Mistakes I made in sun printing

Sun printing is one of the most fun creative activities you can do outdoors in the spring and summer. There are no limits to your creativity here, and you can experiment with all kinds of objects and media (cyanotype, anthotype with turmeric, tea or coffee - or even sugar paper!)

But there is also a lot to know and learn about sun printing and a lot of things can go wrong, particularly as you experiment with this artistic medium.

I generally believe that making mistakes is something we all have to do for ourselves. But if you flip a mistake on its head - from ‘what not to do’ into ‘what to do’ - they become really good tips.

So, to save you time (and headaches), here are some sun printing mistakes I have made what they taught me:

I whipped up the anthotype emulsion with my brush...

... before applying it to the paper. Once you have made your anthotype emulsion, you should let it settle. When you apply it with a paintbrush, only dip it into the top layer of the emulsion, and very gently, in order to avoid picking up any turmeric granules, which would just sit on the paper and create an uneven texture.

I brushed the emulsion onto the paper in uneven strokes...

... going over previous brush strokes and brushing in different directions. It led to streaks on my final print. Use as wide a brush as you can find (sponge brushes are great!) and apply as few strokes as possible in the same direction (i.e. horizontal or vertical).

I didn’t record the time I left my print in the sun.

If you experiment with cyanotype it’s really important to keep notes, because this is the only thing that will allow you to replicate a print that you really love. It’s a bit like experimenting in the kitchen - if you improvise and don't weigh and write down your ingredients, you will never be able to recreate the dish. Always have a timer, pen and paper beside you when you are sun printing.

I arranged my objects on the paper outdoors.

It was windy and fiddly and I almost started panicking because the paper was getting sun exposure before I was ready. Arrange your objects inside the house (possibly even with the curtains drawn), clamp it down with your glass plate and when you’re happy with the composition, take it outside. Use a tray for this purpose, or use a clipboard and some bulldog clips.

I didn’t rinse my print for long enough and didn’t change the rinsing water.

If you don’t remove all of the cyanotype emulsion from your medium, the print will keep darkening as it is exposed to UV light. You may end up with lighter blue ‘shadows’ on the areas of your print that you wanted to be white. The same thing will happen if you don’t change your rinsing water - as soon as you notice a hint of blue in the water, it’s time to replace it with clean water to ensure there is no undeveloped emulsion on your paper. Adding a dash of vinegar to the water (if you live in an area of high ph water) also helps you to achieve crisper whites.

I hung my prints on a washing line with pegs.

Again, this made residue of emulsion run down my print. It is much better to dry your print lying flat on a tea towel, ideally out of the sun. You can add blotting paper on top to allow for even drying and to ensure the paper doesn't curl in the process of drying.