Workshop: Claudia Hollister

Blue Sky is teaming up with Pro Photo Supply and 2024 Pacific Northwest Drawers artist Claudia Hollister to bring you a fun and unique cyanotype workshop.

This event takes place at Pro Photo Supply Event Center

NW 18th Ave, Portland, OR 97209

What is a cyanotype?

Cyanotype prints are an exciting non-toxic, alternative photographic process using light-sensitive iron salts and UV light to develop a blue-colored image. Cyanotype prints have no emulsion, instead, the light-sensitive iron salts have been infused into the paper fibers while a negative film placed on the sensitized paper is exposed to UV light. Once the image has finished being exposed it must be washed out in water to reveal a positive image. The blues are unique to this process and can’t be duplicated in any other medium.

The cyanotype process was invented by Sir John Herschel in 1842 to create architectural blueprints. Before the invention of photography, scientists utilized detailed descriptions and other artistic processes (typically illustrations or engravings) to record botanical specimens. In 1843, Anna Atkins printed the first cyanotype prints documenting plant and sea life. Anna self-published her detailed and meticulous botanical images using the cyanotype photographic process in her 1843 book, Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions. With a limited number of copies, it was the first book ever to be printed and illustrated by photography.

About this Class

This is a 4-hour workshop designed to take you through the process of creating your own photographic cyanotype prints. In this workshop, you will learn how to create both a positive and negative transparency film from a photograph, and what photographs are likely to give you a successful cyanotype print.