About Cyanotypes
Cyanotyping is a simple method of camera-less photography, it uses a 2-part solution which, when combined onto a medium (e.g. paper or fabric), can produce interesting-looking images, with a cyan tint.
Attempt One
For these attempts I used pages from old books which I then glued to a sheet of A3 cartridge paper. I then printed onto this piece of paper an image of some industrial pipes and gantry. The next step was to cyanotype a design onto the paper, I used an image of a meerkat which I took at a local zoo and printed it onto acetate to use, I also used some peacock feathers and some flower stencils to create an accompanying pattern. On the last piece I used an acetate print which I made for the second attempt which is a meerkat within the silhouette of a person's head.
These Images were created with the intent to show how rapid industrialization can quickly destroy natural habitats and wildlife. The ghost-like figure of the meerkat shows the ghost of what once was.
Attempt Two
These images were comparatively much quicker to achieve. In order to create them I needed to first cut out a stencil of a flower pattern with the space for a head cut out. I then printed onto acetate the image of a meerkat within someone's head. Next, in order to realise the final piece I placed both the acetate print and the stencils onto a piece of cartridge paper which had cyanotype solution applied before I then exposed it to a UV light. I did it in a way so that only half of the paper would be exposed at a time, using a black piece of paper. I did this so that I could reverse the components and create a mirrored effect.
This attempt overall turned out looking quite nice. The meerkat within the silhouette of a person's head could be interperated to represent the animal tendencies within us all...