Cyanotypes by Anne Guest

Anne Guest’s unique cyanotypes are proving to be very popular and we’re delighted to have a new collection just in. The technique isn’t widely used these days but it is fascinating so we thought we’d share some information about it…

Invented by Sir John Herschel in 1842, the cyanotype process is a photographic contact printing technique that does not use a camera. It was one of the first non-silver technologies used to create photographic images. It was not utilized in mainstream photography and was adopted as a copying technique, becoming known by the term "blueprint", with its blue background reproductions of large architectural and mechanical drawings.

However, it is a versatile process, and was used throughout the 19th century from Anna Atkins’ photograms of plants and seaweed for her books on botany (1843–55) to Henri LeSecq’s Still Life studies of the 1850s. Photographers at the end of the century used cyanotype paper for proofing negatives.

The cyanotype image is made by applying ultraviolet sensitive chemicals to the paper which is then exposed to sunlight to develop. It is washed in running water to fix the image.

Anne uses a combination of found natural materials and digitally prepared and printed transparencies in order to create an image. Details are added in gold or copper metal leaf, ink or smoke.

“Silently at Dusk” Unique Cyanotype with Gold Metal Leaf on Paper