Printing In The Andalusian Sunshine

Cyanotype workshop

Fancy sharing in my passion for cyanotypes? I teach this historical, alternative photographic printing process, from my art studio. The location is out the back of my quirky, agricultural townhouse in Vélez de Benaudalla, in the province of Granada – a quiet, ancient, Andalusian, town. You will be guided and supported every step of the way to produce your own individual and gorgeous Prussian blue cyanotype prints. You will have access to all my experimental techniques and knowledge, that I first discovered in 1993.

What are cyanotypes?

What you will learn

The principles of the cyanotype process from start to finish, including:

the chemical recipe (so you don’t need to work from a kit)
how to apply the light sensitive emulsion in a dark room
what to look for in an object that will give a strong image
what type of botanicals to collect
how to arrange a balanced composition
how to add hand written text
beginning to understanding the nature of the exposure times
how to fix your prints

Expectations

You will aim to take home several A5 and A4 cyanotypes that you can frame. I will equip you with the knowledge, so you can carry on making cyanotype prints on your own. The classes will be held during the sunniest part of the day and are weather dependant (rain stops play) though that is highly unlikely, with an average of over 300 days of sunshine a year in southern Spain. We will be working in the strong Andalusian sunshine, so please wear the appropriate sun protection. FYI there are a flight of steps between the dark room and developing room, so some level of being able bodied is required. This workshop is held in a working art studio environment, where spillages and mess really don’t matter. Wear clothes that you are happy to get blue splashes on or wear an apron.

Refreshments provided.

What you will need

You are encouraged to bring your own objects (things like feathers, hand tools and lace tend to work well), botanicals and enlarged photographic negatives. Or, if you wish for me to prepare a negative from a digital photo and get it enlarged for you before the session, then an extra charge of 10€ per image will apply. If you want to work larger than A4 or make more prints, then you will be able to buy extra paper and chemicals. All workshops can be tailored to your specific needs. I am happy to discuss what you’d like to do before the session, so we can all be prepared well before we start. All levels welcome.

There will be some paper freshly prepared, so you will have the chance to have a practise run, to get the feel of the process and the work flow.

Price

The classes are small, just 1-3 people. Price is £75 + VAT per person for a 3 hour session. Times can be flexible if you want to stop and go out for lunch at the many bars and cafes in walkable distance.

Please contact me about reduced rates for weekly sessions.

Travel

If you are coming from far away, lifts from Malaga or Granada airports can be arranged. Accommodation can also be arranged. I am happy to look after you and to also direct you to amazing places of local interest. We are located just a 20 minute drive from the beautiful beaches of the Costa Tropical and 40 mins drive from the romantic city of Granada.

Advanced techniques

Sometimes you may want to loose the vivid blue colour of a print, this is possible by toning the prints to varying degrees of browns and blacks. Also hand finishing prints with watercolour inks can add another nice touch. If you want to try out these advanced cyanotype methods or experiment with others, then you can buy extra time on the day or you can come back for another workshop.