Process
What is it?
Cyanotype is a camera-less photography technique that dates back in the late 19th century. The origin of the word describes precisely its essence; cyanotype comes from the Greek words ‘cyano’ which means ‘blue’, and the word ‘type’ stands for ‘print’. Therefore, cyanotype can be described as printing something in blue colour.
A liquid mix of two chemicals is applied on an organic material, usually paper. This step needs to be done in a space without sunlight. Through the application of these chemicals, the material becomes photosensitive. An object or a negative image can be applied right on top of the photosensitive material. As final steps, the object/image with the photosensitive material are exposed under the sun for a certain amount of time and finally washed in a water bath.
Why use it?
The idea behind using an analogue printing technique lies on the overwhelming number of digital images that we take and receive daily.No matter how easy the photographic process may be nowadays, this has not always been the case. Pictures are constantly present in our digital world, but almost never printed.
Moreover, the easiness with which pictures are taken, makes them less special. We are becoming consumers of images, but we seem to be losing their essence. Studio Art of the Blue aims to bring back the craft in Photography and interpret a picture through cyanotype.
Artistically, the interpretation of an existing object comes through the choice of the brushstroke that will reveal it. Through the frame in which something will fit. The rigid borders of the frame transform into loose brushstrokes.
Paper
All paper artworks are printed on aquarelle paper of 300 g, with a fine, satin texture or a rougher texture. The finer the paper, the more detailed the printed image.
Textile
Experiments on textile will be posted soon. The printing result on fabrics such as silk or cotton is unique for each item, and it is influenced by the quality of the fabric and the process itself, which requires several steps and variables.