come to life as our work developed in the sun. I'm keen to try the technique on cotton fabric. I can then embellish the designs with sashiko stitching.Read more