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botanical sun prints

honoring the Fire Element & Our Great Star (our sun)

 

Your kit has everything you need to make one cyanotype solar print.

The following items will be included in your kit:

Sun Print. Black bag with fabric treated with cyanotype inside.
DO NOT OPEN OR EXPOSE TO SUNLIGHT UNTIL READY TO PRINT.

Stick

String

You will also need to gather:

School glue or hot glue
Flat board, cardboard sheet or cookie sheet
Plants & other natural items with fun silhouettes
Sunshine

Optional but nice:

Plexy glass or glass sheet to hold botanicals in place. (I often borrow the glass from a picture frame in my house.)


What is a sun print or cyanotype print? How does it work?

The cyanotype process uses a mixture of iron compounds, which when exposed to UV light and washed in water oxidizes to create Prussian Blue images. The technique was invented in 1841 by Sir John Herschel and was popularized by photographer and botanist Anna Atkins.

You might want to out this really cool book for kids on cyanotype printing called The Bluest of Blues.

 
 

Botanical Sun Print Instructions:

  1. Collect a selection of leaves, flowers and other natural items with fun silhouettes. For instance feathers, bugs, twigs, etc.). Always keep in mind sustainable harvesting techniques.

  2. Prepare your arrangement and design. Use enclosed paper that is the same size as the fabric inside your bag to practice upon.

  3. When you feel your design is ready. Seek out an area indoors, away from direct sunlight. Remove solar print fabric from black bag and place on a flat board, sheet of cardboard or cookie sheet. Do your best to flatten fabric as much as possible.

  4. Begin to move and arrange your botanicals onto your fabric and cover with glass (or other non-UV blocking material).

  5. Take prepared fabric outside and place in direct sunlight. You may want to weight the board if it is breezy.

  6. Exposure time is approximately 5-10 minutes on a sunny day and 15-30 on a overcast day. Don’t fret if you don’t see blue yet…the color of the fabric will only slightly change color (deep blue is achieved after rinsing).

  7. Once done, remove from direct sunlight and remove objects.

  8. Rinse fabric in sink until the water runs clear. I have found thoroughly rinsed fabric allow for deeper blue tones.

  9. Lay on flat surface, out of direct sunlight until dry. As it dries, the color will shift to blue and white.

  10. Once dry, use school glue or hot glue gun to apply fabric to stick and tie string on each end.

  11. Hang on your wall and allow it to remind you to give thanks for our bright star, the sun and may it fill you for gratitude for the magic of this universal dance we take part in!