Big Root Geranium, part 2

I started this new work by making some cyanotype prints. When I want a very fine and crisp level of detail, I sometimes expose them under a sheet of glass. Above is a very artsy shot of the plant and the fabric, with the glass reflecting the sky and the artist.


Exposing the cyanotype fabric to get the desired results is part skill, part serendipity, which is why it holds my interest. From experience I know about how long to time the exposures, but a lot depends variables like the type of fabric, glass/no glass, the thickness of the plant material, the angle and strength of the sun, and even passing clouds. It's an enormous amount of fun to see what develops each time I make a print.


Here's another shot of a print developing:

The treated fabric changes in color as it develops, but the difference between "developed" and "overdeveloped" is sometimes subtle. I'm never quite sure until I rinse out the print how it turned out.

This time, they turned out great! Below is the print from the artsy shot, rinsed out, layered, and stitched. I love the way the flowers are translucent:

More to follow....