My Process for the InTreeVerted Series

My Process:

Negatives over metal and cyanotype prints: A fusion of modern digital technique, film negatives, and cyanotypes humble origins in capturing the timelessness of botanicals.

My process begins with photographing my subject, converting it to a black and white image and creating a digital negative. The negative is printed onto either glass, acrylic, or onto a transparency film using a professional art printing house. Some of these negatives will be directly mounted over aluminum. In these images there is a small gap between the negative and the metal. Depending upon the light source and angle, a shadow will be cast from the negative onto the metal and move with the changing light bringing a bit of movement and another reminder of time passing and the natural world is around us.

For creating cyanotype images, I mix two chemicals, typically potassium ferricyanide and ferric ammonium citrate, which creates a light-sensitive solution. In a darkroom, this solution is painted onto specific art paper and allow it to dry in the dark. Exposure tests are done prior to creating an image as the strength of the UV rays from the sun vary from time of day and from day to day. My negatives are placed on top of the coated surface and exposed to the suns UV light. After proper exposure, the prints are placed in distilled water to develop the image. Another bath of distilled water with a diluted mixture of hydrogen peroxide results in the oxidative deep prussian-blue print with white highlights. Lastly before drying, I do a final rinse.

Other images are examples of the negative over aluminum. I’ve tried to repurpose as much scrap metal from recycling yards as possible. Unfortunately, I’ve only had limited success in obtaining previously used metal. It is important to me that my art blends nature and appreciates it preciousness. Whenever possible, I try not to abuse resources or be wasteful.