X-ray cyanotype print
Inspired by our X-ray images held in our collection we decided to experiment with cyanotype (or sun print). Cyanotype is a printing process that uses light sensitive ink to create a shadow image onto paper. These images resemble those of x-rays.
You will need
- Cyanotype paper (also know as sun print paper)
- Grasses, leaves, flowers with interesting shapes. Think about how transparent your objects are. We used some skeleton dry leaves and some wire shaped into flowers.
- Access to water and place for your print to dry
- Sunny day!
Instructions
- Place a flower, leaf or grasses onto a sun print sheet of paper
- Leave for a while (the instructions will suggest timings)
- Rinse the paper in water and your design is revealed!
- Once dried out your print will be really good for making greatings cards, scrapbooks and collages.
Other tips and ideas
- If you don’t want to buy sun print paper you can also use cheap sugar paper. Leave on a sunny window sill with some dried leaves or objects (make sure they can’t move or blow around) After a few weeks the sun will have faded the exposed paper. The paper beneath the object remains the original colour.
- Experiment with different coloured sugar paper. Do some colours fade faster than others?
- Why not try our X-ray painting with light activity or X-ray calligraphy activity
