Hello there! It's Jocelyn Mathewes from my studio in Appalachia. And my lovely garage workspace has transformed into discouraging plumbing situation.
We’ve all been there, right? The half-dozen trips to the parts supply store? Texting friends photos of parts, asking to borrow tools, and leaving the garage a mess? Getting frustrated and ignoring it and then starting all over again?
But we’re not here to dwell on this sad state of affairs.
Instead we’re going to talk about the thing I miss doing in this darkroom sink—
Cyanotype!
A few weeks ago, Austin Kleon (one of my long time internet follows) shared a little bit about making cyanotypes in his fabulous newsletter (seriously—go subscribe).
Austin was also kind enough to share my work after I shared some resources in his comments section. (Thanks, Austin!) So I thought I’d take the time to I’m here to share the story of how I got into making cyanotypes (plus a bonus resource for you at the end!).
how I found cyanotype
My first introduction to cyanotype was my sophomore year of college. One of the assignments for my photography class was to explore one of many “alternative processes” within photography.
Keep in mind, this was at a time before digital cameras were readily accessible. Everything was taught via film with a wet darkroom. “Alternative processes” was simply learning how to manage a different set of chemistry.
We played with palladium prints, cyanotype, and so much more.
And I loved it. Manipulating an image both inside the camera and choosing how it made its way outside the camera felt like another language. To me, this made the photograph could interesting as an object on top of its content.
But when I left school, it meant I lost access to a darkroom. Cyanotype was one of few photographic processes that could work without a darkroom, since it is activated by UV light — not any and every light source around.
Cyanotype also had the added benefit of being less toxic than many other alternative photographic processes. So I made some off and on efforts to make cyanotype prints in the various tiny apartments we lived in.
But working in this process didn’t really come together until two things happened:
My chronic illness was diagnosed.
We moved further south.
My chronic illness made me more sensitive to and wary of chemical exposure. Combined with an abundance of UV rays to work with during the summer at our newly-adopted latitude, meant that pivoting to cyanotype was a no-brainer.
some of my favorite cyanotype creations
I’ve worked in cyanotype steadily (not exclusively) since about 2014, and here are some of my favorite pieces to come from my explorations—
While a lot of my recent work focuses on the body and illness, I still incorporate cyanotype into my mixed-media work.
the joy of making prints with others
Sharing the magic of cyanotype with others is part of the joy of the medium. It’s easy to participate in, exciting to watch, and a delight to teach. In my workshops, it’s so fascinating to see watch how each person approaches the new medium and work through the surprises they find—
One of my favorite things about teaching cyanotype is that you get to see transformation in real time — a visible and beautiful chemical reaction. It has a satisfying wow factor that still gets me to this day.
So if you want to go beyond a basic sunprinting kit, I have your own cyanotypes in a s this summer, a resource sheet with some extra technical information and specialized suppliers.
thinking big with cyanotype
It’s not surprising—given cyanotype’s inbuilt magic and durability—that there’s a global community of artists who work in alternative photographic processes. Many of them are cyanotype enthusiasts and can be found in super friendly and supportive group on Facebook that shares tips and tricks and new work. It’s an endless well of inspiration.
One last creative inspiration for you: it is also possible to make large-scale prints outdoors. (The only challenge there is finding a place to wash it out and hang it up to dry!) Here’s what it looks like to make cyanotype at the beach out of a giant bedsheet with a bunch of kids—
But that’s not the biggest cyanotype ever made. That record belongs to these intrepid folks in Greece at the moment, and people keep trying to break it!
So what are you going to make on World Cyanotype Day?
xo,
jocelyn
support my work - become a paid subscriber or purchase artwork
find me elsewhere - website | instagram | facebook | tiktok
for exhibition inquiries - send me an e-mail
I've been neglecting my Cyanotype materials. I wanted to level up to different materials like fabric and pottery, but I only did one round of tests. So fun to be featured by Austin! I always love seeing your Cyanotype work. 💙