“…a young poet lay restless in bed, kept awake by an overwhelming obsession – I yearn to get a glimpse of the blue flower.”
It’s a wonder to witness a print come alive. And when that print is made with just sunlight, paper, and a few flowers or trinkets, it’s a mesmerising feeling. Blue, once a coveted colour, becomes attainable.
Originally used for reproducing plants, documents, plans and maps on monochromatic Prussian blues, Cyanotypes have been around since 1842. The UV light of the sun leaves an impression of anything you lay over paper coated with the cyanotype material, including shadows! Just wash it off to ‘develop’ it.
The ‘Neeli Harkatein’ Cyanotype kit has been put together to bring simple photochemical processes in your hands. It is a fun activity for all ages and can be used by artists as a form of expression. If you wish to explore techniques beyond this kit you can always look out for a workshop at Harkat in Mumbai.
*opening excerpt from ‘The World According to Colour’ by James Fox
The kit contains everything you would need to make your own print. Contents include everything in the kit picture and enough solution to make 10+ prints of different sizes.
