J.F. Borno enjoys writing about early photographic history, including the early photographic processes that create daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and tintypes.
A cyanotype is a cyan blue-colored photographic print that is made from the cyanotype process. The print is usually on paper but can be made on any surface that is able to soak up the iron solution used in the process, including cotton and wool. Cyanotypes were precursors of the blueprint processes to be later developed and prints can be made from negatives. It was considered the first successful non-silver photographic process and one of the very first methods of early photography.
Cyanotypes were discovered in 1842 by English chemist, astronomer, and photographer Sir John Herschel. Herschel was the renowned scientist who told William Talbot and Louis Daguerre, founders of the negative/positive photographic process and daguerreotypes, of his discovery that hyposulphite of soda could be used as a photo fixing agent. British botanist Anna Atkins, however, is given credit to bringing the cyanotype process into photography. Anna is considered by many to be the first female photographer, as she was the first to publish a book exclusively with photographic illustrations.
The Cyanotype process is where potassium ferricyanide and ferric ammonium citrate are mixed and applied to the surface, usually paper. The paper dries in darkness. An object or negative is then placed onto the paper and is exposed to the sun or other ultraviolet light. The amount of iron on the paper will reduce and the paper will turn a blueish grey. Depending on the amount of sunlight, this could take as little as a couple of minutes to hours. After exposure the unreacted iron is washed off with water. Please learn the full cyanotype process and how to use the chemicals properly before trying this on your own.
Cyanotypes are fairly long-lasting, as some of Sir John Herschel's originals from the 1840s are still clear. More modern forms were developed in time using different mixes of chemicals, but the process remains basically the same. The cyanotype process was popularly used in copying architectural plans but was made obsolete (fairly recently) by computer printers and photocopying. Cyanotypes remain to this day one of the most beautiful and unique processes in early photographic history.
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