Sunday 20 July 2014

blue sun prints

What a happy day.

This was supposed to be a post about a new camera case I stitched up yesterday but in the (warm) light of day I am so underwhelmed by my sloppy stitching that I have renamed it the prototype.

Today I have discovered the thrill of cyanotypes and it is my new best hobby.


Last summer my best birthday present was a day learning the basics of darkroom photography. Well I don't remember any of the theory but the bit where the picture appeared was magic. I have no idea why developing photographs is so exciting but it is.

The second best presents were the sun printing kits (cyanotype and salt printing).

Being a pessimist and English I promptly put them away in a suitcase for a year as I suspected we would have no sunny days for a good while. I don't really want to jinx things by passing comment on our summer so far this year but safe to say my freckles have joined up.  

Today conditions were perfect for sun printing and we had a go at cyanotypes. It was so much fun and I am amazed by the results. The kit only came with 5 OHP sheets for the negatives and 5 pieces of cotton paper for the prints but I am already researching replacement kit.




The pictures I used were all taken with a digital camera...








 ...but I would like to at some point and with the help of a friend do the whole thing in an almost completely analogue fashion - using a film camera to take film photographs and develop the negatives in the house. I will need a lot of help. 

And I am very excited about the idea of cyanotype onto fabric. Oh the possibilities.

cyanotype sun printing 
after washing and fixing and washing again


the prototype camera bag: C minus