Anthotypes

Right now we are researching alternative processes, and I decided that I am going to try to produce Anthotypes. Anthotypes are prints you make using plants. More specifically the juice from the petals of flowers, the peel from fruits, and the pigment from plants.

Materials I'll Need:

• Petals from a colorful flower or other plant, or colorful berries
• Electric food blender or mortar and pestle
• Bowl to mix ingredients
• Water or alcohol
• Coffee filter
• Paintbrush
• Art Paper
• Contact print frame
• A large positive (NOT NEGATIVE)
• Sunlight

The process to make an anthotype goes as follows:

1. Make Your Emulsion

        Your emulsion can be made using either a food blender or a mortar and pestle. If the plants or berries are too dry, you may need to dilute them a little. Things you can use to dilute your substance include water, alcohol. lighter fluid, and olive oil, to name a few. You then need to drain your emulsion. Pour your emulsion over a coffee filter, letting the liquid seep through into a container, and then discard the pulp.

2. Prepare The Canvas
         Any paper that can hold your emulsion can be used, but watercolor paper is recommended to start out with until you become comfortable. To get the emulsion on the paper you can either brush it on or dip the paper into the emulsion.

3. Print The Anthotype
          Place your objects or positive onto the material to make a print. The print develops out in the sun over several days or weeks. The sun develops the print by bleaching the colors of the pigment. Each emulsion will have it's own developing time, and each will turn out differently. No rinsing or fixing is necessary.