Cyanotype

Cyanotype is a photographic printing process that produces a cyan-blue print.

Engineers used the process well into the 20th century as a simple and low-cost
process to produce copies of drawings, referred to as blueprints. The process uses
two chemicals: ferric ammonium citrateand potassium ferricyanide.

Contents
History
Process
Toning
Long-term preservation
Largest cyanotype
See also
Anna Atkins algae
References
External links

History
The English scientist and astronomer Sir John Herschel discovered the procedure in
1842.[1] Though the process was developed by Herschel, he considered it as mainly
a means of reproducing notes and diagrams, as inblueprints.[2]

Anna Atkins created a series of cyanotype limited-edition books that documented Architectural drawing blueprint,
Canada, 1936
ferns and other plant life from her extensive seaweed collection,[3] placing
specimens directly onto coated paper and allowing the action of light to create a
.[4]
silhouette effect. By using this photogram process, Anna Atkins is sometimes considered the first female photographer

Numerous contemporary artists employ the cyanotype process in their art: Christian Marclay, Marco Breuer, Kate Cordsen, Hugh
Scott-Douglas and WuChi-Tsung.

Process
In a typical procedure, equal volumes of an 8.1% (w/v) solution of potassium
ferricyanide and a 20% solution of ferric ammonium citrate are mixed. The overall
contrast of the sensitizer solution can be increased with the addition of
approximately 6 drops of 1% (w/v) solution potassium dichromate for every 2 ml of
sensitizer solution.

This mildly photosensitive solution is then applied to a receptive surface (such as

paper or cloth) and allowed to dry in a dark place. Cyanotypes can be printed on any
surface capable of soaking up the iron solution. Although watercolor paper is a Cyanotype postcard, Racine, Wis., c.
1910
preferred medium, cotton, wool and even gelatin sizing on nonporous surfaces have been used. Care should be taken to avoid
alkaline-buffered papers, which degrade the image over time.

Prints can be made from large format negatives and lithography film, Digital negative (transparency)or everyday objects can be used
to make photograms.

A positive image can be produced by exposing it to a source of ultraviolet light (such as sunlight) as a contact print through the
negative(traditionally, semitransparent paper) or objects. The combination of UV light and the citrate reduces the iron(III) to iron(II).
This is followed by a complex reaction of the iron(II) complex with ferricyanide. The result is an insoluble, blue dye (ferric
ferrocyanide) known as Prussian blue.[5] The extent of color change depends on the amount of UV light, but acceptable results are
usually obtained after 10–20 minute exposures on a dark, gloomy day
.

After exposure, developing of the picture involves the yellow unreacted iron solution being rinsed off with running water. Although
the blue color darkens upon drying, the effect can be accelerated by soaking the print in a 6% (v/v) solution of 3% (household)
hydrogen peroxide. The water-soluble iron(III) salts are washed away, while the non-water-soluble Prussian blue remains in the
paper. This is what gives the picture its typical blue color.[5] The highlight values should appear overexposed, as the water wash
reduces the final print values.

Toning
In a cyanotype, a blue is usually the desired color; however, there are a variety of effects that can be achieved. These fall into three
categories: reducing, intensifying, and toning.[6]

Reducing is the process of reducing or decreasing the intensity of the blue. Sodium carbonate, ammonia, Clorox,
TSP, borax, Dektol and other chemicals can be used to do this. A good easily obtained reducer is bleach. Bleaching
takes some patience. How much and how long to bleach depends on the image content, emulsion thickness and
what kind of toning is being used.[7] When using a reducer it is important to pull the cyanotype out of the weak
solution and put the cyanotype into a water bath to arrest the bleaching process. [7]

Intensifying is the strengthening of the blue ef

fect. These chemicals can also be used to expedite the oxidation
process the cyanotype undergoes. These chemicals arehydrogen peroxide, citric acid, lemon juice, and vinegar.[6]
Toning is the process used to change the color of the iron in the print cyanotype.[6] The color change varies with the
reagent used. There are a variety of elements that can be used, including tannic acid, oolong tea, wine, cat urine,
and pyrogallic acid.[6]

Long-term preservation
In contrast to most historical and present-day processes, cyanotype prints do not react well to basic environments.[8] As a result, it is
not advised to store or present the print in chemically buffered museum board, as this makes the image fade. Another unusual
characteristic of the cyanotype is its regenerative behavior: prints that have faded due to prolonged exposure to light can often be
significantly restored to their original tone by simply temporarily storing them in a dark environment.

[9] so as to not turn the cyan to yellow

Cyanotypes on cloth are permanent but must be washed by hand with non-phosphate soap .

Largest cyanotype
The world's current largest cyanotype was created on 26 May 2016 in Lyon, France at the IUT Lyon 1 La Doua. It was 186.56 square
metres (2,008.1 sq ft) (58.30 metres (191.3 ft) by 3.20 metres (10.5 ft)). The previous record had been held by Portland university and
was set at 116.75 square metres (1,256.7 sq ft).

See also
Sepia
Monochrome
Film tinting
 Spirit duplicator
Mimeograph
Cyanography
Duotone

References
Notes

1. "Exploring Photography – Photographic Processes – Cyanotype"(http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/photogra

phy/process.php?processid=pr012&row=2). V&A. 2012-11-13. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
2. "The Cyanotype" (http://vernacularphotography.com/vpm/v1n1/the_cyanotype.htm). Vernacular Photography. 2012-
12-12. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
3. "Anna Atkins, British, 1799–1871"(https://web.archive.org/web/20100829131109/http://www .leegallery.com/photogra
phers/58-anna-atkins.html). Leegallery.com. Archived from the original (http://www.leegallery.com/photographers/58-
anna-atkins.html) on 2010-08-29. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
4. "Exploring Photography – Photographers – Anna Atkins"(https://web.archive.org/web/20031211235711/http://www .v
am.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/photography/photographerframe.php?photographerid=ph005) . V&A. 2012-11-13.
Archived from the original (http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/photography/photographerframe.php?photograp
herid=ph005) on December 11, 2003. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
5. "General View of Niagara Falls from Bridge"(http://www.wdl.org/en/item/285). World Digital Library. Retrieved
11 February 2013.
6. Berkowitz, Steven. "Hybrid Photography - Cyanotype T
oners" (http://www.berk-edu.com/HYB_subsite/PDF_hyb/Cya
notype_Toners.pdf) (PDF).
7. "Cyanotype toning: the basics"(https://mpaulphotography.wordpress.com/2011/04/01/cyanotype-toning-the-basics/).
mpaulphotography. 2011-04-01. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
8. Hannavy, John (2013-12-16). Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography(https://books.google.com/books?id
=Kd5cAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA361&dq=cyanotype+prints+do+not+react+well+to+basic+environments&hl=en&sa=X&ved
=0ahUKEwiagO_WwJTXAhUW0WMKHctTDSEQ6AEIMjAC#v=onepage&q=cyanotype%20prints%20do%20not%20
react%20well%20to%20basic%20environments&f=false) . Routledge. ISBN 9781135873271.
9. "Washing instructions for cloth"(http://www.blueprintsonfabric.com/instructions.php). blueprintsonfabric.com.

Further reading

Atkins, Anna (1985). Sun Gardens: Victorian Photograms. With text by Larry J. Schaaf. New York: Aperture. ISBN 0-
89381-203-X.
Blacklow, Laura (2000). New Dimensions in Photo Processes: a step by step manual(3rd ed.). Boston: Focal Press.
ISBN 0-240-80431-7.
Ware, M. (1999). Cyanotype: the history, science and art of photographic printing in Prussian blue. Science Museum,
UK. ISBN 1-900747-07-3.
Crawford, William (1979).The Keepers of Light. New York: Morgan and Morgan.ISBN 0-87100-158-6.
Loos, Ted (February 5, 2016)."Cyanotype: Photography's Blue Period is Making a Comeback" . New York Times.
Worcester, MA.

External links
Mike Ware's New Cyanotype – A new version of the cyanotype that address some of the classical cyanotype's
shortcomings as a photographic process.
The largest cyanotype photograph
Gallery of over 100 artists working in cyanotypeson AlternativePhotography.com
Brown, G.E. (1900). "Ferric and heliographic processes". London.
"Photographic reproduction processes. A practical treatise of the photo-impressions without silver salts .."
1891.

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