History and Process:
The cyanotype process was invented by a British astronomer and chemist John Frederick William Herschel, and it was first used around the 1700's. In the process of creating cyanotype, paper is coated in ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide. After being dried in the dark or dim lighting, the coated paper is exposed to a negative or strong lighting, and then it is sent to be rinsed in water, where hydrogen peroxide can be added to speed the blue image development process.
ferric ammonium citrate- Health 1, Fire 1, Reactivity 0.
potassium ferricyanide- Health 2, Fire 0, Reactivity 0.
In case of accident:
Use the right tools to put the spilled solid in a disposable container, then rinse contaminated area with water, Dispose properly according to guidelines.
If in contact with eyes, flush eyes immediately with water for a minimum of 15 minutes.
The cyanotype process was invented by a British astronomer and chemist John Frederick William Herschel, and it was first used around the 1700's. In the process of creating cyanotype, paper is coated in ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide. After being dried in the dark or dim lighting, the coated paper is exposed to a negative or strong lighting, and then it is sent to be rinsed in water, where hydrogen peroxide can be added to speed the blue image development process.
ferric ammonium citrate- Health 1, Fire 1, Reactivity 0.
potassium ferricyanide- Health 2, Fire 0, Reactivity 0.
In case of accident:
Use the right tools to put the spilled solid in a disposable container, then rinse contaminated area with water, Dispose properly according to guidelines.
If in contact with eyes, flush eyes immediately with water for a minimum of 15 minutes.
- What color was the cyanotype emulsion when it was applied to the paper? The color of the cyanotype emulsion showed as a yellowish-green colors when applied to paper.
- What happened when it was placed outside in the sunlight? Why? When exposed to sunlight, the image immediately began to turn blue. The ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide has a high sensitivity to light, and the chemicals quickly react to the sun as soon as it is exposed, turning the coated layer on the paper blue.
- When your print was removed from the glass and the objects were removed, what did you observe? There was an outlining or printing of the objects when I remove them from the paper, since the objects were blocking the sun from reacting with the chemicals or emulsion coating on the paper. Since the paper was white, the areas less exposed to the sun (areas covered by the objects) were white, while surrounding those areas were a light blue before rinsing them with water and hydrogen peroxide.
- Describe what happened to the exposed areas of the print and the unexposed areas of the print when it was placed in water. Why do you think this happened? The exposed areas of the print turned a darker blue when the paper was placed in the water. The water helped to dissolve the unexposed mixture of chemicals on the paper, and when the excess unexposed materials were rinsed out of the paper, the image developing started to look more clearer.
- What happened when the Hydrogen Peroxide was added the the water bath? The Hydrogen Peroxide helped to develop the full image on the paper faster, due to that the hydrogen peroxide reacting with the ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide.
- Any final thoughts about the way it looks, feels or your observations of the process? The cyanotype I made looked an felt like I painted it with water colors. I can see why the cyanotype might have been hugely popular back then because the process seems to be much faster and easier than painting .
- potassium ferricyanideAny final thoughts about the way it looks, feels or your observations of the process? The cyanotype I made looked an felt like I painted it with water colors. I can see why the cyanotype might have been hugely popular back then because the process seems to be much faster and easier than painting .
- potassium ferricyanideWhat color was the cyanotype emulsion when it was applied to the paper? The color of the cyanotype emulsion showed as a yellowish-green colors when applied to paper.
- What happened when it was placed outside in the sunlight? Why? When exposed to sunlight, the image immediately began to turn blue. The ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide has a high sensitivity to light, and the chemicals quickly react to the sun as soon as it is exposed, turning the coated layer on the paper blue.
- When your print was removed from the glass and the objects were removed, what did you observe? There was an outlining or printing of the objects when I remove them from the paper, since the objects were blocking the sun from reacting with the chemicals or emulsion coating on the paper. Since the paper was white, the areas less exposed to the sun (areas covered by the objects) were white, while surrounding those areas were a light blue before rinsing them with water and hydrogen peroxide.
- Describe what happened to the exposed areas of the print and the unexposed areas of the print when it was placed in water. Why do you think this happened? The exposed areas of the print turned a darker blue when the paper was placed in the water. The water helped to dissolve the unexposed mixture of chemicals on the paper, and when the excess unexposed materials were rinsed out of the paper, the image developing started to look more clearer.
- What happened when the Hydrogen Peroxide was added the the water bath? The Hydrogen Peroxide helped to develop the full image on the paper faster, due to that the hydrogen peroxide reacting with the ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide.
- Any final thoughts about the way it looks, feels or your observations of the process? The cyanotype I made looked an felt like I painted it with water colors. I can see why the cyanotype might have been hugely popular back then because the process seems to be much faster and easier than painting .