Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) anthotype by Rhonda Lee Usipiuk

“Calm” by Rhonda Lee Usipiuk, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Parts used: Leaves
Amount: 1/3 cup
Extracted by: Snipping with scissors, and grinding with mortar and pestle
Thinner: 2 tablespoons cheap vodka
Application: Brushing with a foam brush

Layers: 2 good coats
Substrate: Hahnemühle hot press watercolour paper, 300 gsm
Created with: Digital positive on inkjet transparency film
Exposure: 12 mostly sunny days from July 12-23, summer 2024
UV strength: 6-8
Temperature: 21-29° Celsius
Humidity: 48-66%
Contrast: ✿✿ (Medium)
Challenges or observations: The leaves were quite tough to break down using the mortar and pestle. I suggest using a blender. I had to add more vodka to make enough liquid. The smell of the lemon balm, combined with the vodka, was powerfully pungent and I had to finish grinding it outdoors. The emulsion is a lovely warm, tawny colour.
Additional information: Lemon balm is used as a culinary, medicinal, and cosmetic herb and is known to have calming properties. My anthotype, a holiday image from 2023, features one of the 16 carved maskerons on the Large Onofrio’s Fountain in Dubrovnik, Croatia. It was designed by Onofrio della Cava in 1438 and was meant to provide the public with safe, clean drinking water. The fountain still serves this purpose and is ideal for filling water bottles with cool, fresh water.
Instagram: @rhondaleeusipiuk
Website: www.rhondaleeusipiuk.com