How to make your own cyanotype solutions from scratch

In the video below I show you how to make your own cyanotype solutions from scratch.

You will need:

• Ammonium Iron (III) Citrate (18%) (20grams per 100ml of distilled water)

• Potassium Ferrocyanide (8 grams per 100ml of distilled water)

• distilled water

• some glass beakers

• scales 0.00 grams so you can be accurate

• stirring rod (glass)

• amber glass bottles

• funnels

• coffee filter paper

• foam brush or use the glass rod to coat (works better than brush tbh, pour small amount of mixed solution on top of paper then use the glass rod to glide the fluid across paper, wiping access with paper towel)

• water colour paper, here I used WHsmith own brand water colour paper, which is acid free but may have an Alkaline buffer, which I don’t particularly want but not quite sure if it does or not, not enough specs on the cover.

• a contact printing frame, here I used a cheap second hand picture frame, seemed to work well.

• sunlight or a UV lamp which emits light around 365-390 Nano meters I think, that’s what you want. Everbeam UV lamps are good.

• PPE like nitrile gloves, goggles and possibly a mask if grinding the potassium ferrocyanide.

• paper towels are always handy, I like blue roll or blitz kitchen towels as they are both robust.

• patience.