I’ve been interested in finding an alternative analog method of color photographic printing for years. The original idea was to photograph a scene with black and white film through red, blue, and green filters and then layer them to create a color image. At first I thought I would try working with gum bichromate as a printing method, but my first attempts were foiled by light-leaky camera bellows. I was also hesitant to continue working with the process’ particularly hazardous chemistry.

I began developing a method for working with photopolymer intaglio printmaking, but abandoned the project after deciding that the microplastics created as a byproduct were not justifiable.

Proof of test plate for photopolymer intaglio process using reused fruit clamshell plastic as plates.

Proof of different exposure times.

I used an all-analog method to contact print my film negatives onto ortholithographic film stock.

The exposure of the positive had to be balanced with a separate aquatint screen  exposure.

Lots of things could and did go wrong.

Cyanotype is one of the least toxic alternative photographic printing methods and uses plain water as developer.  I used Annette Golaz’s incredible book, Cyanotype Toning: Using Botanicals to Tone Blueprints Naturally as a guide for printing these tricolor cyanotypes.

I shoot at least three 4x5 negatives per image: each with a green, blue, or red filter. I devised a system of clipping the film’s corners to indicate which filter was used on each sheet. Each filtered negative is used to print a different color layer.

Green filter —> bleached and Magenta-toned cyanotype (using madder roots)

Blue filter —> cyanotype bleached to Yellow (using sodium carbonate, a.k.a. washing soda, a.k.a. soda ash)

Red filter —> regular Cyanotype

Here are a few things I learned/need to learn:

-apply 2 coats of emulsion for the yellow layer, but make sure the first is completely dry before applying the 2nd

-devise a registration system (registration pins and punches?)- the paper and negatives are too thick to use a light box for registration

-find a way to minimize paper staining, including using testing different paper, diluting the toner, and/or shortening the toner bath time

-only tone one paper in a tray at a time, and double check for surface bubbles, which will leave light spots on the print