The In Focus Education and Development Art&Design Saturday Club welcomed local multidisciplinary artist Kama Mielczarek for a hands-on Masterclass exploring cyanotype printing.
During the session, Club members were introduced to cyanotype, also known as sun printing or blueprinting, a photographic printing process that uses a light-sensitive chemical coating to create distinctive blue images. Kama began by sharing the history of the technique and showing members examples of cyanotype works.
Members then created their own cyanotype photograms. They painted photosensitive chemicals onto watercolour paper and, while the paper dried, gathered objects to use in their compositions. Kama also brought in a selection of pressed plants, allowing members to experiment with natural forms, shapes and textures.
Once their compositions were ready, members exposed their papers to UV light before completing the process with a final bath. The Masterclass gave members the chance to explore an alternative photographic process, experiment with image-making and produce their own cyanotype prints.
By learning how light, chemistry and composition can work together, members gained insight into a historic creative technique while creating beautiful and distinctive results of their own.