Cyanotype process introduced at Seedy Saturday

From The North Island Eagle, April 17, 2026

Photos: Kathy O'Reilly

Those who attended the annual Seedy Saturday event April 11 got to focus on blue as well as green this year. Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society Adult Literacy Coordinator Jeanne James-Hory's table included the opportunity for people to create cyanotype bookmarks to take home. Invented in 1842 by Sir John Herschel, the cyanotype is a camera-less sun-printing process that produces iconic Prussian blue images using iron sales instead of silver. Originally designed for copying notes, it was adopted by Anna Atkins in 1843 for botanical studies - creating the first photographically illustrated book - and later used widely for architectural blueprints.

Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society Adult Literacy Coordinator Jeanne James Hory's table at Seedy Saturday April 11 included the opportunity for people to create cyanotype bookmarks.

“It’s pretty magical,” said Jeanne, and a fairly simple process. The paper is coated with a light-sensitive solution (mix of Potassium Ferricyanide and Ferric Ammonium Citrate) and allowed to dry.

Participants were invited to place objects on top, like leaves, moss, feathers, or little twigs, and expose the bookmark to UV light or sunlight. For the event Jeanne had constructed her own light box.

After 10 to 20 minutes, the uncovered areas turn a rich, deep Prussian blue while the covered parts stay white. After a quick rinse in water, the image appears almost instantly.

“It feels a bit like developing a photograph, but much more hands-on and forgiving,” she said. “What I love about cyanotypes is how accessible they are. People don’t need any art experience to get beautiful results, and there’s something really satisfying about arranging natural materials and seeing how their shapes translate into silhouettes,” Jeanne explained. “For Seedy Saturday, we made simple bookmarks so people could create something small and take it home. It fit nicely with the gardening theme,” she said. “I’m really happy it was such a hit. It was a lot of fun to see people try it for the first time.”

Part of the process was rinsing the bookmarks off.

In addition to the cyanotypes, the MWFLS table featured little soil testing zines/booklets that people could make and take, a spot where folks shared gardening tips with each other, and some fun recipes like nasturtium butter, dandelion frittata, and nettle soup.