Fetherston+Kiley+-+Cyan

This is an example of a negative cyanotype photograph and we know this due to the blue-like ink tint within. Artist, Kara Kelley-Dalgety, created this photograph titled “Tea Gown” which encompasses a picture of a tea gown as the main focus as it spreads across majority of the picture. Kara created this piece in 2007 and used a blueprint as the type of media it was printed on because the artist is creating this photograph that produces into a cyan-blue color. Overall, this is a beautiful and inspiring cyanotype due to its simplicity. It’s such a simple yet pleasing photograph that immediately drew my eyes. Overall, this artist demonstrated the compositional technique of “fill the frame” as the dress expands throughout the entire piece. The gown being its main subject of the art, the artist filled the frame so our eyes as the viewers immediately draw to it. An element of design that is also incorporated is space: the dress takes up majority of the space of the photograph, living little background space to use. And finally, a principle of design that is used is balance: with the gown again, the dress is distributed of visual weight on both sides in an almost symmetrical way.
 * __Example 1: Negative Cyanotype__ **



Abelardo Morell is a boston based photographer who is represented in a gallery in New York City. Morell specializes in multiple forms of photography, such as: paper art, fantasy art, and photograms. An example of one of his photograms is titled “Water and Ink.” A photogram is a piece of art and photographic image that is created without a camera but by taking real-life objects and placing them on top of photographic paper and light exposure. Therefore, this artist uses water and ink, or these real-life materials, to create this unique photogram on this 20” x 24” film, which was created in 2006. Even though this photogram includes a different, messier concept, Morell incorporated the compositional technique of fill the frame as the water spreads out throughout majority of the page. This immediately draws our eyes when we see it because the artist chooses to make this water and ink mix as the main focal point. Design elements and principles that were also demonstrated within the image include texture and variety. Texture in the way that we can see the water droplets as they are splattered onto the film to form the photogram. Variety in the way that this water and ink is forming to appeal to the viewer’s eye; for example, the smaller water droplets form on the outside of the larger, more put together droplet.
 * __ Example 2: Photogram __**

Robert Schaefer Jr. is an Alabama-based artist whose well known works derive from a “city” theme of cyanotypes, created off of cityscapes in New York. The cyanotype chosen from his cityscape collection is known as “World Trade Centers in New York City” where the two Twin Towers before their fall on 9/11 are being framed between the wires of the Brooklyn Bridge in NYC. To create such a piece, Schaefer uses an architectural blue ink for the cyanotype, giving the final product a blue tint. This is an example of a negative cyanotype. The main compositional technique demonstrated within the photograph is leading lines as both of the Twin Towers and the Brooklyn Bridge are forming lines that, in a way, lead somewhere else. The lines between each of these objects are creating a story, leading viewer’s eyes in different directions, causing interest. The Twin Towers have such a story, especially since 9/11, so publishing this piece after they “fell” creates more of a story and brings people's attention to the picture as people immediately remember the day. Design elements and principles that were also demonstrated within the image include line and balance. It creates balance between the two Twin Towers build a type of symmetry between them that balances out the rest of the photograph. With line, similar to the compositional technique of leading lines, it creates a type of direction between the wires of the bridge and the towers in general. This overall creates more interest to the picture.
 * __ Example 3: Freebie Art __**



The first original photograph that I chose was from our first day of shoot in the courtyard. The compositional technique I wanted to demonstrate throughout this first photograph is fill the frame. In the winter time, trees show beauty with their bareness, without any leaves or color. They are dull. I wanted to take this picture to demonstrate texture throughout each raggedy edge of the dull looking tree to give it more grace, and doing so I placed in straight in the middle, attempting to balance it within the photograph, to fill the frame on this main subject. I felt as if this would make a good cyanotype bring because of its simplicity, yet structural taste. Trees contain many branches that stick out of one single branch; each branch brings a lot of thought and impression to just that one big trunk. Also, I felt as if the coloring was in a good place for a cyanotype print. The sun was not too bright shining through the branches, giving it a high contrast, and the background of the sky in general was just a simple blue.
 * __My Photograph 1:__ **

The second original picture chosen was from the third day of shooting in the prairie. The compositional technique I utilized in this photograph is leading lines. With each flower’s stem, a line is built. The lines are leading into a certain direction that takes the viewer’s eyes to wherever the flower takes them. Also, I attempted to use the rule of thirds by placing the focused flower in the left half of the photograph. This gives it more of an interesting point of view by not placing the flower straight in the middle. Placing it in the middle, especially when it is not large, will give make viewers not drawn to the photograph or, simply, confused by the idea. Next, I felt as if this would make a good cyanotype to create by the coloring of the flowers. There are darker colors in the flowers, but also a lighter tone in the background. However, the lighter tone in the background does not distract it with brightness, giving it a high contrast. The only concern I had for using this picture was the amount of branches and stems from the flowers sticking out behind the main subject. However, I feel as if this will be a good, pleasing picture to use.
 * __My Photograph 2:__ **

The third original picture chosen was from the third day of shooting in the prairie. I felt like this was an interesting pathway to take a picture of because of the the where is leads: into the grassy area with multiple sticks and branches poking into the pathway. Almost as if something is blocking the pathway to wherever the person walking it going. The interesting subject of the piece and the coloring, the darker, eerie color vibe but still a some color incorporated with the grass, made me feel as if this would be a pleasing photograph to use for the cyanotype. Not too high of a contrast. The interesting pathway gives it an unknown story that people can make up when they see it; wonder where the pathway will eventually lead. Overall, the compositional technique I attempted to use was leading lines. By using the pathway, it has a line that leads our eyes to somewhere, wherever the person maybe be walking to. This, ultimately, creates a type of interest and pleasure when look at the piece. It creates a story. Therefore, I wanted to use this photograph as one of my cyanotype
 * __My Photograph 3:__ **