The image below is called Beanstalk. It’s from a series of encaustic cyanotypes I started last year.
Beanstalk, encaustic and cyanotype on panel
I haven’t made enough of these babies to give them full due on my gallery page, but since folks sometimes email me with questions, I thought it worth answering them here.
WHAT IS CYANOTYPE?
Cyanotype, sometimes called sunprint, is a photographic process in which a printable surface, usually paper or cloth, is treated with a light-sensitive chemical, exposed to light and developed in water.
HOW DO YOU DO IT?
In a nutshell: Mix cyanotype solution and apply to paper. Expose and develop according to package instructions. Apply print to painting panel. Coat with two to three layers of encaustic medium. Continue painting at will.
IS THE PRINT ON TOP OR UNDERNEATH THE WAX?
The print, though it appears on top, is actually underneath the wax. That’s one of the cool things about encaustic. Sometimes images appear pressed under a sheet of ice. Sometimes they float. Wonderful, eh?
WHERE DO YOU GET CYANOTYPE SOLUTION?
Bostick & Sullivan has a neat little cyanotype kit that I like very much. Their site is great – lots of interesting info and links – so take the time to poke around a bit while you’re there.
IS IT ARCHIVAL?
Good question. Possibly but probably not. I’ve heard cyanotypes can fade over time though they’re not guaranteed to do so. Depends somewhat on the composition of the solution you use plus how the print is stored. They can be “revitalized” by placing them in the dark for a few days after they’ve faded a bit. I’ve been playing with cyanotype off and on over the last 10 years and have yet to see a print fade. Best to think of this as an experimental technique.
Remember to apply your cyanotype solution in a well ventilated area and protect your skin from contact.
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