The Cyanotype Process
The following instructions outline the basic procedures for the Cyanotype process. A material list is also
included to get you started with the necessary materials. A resources list of material suppliers and other
related information is included in this document. You may also access the resources list from the “Additional Resources” page on the Neotraditional Photo website.
Materials List
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50 grams of ammonium ferric citrate (green)*
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20 grams of potassium ferricyanide*
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Distilled water for mixing chemistry
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Measuring spoons
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Measuring jugs and graduates
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2 dark brown glass bottles with eyedroppers
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Clean shot glass for measuring chemistry by drop count
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Newspaper to cover work surface
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Plenty of clean cloths and paper towels
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Various brushes (synthetic bristled, sponge, and cotton brushes)
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Fine art printmaking papers
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Plastic clothes line and clothes pins to use for hang drying
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Nylon mesh screens to use as drying racks
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Contact print frame
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Sunshine or a commercial ultraviolet (UV) lightbox
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Latex or nitrile rubber gloves
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Lab apron
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Safety glasses or goggles
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Dust mask
* The ammonium ferric citrate (green) and potassium ferricyanide may be purchased as a kit. For this
demonstration, a premeasured dry chemistry PostKit was purchased from ArtCraft Chemicals.
Cyanotype Printing
Be sure to take the proper safety precautions, when handling chemistry and working with the Cyanotype
process. Always wear gloves, an apron, protective eyewear, and when extensively handling dry powdered
chemistry, wear a dust mask.
1.
The PostKit purchased from ArtCraft Chemicals includes the premeasured dry powdered chemistry for ammonium ferric citrate (Part A) and potassium ferricyanide (Part B).
2. When mixing chemistry, always use distilled water because it gives the most consistent results.
Add 200 ml. of room temperature distilled water to each bottle of Part A and Part B and shake
well giving you 250 ml. of each newly mixed chemical solution. Store your chemistry overnight in a
cool, dark, and dry location for later use.
3. Carefully transfer each solution into dark brown glass bottles with eyedroppers. This will be your
working solution. You’ll use the eyedroppers to measure chemistry using the drop count method.
4. Lay down plenty of old newspapers on your work surface.
5. Fill a small graduate with fresh distilled water to soak your brush.
6. In a clean shot glass, measure out Part A and Part B in a 1:1 ratio using the eyedroppers. 15 drops
each is a good starting point, but you will need to experiment to determine your final drop count.
Very gently, swirl the contents in the shot glass a place off to the side.
7. Place your digital negative on your printmaking paper and with a pencil, lightly mark off the corners of the negative. This establishes an area to coat your paper.
8. Blot the excess water from your brush on some clean paper towels.
9. Carefully dump the contents in your shot glass onto the center of your watercolor paper, and
gently brush the chemistry on the paper. Use a series of horizontal, vertical, and diagonal brush
strokes to spread the chemistry evenly on the paper.
10. If printing at a later date, set up a make-shift clothes line or some drying racks in a cool, dark, and
dry location to dry your coated paper. If printing immediately, use an electric hair dryer set on the
low setting. After two minutes of continuous drying, your paper should be dry and ready to print.
11. Use a contact printing frame to contact print your digital negative and sensitized paper by exposing under UV light. You may place your contact frame in the sunlight, but for best results, use a
commercial UV lightbox. Experiment and make test prints to determine your final exposure time.
10 minutes is a good starting point.
12. After exposure is complete, remove the print from your contact printing frame and wash your
print under continuous running tap water for 5 minutes.
13. After your first wash, submerge your print in a tray of fresh tap water with one teaspoon of 3
percent hydrogen peroxide solution added and continuously agitate for 2 minutes. The hydrogen
peroxide hastens the oxidation of the iron-based image intensifying the deep Prussian blue color.
14. Conducted a final wash under continuous running tap water for an additional 5 minutes.
15. Drain your print of excess water and dry your print overnight on drying racks or hang on a makeshift clothes line.
Additional Resources
ArtCraft Chemicals
ArtCraft Chemicals offers the largest selection of raw chemistry for artists who mix their own alternative
photographic process formulas from scratch. They also sell alternative processes dry chemistry kits called
PostKits. ArtCraft Chemicals is located in Altamont, New York.
Bostick & Sullivan
Bostick & Sullivan also sells raw chemistry for alternative photographic processes but to a lesser degree.
They focus more on premade kits. Bostick & Sullivan also sells paper and other related supplies they are
located in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Dick Blick
The Dick Blick website sells a huge assortment of artist supplies including a wide selection of printmaking
papers. With over 60,000 products, their bulk purchasing power enables them to offer low prices, which is
especially beneficial to students.
Home Depot and Lowes
Home Depot and Lowes are great places to buy safety equipment including latex rubber and nitrile gloves,
aprons, safety glasses and goggles, and dust masks and respirators. Most of these items may be found in
their painting departments.
The Penumbra Foundation
The Penumbra Foundation is a non-profit photographic arts organization that provides workshops, lectures, and events to an international photographic community. Their scope spans photography from its
19th century invention to the present age.
Mike Ware
This is the official website for alternative processes photographer, Mike Ware, who also holds a PhD with
extensive research in chemistry. He has invented his own formulas focusing on the Siderotype (iron-print)
family of alternative processes.
Royal Photographic Society
The official website for the Royal Photographic Society (RPS). It is the world’s oldest national photographic
society in continual existence and is located in Bath, United Kingdom. The society strives to promote the
art, science, and historic preservation of photography.