Dipladenia (Mandevilla Sanderi) anthotype by Gabriele Coassin

“Mandevilla flower, test only” by Gabriele Coassin, Treviso, Italy
Parts used: Dried flowers, macerated after 4 months
Amount: A handful for two prints
Extracted by: Finely crushed in a mortar
Solvent: Steeping for 2 hours in strong Cuban rum
Application: Brushing

Layers: 1 layer with two very liquid crossed passes: due to the thin sheet (200 gsm) the emulsion has partly passed also on the back
Substrate: Lefranc Bourgeois Studio watercolour, cold-pressed paper, 200 gsm, A4
Created with: Photogram of fresh leaves and flowers
Exposure: 12 hours in full sun from mid-morning to afternoon, at the end of October 2025
Temperature: 10-19° Celsius or 50-66° Fahrenheit
Humidity: 82-59% during exposure time
Contrast: ✿✿ (Medium)
Challenges or observations: The 12-hour exposure time was insufficient to achieve strong contrast; a brighter result requires about 20–30 hours.
Additional information: Dipladenia, also known as Mandevilla or Brazilian jasmine, is a wonderful and hardy plant. The red variety I used is resistant to climate variations and blooms continuously, even indoors, in Italy, from April to November. It needs no maintenance, as the flowers fall naturally when dry—only then do I collect them, as I prefer not to harm living blossoms. Using dried flowers or frozen berries allows me to make anthotypes throughout the year. In its native region, Dipladenia was once used as a bittering additive in psychoactive drinks. It is, however, toxic if ingested (especially for children and pets) and should be handled with care, as its white latex can irritate sensitive skin.
More about Gabriele: wwww.youtube.com/watch?v=bShwHfXrzrQ