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Anthotype database: All emulsions

Find emulsions by browsing the list below. This Anthotype database of emulsions will grow each year on Anthotype Day when artists add to the knowledge-bank. It can be used for free, but if you can, please support this resource by becoming a supporting member. Much appreciated!

 

Emulsions 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | List of ALL emulsions ever

Anthotype emulsions A-Z from 2026

Açaí (Euterpe oleracea) anthotype by Narmada Sugasti

“Onça de Açaí” (Açaí Jaguar) by Narmada Sugasti, Planaltina, Goiás, Brasil
Parts used: Frozen pulp
Amount: 2 tablespoons
Extracted by: Grinding
Solvent: Medium concentration (15%), consisting of 15% concentrated açaí pulp and 85% water. It comes ready-made from the food industry and is known locally as “açaí médio” (medium açaí). No additional solvent was used.
Application: Brushing

Avocado (Persea americana) anthotype by Arindam Majumdar

“The Father as a Boy” by Arindam Majumdar, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Parts used: Skin
Amount: The skin of 20 (!) avocados
Extracted by: Soak in water overnight, then boil avocado skins for an hour, then filter with a cloth
Solvent: Tap water
Application: Laying watercolour paper on a tray of avocado extract overnight to saturate

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) anthotype by Shannon Beatty

“Hippeastrum” by Shannon Beatty, Frederick, Maryland, USA
Parts used: Leaves
Amount: A generous handful for each print
Extracted by: Macerating in a laboratory blender and filtering through cheesecloth
Solvent: ~10 ml of 91% isopropyl alcohol per print
Application: Brushing with a foam brush

Bunchberry, Canadian (Cornus canadensis) anthotype by Lisa Locke

“Bunchberry: Two Responses to Light” by Lisa Locke, Conception Bay South, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Parts used: Bunchberries (fruit)
Amount: ½ cup of bunchberries for the primary experiment; ¼ cup for the comparative alcohol extraction.
Extracted by: I made two emulsions. Cooking in a slow cooker for approximately 2 hours with vinegar and salt. A separate extraction using 99% alcohol was carried out over 24 hours
Solvent: Primary extraction: ½ cup water, 1 teaspoon 10% cleaning vinegar and ½ teaspoon salt. Comparative extraction: ¼ cup 99% alcohol with ¼ cup bunchberries
Application: Brushed onto paper

Canna (Canna indica) anthotype by Jane Linders

“Dragonfly” by Jane Linders, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Parts used: Petals
Amount: Two complete blooms
Extracted by: Mortar
Solvent: I added 10 mL of 91% isopropyl alcohol and 2 mL of deionised water to two crushed and pulverised red canna blooms
Application: Brushing

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) anthotype by Rhonda Lee Usipiuk

“The Catnippers” by Rhonda Lee Usipiuk, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Parts used: Leaves
Amount: 5-6 leaves
Extracted by: Tearing, snipping with scissors, and grinding with a mortar and pestle
Thinner: Three full tablespoons of vodka
Application: Brushing with a foam brush

Cleavers (Galium aparine) anthotype by Hazel Landaverde

“Café – Oh You Know the One” by Hazel Landaverde, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Parts used: Stems and leaves
Amount: A few tablespoons
Extracted by: Blender
Solvent: Cleavers mixed with 91% isopropyl alcohol
Application: Foam brush. I coated paper in March of 2026, but printed in October

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus) anthotype by Dalene Marais

“African Bush Daisy and Dove Feather” by Dalene Marais, Johannesburg, South Africa
Parts used: Bark
Amount: A small bottle
Extracted by: Strips of eucalyptus bark were placed in a small screw-top bottle and soaked for 12 months. The bottle was vigorously shaken to remix the sediment at the bottom. This produced a reddish-brown fluid.
Solvent: Tap water
Application: The canvas was soaked in the bark extract in a container, completely covered by the extract for 18 hours

Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica) anthotype by Patricia Bromberger

“Purple Dreams” by Patricia Bromberger, Los Osos, California, USA
Parts used: Petals, both pink and purple
Amount: 24 flowers for each layer
Extracted by: Flowers ground up in a coffee grinder with 30 mL of 91% ethyl alcohol, soaked for 30 minutes, then filtered
Solvent: 91% ethyl alcohol
Application: Brushing with a foam brush


 
 

This anthotype is part of World Anthotype Day

World Anthotype Day - celebrated annually since 2022 was started by AlternativePhotography.com. Our global community of artists celebrates the anthotype process by submitting prints. These works are added to our database here and compiled into reference books. The purpose is to build a large resource where artist can learn which pigments and plants work and draw inspiration from others. The reference books can be found here:

Volume 1 is the first book in the series:
Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 1 – The collective research from photographers on World Anthotype Day 2022
Volume 1 contains 60 unique anthotype emulsions from 103 artists taking part from 31 countries.
 

Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 1 – The collective research from photographers on World Anthotype Day 2022


Volume 2 is the second book:
Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 2 – The collective research from photogaphers on World Anthotype Day 2023
Volume 2 contains 100 unique anthotype emulsions from 139 artists taking part from 31 countries.
 

Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 2 – The collective research from photographers on World Anthotype Day 2023


 
Volume 3 is the third book:
Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 3 – The collective research from photogaphers on World Anthotype Day 2024
Volume 3 pushes the boundaries with emulsions not only from plants and pigments, but also from beans, moss and mushrooms. 135 artists shared their research.
 

Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 3 – The collective research from photographers on World Anthotype Day 2024


Volume 4 will be the fourth book:

In Volume 4 we will combine entries from both 2025 and 2026 into one beautiful double edition to include even more inspiring work, insights, and pigments to explore. The release for the combined World Anthotype Day book is planned for November 2026 – a richer, more comprehensive collection worth the wait.
 

Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 4 – The collective research from photographers on World Anthotype Day 2025 and 2026


If you want to learn more about making anthotypes there is also the first "how-to" book:
Anthotypes – Explore the darkroom in your garden and make photographs using plantsMake prints using plants - an environmentally safe process!
 
The first book solely dedicated to Anthotypes.
 

Anthotypes – Explore the darkroom in your garden and make photographs using plants

9 of 10   Rated 9,8 - based on 224 votes

And also the Complete Guide and How-To book:
Anthotypes - The Complete Guide to Making Photographs with Plants and SunlightLearn everything there is to know about anthotypes in the updated edition 2 of our popular How-To book.
 
The extended and complete guide to Anthotypes.
 

Anthotypes - The Complete Guide to Making Photographs with Plants and Sunlight

 
If you are already practising anthotype printing, we suggest making notes to document and learn:
Anthotype Notes50 pre-defined pages for you to document your anthotype process.
 

Anthotype notes – Document your anthotype process

Free for Supporting Members - both new and exisiting!

10 of 10   Rated 10 - based on 8 votes