Sunprints

Making Sunprints is the perfect sunny day activity.  

What is a Sunprint?

• Sunprints are cyanotypes that are created by exposing light sensitive paper to the sun.

What is a cyanotype?

• Cyanotype is an old photographic printing process that dates back to 1842!  A print is created due to a chemical reaction of the UV light and iron on the paper.  The beautiful deep blue image is known as a cyanotype!

First we went on a nature walk to gather items for our Sunprints...leaves, branches, those whirley helicopter things were abundant that day!  We observed all the beautiful things that were blooming and growing now that it is finally (almost) summer!

Step 1.  Place items on special Sunprint paper (Arranging them beforehand in a practice run helps so you can work out your composition)

Step 2.  Let the items sit undisturbed on the paper for 1-5 minutes.  (We did it at about 4pm so we took up the whole 5 minutes).  You know your print is ready when it turns very light blue, almost white.

Step 3.  Once it has turned light blue/white quickly take off the items and "develop" the paper by rinsing it in water for about one minute.  Your image will be very light but the background will darken as it dries.  Kinda like magic.

p.s.  You can find Sunprint paper or Nature Print paper at Blick or you can order it online.