Cyanotypes

The magical process of cyanotype photography was invented in the Victorian era and these days is considered an alternative photographic process, often filed under the heading of ‘Original Printmaking’. I led photography as an art teacher in school with no darkroom available so I taught myself the cyanotype process to provide my students with hands-on experience of contact photography. I wanted my students to discover how you can harness light to directly create an image on paper - something that the marvels of digital photography can’t offer. The alchemy of the process then seeped into my own practice and has proved a valuable connection to nature within my work.

"Each part of the process comes with its own limitations and aspects you cannot fully control - luckily I have great faith in serendipity to lead the path forwards and take the artworks to new and unpredicted outcomes. For every success there are many failures - but it's worth it" Lucy Perry 2020

Two iron compounds are mixed to produce a yellow, light sensitive solution that can be applied to an absorbent surface - I mostly use paper and canvas. When exposed to sunlight this solution turns blue and so the use of an object or negative to stop the light reaching the solution is what creates the image. It’s a simple process that allows for much play and creativity but also one that is often unpredictable, with many variables that cannot be fully controlled. The outcome of this unpredictability is a number of failures for each ‘perfect’ print and an excess of prints available therefore, for other creative outcomes such as cards, collages and jewellery. The counter side to that unpredictability is the moment of joy when something quite unexpected but wonderful happens - when serendipity plays her part and magic is created. I like that the best!

Whilst cyanotypes, by their very nature, are blue - the colours can be altered by toning or added to using dyes and pigments during the exposure process. I also use screen printing to add a coloured or golden layer - the silk screens are also produced using a photo sensitive process to directly record the natural form.

A natural form is used to create an image and the power of the sun, the life force itself, is used to produce the image - this direct record of nature created by nature is an important part of the contemplation behind my work.

I use gold pigment and gold leaf in my work (both Dutch Gold and 23ct gold) - the use of precious metal emphasises the preciousness of nature that we need to treasure and cherish.