Cyanotypes
A cyanotype is one of the many forms of photograph that can be produced without a camera. They are made by coating any surface(usually paper) in a special light sensitive chemical. This stains the paper blue, hence the name "cyanotype". The light sensitive paper then has objects placed on it in certain shapes to prevent light getting to some of the paper. Then, when exposed to light, the paper will slowly turn pale, except the parts where no light gets to it. Then, the chemicals are washed off of the paper and the tones invert.Then when it is dry, you have a cyanotype. On the left are two cyanotypes I created in class as examples.
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Anna AtkinsAnna Atkins was an english botanist. She was born in 1799 and died in 1871. She used cyanotypes in her botanical books because they were more accurate than illustrations, and was the first author to use photography in her books, but certainly not the last. To the right are some examples of the cyanotypes she used in her books. obviously, they were not as accurate as modern photographs, as there is only the different tones of one colour.
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