Anthotypes

Finished anthotypes (first attempt)

 

I have been experimenting with anthotypes largely as a result of seeing some on instagram, for example, here by @jellywithcream. An anthotype is a print made from plant materials that are light sensitive.  It is a photographic process.  John Herschel discovered the process in 1839 and Mary Somerville developed and documented it a few years later.  There's a very useful guide on the Alternative Processes website here.

The plant material is applied to paper and when dry, an object is placed directly on the paper to create a contact print.  This is then exposed to sunlight for a lengthy period.  It is important the objects don't move during this period if you want a clear print so trapping it under glass helps keep everything in place whilst allowing the sun's UV rays through.  I used a solution of turmeric and alcohol which I painted onto a selection of papers.  The alcohol acts as a binder and allows the solution to be easily applied to the paper. The alcohol in this case was surgical spirit but I understand you can use vodka (or probably anything with a high alcohol content e.g. hand sanitiser - but I've only tried surgical spirit).  

My recipe was 2 tablespoons of turmeric powder dissolved in about 60 millilitres of surgical spirit.  This then has to be filtered - coffee filters are suggested but I didn't have any so used tissue paper in a funnel dripping into a jam jar.  The result is a bright yellow solution which you can paint on to your paper.  I only applied one generous coat of turmeric solution but I have since read that several coats, left to dry in between each, would give the best results. You should not leave these to dry in bright sunlight but I found it wasn't necessary to put them in a darkened place.

These are some of the plants I used to make prints...

Leaves and flowers selected to make anthotypes

I tried printing on both sketch pad paper and khadi paper and later on fabric and cardboard too.  Paper that readily absorbs the solution works well...

Sketch pad paper and khadi paper

Here are the papers after they have been painted with the turmeric solution, with the the plant material on top and then a sheet of glass to hold them in place.  I read that they need to be exposed to sunlight for 4-6 hours.  These prints were left for 6 hours on a very hot sunny day.  It is important not to try taking a peak earlier as you will inevitably disturb the plant material which will affect the clarity of your print...

Flowers and leaves on paper painted with a solution of turmeric and alcohol under glass

The sun fades the exposed areas and the areas under the plant material remain darker.  It is a selective bleaching process, creating a positive image of the object being printed...

Anthotypes after 6 hours

You could leave the prints like this but when added to a bicarbonate of soda solution, the prints change colour to a reddish brown and I think it helps with the contrast so they seem clearer.  I used a solution of 4 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in 250ml of warm water.  The prints were left in for about a minute.  This might be too long if the paper is fragile.  This may improve their light fastness but won't stop them fading over time.

Anthotype in a solution of bicarbonate of soda

The anthotypes were left to dry after they'd been in the bicarbonate of soda solution on baking paper.  When they were finally dry and removed they left these interesing patterns on the baking paper...

Baking paper after anthotypes removed

Here are some more of the finished anthotypes I made...

Finished anthotypes on paper and cardboard

Finished anthotypes on calico

They worked well on fabric and less well on cardboard.  However I had diluted the solution for these and again only used one coat so I think the original solution and several coats would have given better results.

These prints remain light sensitive or "fugitive" and will fade if left in direct sunlight, so are best kept in darker places.  I hope to make some more anthotypes and use in  card-making and to use the fabric based ones in some textile work.  

Let me know how you get on if you give it a go. You can use other plant matter to make these prints but they may take several days to develop.  If the plant material is very watery you may not need to use a binder.  Happy experimenting!