Gather your paper. You can cut the paper to a size you want the final image to be. Or you can use a full sheet bigger than your final size and cut after printing. Another option is the edge of the paper. You can cut it with scissors/paper cutter for a straight edge or tear it for a deckled edge. Since the paper will be printed while wet, it’s best to only prepare the paper you intend to use now and will fit your frame area.
Gather other supplies needed: cyanotype chemicals, a paintbrush or foam brush, a dish for holding the mixed chemicals, plants or stencil, frame with glass larger than your paper, timer/clock, container with cool water, towels, optional: tweezers, hydrogen peroxide, spring clamps, newspaper, apron. The wet method allows you to use other items to create neat effects with. There’s a lot of options here and experimentation is key. Some items to start with: diluted vinegar, lemon juice, walnut ink, salt, turmeric (or other spices), soap bubbles. A spray bottle can be useful for some of these.
Prepare an area away from direct sunlight (preferably dim lighting) to begin coating your paper. Consider that the cyanotype chemicals may splatter a bit. Covering your workspace with newspaper or wearing an apron might be helpful to avoid issues.
Mix the chemicals together in a dish according to the instructions on the package.
Dip your paintbrush/foam brush into the chemicals and coat paper in nice even strokes. At this point you can consider if you want the chemicals to go all the way to the edge or only cover a portion of the paper. No need to soak the paper. Just get a good coating in all the areas you want to print.
Lay frame backing on your workspace and place the coated wet cyanotype papers on top. Depending on the size of the frame and your paper, you may have space for several.
Place your printing materials (plants/stencil) on the paper in a design/layout you like. Using a pair of tweezers can help with placing tiny or delicate objects.
Now’s the really fun part. Take your additives and start putting them on your paper. Spraying, dropping, or sprinkling. Any way you like.
Lay the glass from the frame on top of backing, paper, and your objects to hold them all together like a sandwich.
Place the frame over the glass, flip it over, and secure the backing. Note: This step is optional as you can just use the weight of the glass to hold down your items. It might be helpful to put some tape over the edges of the glass to prevent any injuries. Some frames come with plexiglass. This can work just fine as long as it’s heavy enough to hold everything down. Otherwise, I’d suggest definitely using the frame to hold it together. Spring clamps are also handy if you don’t want to use the frame.
Take your frame sandwich outside and lay it in direct sunlight.
The wet method really diverts from the dry method here. The longer the prints sit out in the sun, the better the end result. You can really experiment here with timing. I usually lay mine out when the sun hits my deck in the morning and leave them until it’s moved off the deck in the evening. But any time in between is great too. Once you’ve done a few, you can figure out what timing gets the results you like best.
When your prints are nearly ready, prepare a container larger than your paper with cool water. You will only need enough water to dip your paper and move it around in. Adding a smidge of hydrogen peroxide to the water quickens the development process, but is not necessary.
When your done exposing your prints, remove your print from the frame and take off your items. Take your print over to the container of water and place it inside. Swish the paper around side to side for a few minutes. The dry method allows for ways to see when you’re done rinsing. The wet method might not have a clear indicator such as untouched areas of paper. Just rinse the paper until you feel the excess solution has been rinsed out. The color of the water will be a clue when it’s no longer clear.
Lay your finished print on a towel. Blot the paper with another towel to remove any excess water.
Let print to dry.
Over the next 24 hours, the color of the paper will deepen. If you used peroxide in your water bath, the colors will have been set immediately after rinsing.
