Basche_Cyan

All of these images looked interesting to me and inspired me to try to make a couple of cyanotypes on my own. Since it was my first time making a cyanotype, it didn't turn out as well as the three artists pieces did.

The first artists name was Kevin Q. Gray. He used a specially coated paper and exposed it to sunlight, and a UV light bulb to create this cyanotype. This image is a negative based image because it uses negative transparency. Kevin teaches people in his home town of Cherry Valley, New York, how to make cyanotypes and he shows them how to use different methods, while teaching them the differences between each method. In this particular piece, he used rule of thirds by placing the wings of the butterfly on the outside thirds, and the body of the insect in the center. The butterfly is the focal point of the picture, and the thing that stands out the most in the picture. The elements he used were shape, line, and texture all within the butterfly. The principals he used were emphasis on the butterfly's wings, and balance within the images elements throughout the image.

The second image I chose was created by Elizabeth Graves. This image is a photo-gram/contact print based image. The image is white and ghost like with the shadows and whiteness. She experimented with vinegar and water when creating this cyanotype. She used parchment paper, and her own homemade light box made up of arctinic black lights.The first version was in UV light for 6 minutes after water development, and the second one was also in UV light for 6 minutes, but it was coated in vinegar instead of water. After they soaked, she rinsed them with tap water and let them dry outside until they were damp. Lastly, she took them inside to dry the rest of the way in a heated room. In this image the top arch is a leading line that leads you to follow the line of columns. The columns get further and further away which demonstrates a level horizon. The elements that Elizabeth used were texture in the columns, line from the vertical lines on each column, and shape with the individual rectangles. As for the principles she used rhythm because each column was the same, and harmony because the whole structure worked well together.



Lastly, Emily Dickson used normal paper and put two coats of lightly tinted green water on it and let it dry. In order to fully develop her picture she used vinegar. Her image has the flowers a the focal point, and the dark frame surrounding the flowers are leading lines which direct your eyes straight to the flowers. Her image was a negative based image, because there are negative aspects with in the image. Emily used shape, space, texture, and form within the flowers positioning. The principles she used were balance, emphasis, and rhythm within the flower and it's texture.

When looking through my pictures I wanted to pick two images with good texture, leading lines, and focal points. I picked the image of the flowers because I wanted to play with the different tones of blues to see what would look the most appealing. The flowers are the focal point of the picture and the frame the photo as well. The second image was of a trees bark. The texture itself was very appealing to the eye, and with help from a cyanotype it would look beautiful. If I could experiment further with these to images I would look into the negative based image aspects.