CYANOTYPE ALPHA OMEGA | An Unpretentious Beginning to End Process | My Dark Method
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Cyanotyping is a fantastic way to create beautifully expressive photographic prints at home that are incredibly long lasting and Earth-friendly. Unfortunately, like most things, it can seem daunting. That's why I wanted to take you with me on a complete beginning to end journey to show you just how uncomplicated and simple it can be to make high-quality cyanotypes yourself. I'll show you exactly what you need (and don't need).
You'll find no pretention here; no specialized equipment or tools. Just a couple of chemicals (check in the list below), then sun, and some water.
I'll have full tamp stamps soon but for now here are the times when Leia makes her appearances :)
Leia 03:05
Leia 42:48
Leia 43:14
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Bare-bones Cyanotype Chemicals and Tools
Chemicals from the video:
Jacquard Potassium Ferricyanide amzn.to/3gYzJzV
Jacquard Ferric Ammonium Citrate amzn.to/3s27hDz
Pre-mixed solutions/brushes kit (if you don't want to mix as I do in the video) amzn.to/3h0C8dz
Hydrogen peroxide can be found at virtually any drug or general store should you choose to use that as I show. White vinegar, of course, is available at your local grocery store. Most white vinegar comes in 4%-5% dilutions; either is fine.
Papers:
You can make a Cyanotype on virtually any surface! The paper I use in the video is an acid-free, hot-pressed, 11x14 inch 300gsm watercolor paper I purchased from a local craft store. Here are some similar papers on Amazon. Remember! It doesn't need to be an ultra-expensive paper to make your print. Acid-free papers are best, however, for longer archival life.
9x12 inch 300gsm watercolor paper amzn.to/3s4gMSV
11x14 inch 300 gsm watercolor paper amzn.to/3gYy2m3
8x10 inch 300gsm hot-pressed water color paper amzn.to/3sS3Gaw
Brushes and Bottles:
The EXACT brushes and bottles I use in the video
Japanese Hake` brush set on eBay ebay.us/qjz13j
100ml Blue glass dropper bottles amzn.to/3s1rn0Y
Remember! A regular paint brush from the hardware store is just fine! Whatever you use, just make sure that it's only used for your emulsion applications. Here are some other brushes and storage containers that work perfectly fine:
Foam craft brushes (also can likely be found EXTREAMLY cheap locally) amzn.to/3LLPdp8
100ml Amber glass dropper bottles amzn.to/3gYPiYm
Ink I use to spot the print in the video (matches perfectly):
Parker Pen Quink Blue Black amzn.to/3GXYkQ8
The inkjet transparencies I use are no longer available but here is a similar product on Amazon:
amzn.to/34VdUiv
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Aside from using my links above, here are some things that really help keep this whole wheel rolling. I always appreciate your support!
My Website: www aphotographist.com
'ON THE LEFT: Photographs from the Edge of California' book
amzn.to/3q3STtK
My wild pony book 'FACES OF GRAYSON': bit.ly/FacesOf...
'THE PHOTOMAKER'S JOURNAL' personal notebook
amzn.to/3GntVek
Find me on Instagram / adamwelch.photographist
Learn to see your photographs differently with my new book on composition bit.ly/ModernC...
CAMERA JOCKEY CLOTHIERS(custom designed stuff for photographers)
bit.ly/CameraJ...
Get 25 FREE Lightroom presets at bit.ly/2UEfqLq
My comprehensive video course and eBook guide to Lightroom: bit.ly/contrast...
Find me on Facebook / adamwelchphotographist
I tried my first cyanotype last weekend and I did everything wrong. Well, almost. I used the right paper and chemicals at the start of the process. From using a metal spoon for measuring not as accurately of the 2 to a slow steady downward slide to personal embarrassment. Watching your footage today told me what I needed to hear. Be accurate, focus on good composition and exposure prep, Bob Ross.
I absolutely loved your end result too.
Adam, thank you so much for this video. I just made my first (successful) cyanotype in my darktoilet. Aside from having to avoid stepping in the cat’s litter box it was a truly magical experience. Watching the print darken with the hydrogen peroxide was really exciting.
Wow!
I need some coffee.
Thanks again.
Andy Stuck in Mississippi
Hahaha! "Darktoilet" I love it. Truly glad to hear you shared in the insane joy of watching a print appear. Here's to hoping you have continued enjoyment with the process!
Adam, your video is a Godsend! My Jacquard chemicals arrived on Friday and I mixed them up yesterday and my and my transparencies are coming tomorrow so I can make the negatives. Thanks, man, for taking the time to share your process with us.
Oh man that's fantastic! I'm always glad to see people crossing over to the dark side...well, the blue side, that is. Let me know if any questions come up I can help out with answering.
Really appreciate the detail and walking through the process. Incredible grateful for you sharing the details. Am stoked to watch the one using Washi paper video. Loved learning about the black foam board. Makes perfect sense.
(I’d be remiss if I didn’t note that I’m no fan of the particular craft store you mentioned given their discriminatory hate and funding of such harmful and inhumane treatment of LGBTQ folks.)
As a fellow fountain pen owner, Westerly wearer and (occasional) cyanotype maker, I support this video! Thanks for sharing!!
Haha I love it. Glad you enjoyed and happy to hear there's more of us out there in the world.
Thanks
Thanks very much! You are greatly appreciated!
Love your video. Im experimenting using tea bags new unused. Putting my 60 year old negatives on them. 6-8 mins. Different teabags give a different colour. Im loving this. I am doing this for gifts for my grandchildren and great grandchildren. Life as we had it coming to Australia to live, swimming and playing on the beach. Early days in London. Some tea bags I leave whole, just make a slit in to empty the tea, others I tear the edges to expose the fibres.. I put them onto little matt boards with matt gel medium. So much to learn and create. Thanks for all your tips.
That's such a great idea. I actually printed a few on coffee filters myself but never truly reached the results I wanted. You're making me want to try that again ha Glad you enjoyed the episode :)
Same here....😊
Thank you, Mr. Welch. I watched your video for the 4th time, with full attention yesterday, 05/22/2024. Thank you for the application brush tip and the fountain ink. I ordered both.
Very glad you got some use from the episode! Since this has been out there a while (so much has changed in my life) I've got an updated episode on the list of things to film. Something else you'll find interesting is that I THINK I've finally refined my "cyanotype on glass" formulae far enough to share it with everyone. So that will be its own episode as well.
Best of luck with your printing and feel free to let me know how it goes.
@@AdamWelch Oh, I look forward to your video, Cyanotype on Glass. That will go well if I take Fine Art Photography next semester. I will try cyanotype on glass this week from a video out now. Photo34 is an advanced photo class. I have my own Lab which I enjoy working in.
The information was great, the Dude sweater was awesome. Well done.
Glas you enjoyed the episode! The Dude Abides....
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine , "It's the Ten Crack Commandments!" *Biggie's voice starting* 😂
It just couldn't think of anything else
I love Adeles cover of that.
@@AdamWelch wow wow wow wait !! Whaaat ?!?
@@Delmonteil Check it out. ua-cam.com/video/dQw4w9WgXcQ/v-deo.htmlsi=jL0CDsEqb1bZq9Az
@@AdamWelch 😄
I keep my cyanotype liquids in a couple of old squeezy bbq sauce bottles - they're opaque brown plastic. It's worked well for me, I've had them for almost a year now and they're only juuuust starting to grow a little algae or something. They're good for precise pouring!
I used one type of cheap watercolour paper and it worked beautifully, then I used a different type and it soaked right into the paper and I couldn't rinse it out! So id recommend testing your paper before you paint up a whole batch 😅
Very cool idea about the bottles!
Use distilled water, supposedly it works to keep mole and mildew in check, hopes this helps.
Faces of Grayson are sold out, will there ever be more printed. Loved this video it was very well done. I want to do wet cyanotypes using various natural garden flowers /leaves/pine needles/sticks etc. this video definitely helped me learn the process. Thank u
Thanks, Kathryn. I'm glad you're getting into wet printing cyanotypes. A couple of friends of mine have taken that to an incredibly elevated form and it's wonderful to watch. Best of luck with it.
Oh, and Faces of Grayson is one of my books I keep warehoused since it was printed traditionally (not on demand). There aren't many but there are copies available. If you'd like one I'll make it happen.
Liking Leia dodging the exposure! Also like your Lewis chess set. Ok, enough alliteration for now.
Ha yeah she said "No paparazzi!" And I appreciate the kind words about the set. I came quite close to selling it for the move but I couldn't bring myself to do so.
Fabulous!!! Thank you so much. Just discovered cyanotype- (feeling totally inspired) and found this incredibly helpful. You mentioned in another comment you have friends who have taken wet cyanotype with botanicals to an elevated level. Could you link us to any who offer demos on UA-cam? Ps how did you learn ‘habitual non rushing’ 😊
Yes it's a wonderful process and so shockingly versatile. I'm glad to hear you've been inspired to get underway!
And one particular friend of mine that might be of help is Kat Evans. a.k.a @terra_artemis on Instagram. instagram.com/terra_artemis/ She's a sickeningly talented person and also a beautiful soul. She doesn't have any video demos I'm aware of but I believe she is considering offering teaching/workshops so she might be able to help.
@@AdamWelch thank you so much Adam. Wonderful! I am following Kat now on instagram- beautiful! I also loved creating my first cyanotypes- just love and feel inspired by the alchemical magic of the process- and they turned out pretty well thanks largely to your videos!! Sending my best wishes
@@renestevenson8119 That's great to hear. Good luck with everything!
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I just started cyanotyping (?) and your wonderful video is everything I needed. It’s by far the best explanation of the hows and whys of the process that I have seen. Hope you and Leia are still enjoying your nomadic life.
I’m also a fountain pen user, in no small part because most of the other nurses and doctors I work with have no idea what to do with one, so it doesn’t get stolen!
Glad to hear it helped you out! I've been considering doing an update on that episode actually. And yes, Leia and I are still travelling. Ironically finishing up some cyanotypes at the moment. Best of luck with your printing!
Enjoyed the video! Do you know anyone doing this on pottery?
Not personally but there are quite a few artisans who have carried this over to virtually every type of substrate/medium.
can you use watercolor paint after cyanotype is completed
Absolutely. Many people over paint their cyanotypes. A friend/aquatintence of mine down in South Texas does wonderful work. Her name is Liz Potter www.lizpotterphotography.com
definitely drink the beer and not the prussic acid. If you are drinking a beer, I hope it is around 8:00AM like I do. You answered a lot of questions that I had when I first tried this 4 years ago. I'm about to start again doing 13x19 negs and Hannemule paper with a surface that will will work for my subjects (nudes, portraits and architectural ornaments)
I'm truly sorry to hear you're forced to get such a late start to your breakfast beers. This world has just got too busy. I make it a point to set an alarm precisely at 4:57 A.M. for a two ounce primer of Absinthe so I have a good appetite heading into the 6AM beer hour.
That's great to hear you're getting back into cyanotyping. Truly. I hope it goes well for you I'm glad you got some use from this video. I keep meaning to make an updated version of this episode but it keeps getting pushed further and further down the list. Just before I went on the road full time I was experimenting with a cyanotype gelatin emulsion which I THINK has finally gotten the kinks relatively worked out. It's used for printing cyanotypes on glass. It's such a welcomed shift from papers but (naturally) much more fickle.
@@AdamWelch I live in the US. Comfort and free will are not encouraged. as long as I am encroaching on safe society by creating and promoting art, I might as well have my beer. Screw them all. Thanks
@artfrontgalleries1818 I hope I managed to communicate that I DO indeed fully support morning beers.
Thank you! Very clear on how to do this and it is much appreciated.
You're very welcome, Susan! Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks so much! I’ve learned a lot! 😊
Great video, what kind or % peroxide is best to use? And how much? Thx
The type/brand really hasn't been a factor in my experience. As for the dilution I used to make a 3% mix of the hydrogenated peroxide with plain water (distilled is best) which I would reuse. Now though, since I'm on the road, I simply add an appropriate amount to the rinse water which works just as well.
Just a point of warning to say that in my part of the world Quink is also made in black as well as blue
just found your video/channel. do you have a video about making the digital negative? thank you!
Hi Cyndi, I don't have an episode on that subject unfortunately. I had considered doing so but it coincided with me preparing to move onto the road and I felt as if it wasn't really something I would continue to do as I use true film negatives for all my cyano and salt printing these days. Added to that is the fact I approach my own cyanotypes from a much more "organic" perspective (no curve adjustments, no strict exposure charts, ect) so my opinion on such things often is labeled as antiquated. However, I HIGHLY recommend this piece from Gavin Lyons which features some wonderful, practical, and most importantly EASY methodologies for creating digital negatives from straight digital photos in Photoshop. It is essentially what I use/used to create my own digital negatives. gavinlyons.photography/toning-and-using-different-paper-with-cyanotype/
I hope this helps.
@@AdamWelch Thanks so much!
@@cyndireader7945 You're most welcome!
Hi Adam, brilliant video, thank you so much! I have been practising making Cyanotypes for a while now, but get stuck on a very specific problem: my paper doesn't dry without wrinkling and contorting a lot. I have tried pressing it between two pieces of plexi, applying a little pressure from some metal clasps, I have tried hanging with a small weight on it to straighten it out, but nothing really seems to work. The paper wrinkles and folds in on itself as soon as, when dried, I release the pressure from the weights, and between two plexi it doesn't really dry properly as well. Any ideas that would help me tackle this would be greatly appreciated!
Hey Ej, I wish I had better news but unfortunately some papers just carry this little misery with them. Sometimes it's simply impossible to get them flat without a heat press and that sometimes ruins the print itself. The only real suggestion that might help is something I do with my washi papers and that is put the wet print on your plexi and cover it with a few layers of clean paper towels/cloth and use a Brayer roller to press out the excess water. You can of course use a glass or pan if you don't have the roller (I finally got one, changed my life). After that I would replace the wet towels/cloth with dry ones and then sandwich the entire thing between another sheet of plexi. Depending on your paper you'll have to be careful with whatever drying material you use as it could imprint the texture into your paper. Out of curiosity what paper are you using? Is it sized or coated in anyway? I tried some sheet canvas once that was sized on one side and it wrinkled horribly as soon as it touched water.
@@AdamWelch So, this is the 5th time I'm trying to post this reply. Don't know why UA-cam keeps screwing around. Anyway, I've been using Arches Aquarelle Watercolour 300g/m2 hotpressed with the best results so far. However, its kinda expensive so I'm really hoping to find a technique that allows me to practise on cheaper material. Thanks for the tips! Ill let you know how I got on.
So I'm drying a test print now having used the brayer roller to press out the water into a drying towel, and the results are already infinitely better. thanks so much! My next problem to tackle is how to work on negatives when the contrast on the print is not to your liking in very specific areas. Would be cool if you could make a video on prepping negatives for Cyanotype!
@@BulletproofCupid09 Sorry for the late reply! Yes, contrast is always an issue. I've considered makin a dedicated episode but now that I live on the road I don't print off too many digital negatives and instead use my 8x10 negs from my Korona. Good luck with your process!
Great tutorial!
Entertaining and useful video. Thank you for sharing! Now I am curious to know, how do you print an orange negative? I've printed B&W ones but never orange and I'd love to try it.
Hey Ellen! Glad to know you liked the video! The orange negative is extremely easy to do but I'll preface it with saying that I essentially read an article a couple years ago (I'll try and find the link) that stated an orange negative gave better contrast and it's always worked for me compared to my plain black and white negatives. I use the same values as that author for all of my negative. I'll try and go directly from memory here so the wording might be a bit different in the app but the process should be the same. In Photoshop, you'll import your image or negative. Then select 'Layer>New Fill Layer>Solid Color. Then change the CMYK values to 0, 55, 55, 0, respectively. Then change the blend mode of that layer to 'Overlay'. Like I said this is to be done after you've inverted your image to a negative if you haven't done so already. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Thank you so much! Your instructions worked perfectly. Can't wait to try an orange negative. I truly appreciate you taking the time to explain this so clearly!
@@ellenstoune8937 Well you're most welcome! Hope it works out well for you.
@@AdamWelch Hello Adam, thanks for sharing with us all. Learned lots about this practice I love as well. If you could post the link to the article I would greatly appreciate it. Want to get some better understanding of this whole "orange negative" concept. Thank you again for your gift of experience and knowledge.
@@aaronhart8675 Hey Aaron, glad you enjoyed the episode. I finally found the article where I first discovered making the orange negatives. It's by Gavin Lyons and you can find that here. gavinlyons.photography/toning-and-using-different-paper-with-cyanotype/
As it turns out the section containing the portion about the negative color was taken from another article over on Alternative Photography by Brian Young which can be found here www.alternativephotography.com/salt-prints-and-cyanotypes-a-short-history-of-printing-processes/
Thank you, great video!
Magnifique 👏👏👏👏
The Holy Grail of Cyanotype! What baffled me is how did the Seagull get there with the long exposure,?
Well that's just blasphemous.... Kidding, and I greatly appreciate the kind words, glad you got some use from the episode. If you're talking the seagull Fr m the print that was very much not a long exposure. I made that after I swam out (probably too far) in the Atlantic with my tiny Nikon AW110 point and shoot. If that's not the exposure you're mentioning let me know as this episode was a while ago.
Great video
A note regarding artificial lights and UV - The high wattage incandescent and fluorescent (including CF) put out a decent amount of UV light so care should be taken when working under them.
LED, however, has no UV light so if you can replace your worklights with LED and you can work with decent light.
26:45....same i
Here in provence.... 😂😂😂😂❤
Leia indexes show you know and love your audience. :-)
Haha she's the star anyway. I had to stop the time stamps for her in my newer episodes since we went on the road because she's basically on screen all the time 😁
Came for a cyanotype lesson; stayed because of the HST portrait 😅
Haha always glad to have another person of culture on board :)
I live in Columbia Tn
What a sweet doggie
She's my girl 😊