Cyanotype Process

There are many steps…

Cyanotype is an antique photo process invented in the 1840s. It was popularized by Biologist Anna Atkins as a beautiful and practical way to make images of plant specimens in the field. Cyanotype was widely used to make blueprints until digital processing became commonplace. 

Naomi Friend uses Cyanotype combined with digital photography to create a meld of old and new images and methods. She takes digital pictures and uses Photoshop to create digital negatives, or a reverse tone image printed on transparency. The negative is layered on paper, fabric, or wood sensitized with the chemistry and exposed under UV light or the sun. The result is washed in water and the print is finished.