Enjoy making cyanotype holiday cards using specimens from the garden in this rewarding, educational, and playful workshop.

The cyanotype process, also known as the blueprint process because of its deep blue color, was first introduced in the early 1800s. Anna Atkins was one of the first people to put the cyanotype process to use, and in the mid-1800s she became the first person to produce and photographically illustrate a book using cyanotype printing. We will delve into the history of the method and learn how we can adapt it to home printing.

It is one of the easiest printing techniques you can do at home without expensive equipment or a darkroom, and the chemicals needed are easy to find and inexpensive.  It is becoming increasingly popular with photographers and artists wanting to expand their creativity with printing.  We will work with the sun as our UV light source, and the sun and weather at the time will determine the intensity and sort of cyanotype prints we produce. Everyone will go home with their very own cyanotype cards that you can send to your friends and family – or keep for yourself!