Beth adler, artist|maker
evanston, il.

Cyanotype is a 170 year old photographic printing process that produces prints in a distinctive dark greenish-blue. The word cyan comes from the Greek, meaning “dark blue substance.” Ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide are combined, and exposure to UV light creates ferric ferrocyanide, also known as Prussian Blue.

“I have used this process in a variety of ways. For a straight cyanotype, objects or transparencies are placed on dried treated paper and exposed to the sun for 10-20 minutes. For “Wet Cyanotypes” I used local plants on treated paper that is wet and has various additives such as vinegar, turmeric, salt and soap bubbles. These are exposed to the sun for 4-12 hours and the image “cooks” with often surprising results. I love working in concert with the time of day, the intensity of the sun, the season, and the plant.”