cyanotypes
Who was Anna Atkins?
Anna Atkins is said to be the first women to create a photograph. This was quite surprising because she was from a time where only men dominated, she was born 16th March 1779 and died 9 July 1871. Anna was actually trained as an English Botanist, she discovered Cyanotypes as a way to make write a scientific reference book about botanical specimens the book was entitled 'British algae:cyanotypes Impressions'. This was the first book to be published that was about photography, this famous book also had 12 parts to it. In addition this was also the very first book ever to illustrated with photographs. Cyanotypes was the first of its kind it didn't require a camera. Anna Atkins was friends with John George Children and John Pelly which were also friends of Fox Talbot. He was a british inventor that after Anna met him she discovered cyanotypes. She learned directly from Fox about his two new inventions that related to photography:the ''Photogenic drawing''. This is the cyanotype technique which was in 1842, that when exposed to UV light a paper soaked with a iron salt solution. Captures a blue ''negative'' image, when the salt is washed away only the shapes of the object you have placed on there is left,this is why it's called ''cyanotypes'' because the blue background is left. This technique must have been extremely helpful to Anna Atkins because of the way the cyanotypes captured the tiniest detail of the plants she had been studying. Also the blue background which suggested where her plants had been originated. my cyanotypes
Here are the images I made in one of my GCSE photography lesson:
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What are the advantages of cyanotypes? The process of cyanotypes is very safe and cheap and very easy to do. You can print on a various types of material and you don't need any complicated equipment and no darkroom just light needed. Also its a high contrast prints and it's very fast to print. Some artist today still use this method to make large and unique photographs. What are the disadvantages of cyanotypes? When making cyanotypes you need the sun light because it's a natural source of light so you must be outside, however, it all depends of the time of day and year making it difficult to get a accurate photo. Furthermore, if you have really light objects such as, leafs and thin pieces of thread or wire it could possibly get blown away by the wind. Some examples of modern day cyanotypes For example, here is a piece of fabric which has been soaked in the chemicals and then used an outline of a leaf. Then mix tapes placed in any pattern, which looks confusing at first but it is an very simple and organised photography but you see the inside of most of the mix tapes which make the photo look much more interesting. |
Image 1:
In this image I began using some light objects.This didn't create a clear image at all because I am unable to see the objects I used, in addition I moved some of the objects so that I could create more of an overlapping effect,which as you can see didn't turn out great. I think it would have been more successful if I used heavier objects and I didn't overlap. |
Image 2:
In my second attempt I used a lot more heavier and solid objects, which have more of and clear image of what exactly I used to make this cyanotype. Even though you can see the objects clearly I think is would have been a little better if I just slightly moved each object in it place.I was just a little scared that it would have come out as the first image did. Next time I use cyanotypes what I will do better is be more creative but at the same try and come out with a clear and unique picture. |