Cyanotype Printing Party

Join us for a fun introduction to cyanotype printing and make your own blue botanical prints! Saturday, October 24 · 11am–1pm · Bard & Baker, Troy, NY Join us for a relaxed, hands-on printing party in the Cottage at Bard & Baker, where you'll create unique blue-and-white prints using sunlight, water, and materials arranged on the page. Cyanotype is an early photographic process used since 1842, but it can also be approached as a printmaking process. The colors are always shades of blue and white. It is very beginner-friendly and great for creative play. During this two hour event, we will compose prints by arranging botanical elements on prepared cyanotype paper, adding hand-drawn sketches with acetate film, and hand-cut paper masks. We will also try adding in photo negatives printed on an inkjet printer. You'll also have the option to add colors at the end by handpainting into white areas of your finished prints. No prior experience is necessary and all printing materials will be provided. You're also encouraged to bring your own found objects—botanicals from your yard or a roadside walk, stickers, or any flat objects with shapes you like. Just make sure that all the items are flat or no more than a quarter-inch thick. This event is for adults and teens, ages 12 and up. A parent or guardian must also be registered for the event and attend with any participant under age 16. This event takes place during lunchtime—we encourage you to grab a beverage or lunch from the Bard & Baker café while you print. If October 24 is a sunny day, with a high enough UV index then we will use the sunlight and expose prints on the sidewalk, and if the weather is cloudy, we will use UV lights to print indoors. Come have fun composing images by combining found objects and your own hand-drawn sketches and leave with framable sun-printed artwork!