A cyanotype is a photographic print made by a simple, camera-less process that produces a distinctive deep Prussian blue image. Objects or negatives are placed on light-sensitised paper and exposed to ultraviolet light, usually sunlight, then washed in water to fix the image. Invented in 1842, it is one of the oldest photographic processes still in use.
Originally used to copy technical drawings (giving us the word ‘blueprint’), the cyanotype has been embraced by contemporary artists for its beautiful blue tones and its hands-on, experimental character.
Paper (or fabric) is coated with a solution of two iron compounds and left to dry in darkness. Objects, leaves, feathers, lace, plants, or a photographic negative are then arranged on the sensitised surface.
The prepared surface is exposed to ultraviolet light. Where light reaches the coating, a chemical reaction turns it deep blue; where objects block the light, the paper stays pale. After exposure, the print is rinsed in water, which fixes the image and reveals the characteristic white silhouettes against a rich blue ground.
The cyanotype’s signature is its colour: a deep, luminous Prussian blue found in no other photographic process. The camera-less ‘photogram’ method, placing objects directly onto the paper, produces delicate, ghostly silhouettes that feel both scientific and poetic.
The British botanist and photographer Anna Atkins used cyanotypes in the 1840s to create what is often considered the first book illustrated with photographic images. Contemporary artists continue to value the process for its simplicity, its unpredictability and its distinctive beauty.
Each cyanotype is, in effect, a unique or small-edition work, hand-made and subtly variable. Because the process is light-sensitive, cyanotypes should be displayed away from strong direct sunlight to preserve their depth of colour, and benefit from conservation framing.
At Byard Art, where cyanotype works are available, each is presented as an original hand-made photographic piece, signed by the artist.
