Solar Print Paper

Cyanotype printing, also known as solar, sun, or blue printing, is an early photography method that uses paper treated with ferric ammonium and potassium ferricyanide. Placing an object, like a plant or feather, on the paper and then exposing it to sunlight leaves a beautiful impression of the object. Rinsing the paper in water after exposure fixes the image so it does not fade. This process is a little tricky– you don’t want to expose your print to sunlight for too long or short a time or the image will not have good contrast, and you don’t want your object to move during the printing process or it will distort the image. It takes some trial-and-error. However, with a little help from a grownup, kids 5 and up can enjoy this fun activity on a sunny summer day. It’s a great combination of art and science! Cyanotype printing is certainly not just for kids. Some of our favorite artists, current like Mount Desert Islander Jennifer Booher who does workshops with The Naturalist's Notebook, a