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Anthotype database: Emulsions by exposure time

Find emulsions by exposure time. This Anthotype database of emulsions will grow each year on Anthotype Day when artists add to the knowledge-bank. If you can, please support this free resource by becoming a supporting member or making a donation. Much appreciated!

 

Emulsions from WAD 2022 | List of all emulsions 2022-2023
 

Exposure time between 0-4 hours

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) anthotype by Justine Kaemmerlen

“Nasturtium” by Justine Kaemmerlen
Country: San Francisco, USA
Parts used: Petals from medium-orange flowers (not the deepest orange possible, but also not the lightest the plant produces)
Amount: 2 full flowers for a 4 x 3 inch print
Extracted by: Mortar and pestle
Thinner: 91% isopropyl alcohol
Application: Brushing

Pepper, red bell (Capsicum annuum) anthotype by Ana Solo

“Wouldn’t you like to be a whale?” by Ana Solo
Country: Tapawera, near Nelson, New Zealand
Parts used: Red part of pepper. White parts, the calyx (green part) and the seeds removed
Amount: 1 small red pepper
Extracted by: Small blender
Thinner: Alcohol
Application: Sponge


 

Exposure time between 4-24 hours

Fireweed, common (Chamaenerion angustifolium) anthotype by Sirpa Kärkkäinen

“A flying fantasy beetle” by Sirpa Kärkkäinen
Country: Helsinki, Finland
Parts used: Petals
Amount: 100 grams
Extracted by: Centrifuge in a blender
Thinner: Boiled tap water, a teaspoon of glycerol and vitamin C. First mixed the flower petals and a minimum amount of the boiled tap water in a blender, then filtered the mixture with cheesecloth. Mixed a teaspoon of glycerol into the solution. In the end, mixed an effervescent vitamin C tablet into the solution and mixed well
Application: Brushing

Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) anthotype by Ronald D. Butler

“Trinity” by Ronald D. Butler
Country: New York City, NY, USA
Parts used: Dried flowers
Amount: Large handful placed in a mason Jar
Extracted by: Soaking while stored in a refrigerator for 48 hours, occasionally shaking the mixture
Thinner: 10 oz of Everclear 190 proof grain alcohol
Application: Brushing

Mix of Lavender (Lavandula), Spinach (Spinacia oleracea), Blue butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) and Basil (Ocimum basilicum) anthotype by Émilie Léger

“Lavande” by Émilie Léger
Country: Montréal, Canada
Parts used: Petals from lavender petals; leaves from spinach and basil; buds from blue butterfly pea
Amount: 4 spinach leaves, 4 basil leaves, 4 lavender buds, a dozen blue butterfly pea buds
Extracted by: Mortar and pestle
Thinner: Tap water
Application: Brushing with paint brush and sponge

Rose, red (Rosa rubiginosa.) anthotype by Dianne Bos

“Touching Planet Rose” by Dianne Bos
Country: Calgary, Alberta, Canada, but print exposed in France
Parts used: Petals
Amount: 5 full fresh flower heads
Extracted by: Soaked in rum and then squished with a wooden spoon
Thinner: Alcohol (cheap Barbados rum)
Application: Brushing

Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) anthotype by CB Campbell

“Cherries from Cherries” by CB Campbell
Country: Thunder Bay, Canada
Parts used: Fruit, pitted
Amount: Juice from 5-7 cherries per print
Extracted by: Mortar
Thinner: Thinned and stabilized with a few drops of lime juice and rubbing alcohol
Application: Brush


 

Exposure time of 2-7 days

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) anthotype by Alba Cid

“Japanese blossom” by Alba Cid
Country: A Coruña, Spain
Parts used: Root
Amount: Half
Extracted by: Pre-cooked and peeled beetroot mashed in a blender
Thinner: A bit of tap water (I did 2 others with vodka alcohol and the results were more fuscia)
Application: Brushing

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) anthotype by Alexandra Whiteside

“Golden Toad” by Alexandra Whiteside
Country: Texas, USA
Parts used: Fresh root/rhizome, purchased online
Amount: Two dozen 1″-3″ chunks of fresh roots, chopped into thin slices (about 2 cups of material)
Extracted by: Simmering of mixture
Thinner: Distilled water and reagent-grade pure alcohols (ethanol; possibly some methanol)
Application: Brushing on paper with a mop watercolor brush

Chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) anthotype by Dalene Marais

“Wind-blown Eucalyptus leaves” by Dalene Marais
Country: Gauteng, Johannesburg, Chartwell north AH, South Africa
Parts used: Chilly powder
Amount: 250 mL rubbing alcohol 91% and 50 g of chilly powder steeped and matured 12 months
Extracted by: Steeping in alcohol in a glass jar with lid in a dark cupboard
Thinner: Rubbing alcohol 91%
Application: Brushing in swift strokes to obtain some visual brush strokes

Mix of Redbud (Cercis canadensis), Violet, common blue (Viola sororia), and Blueberries, wild (Vaccinium angustifolium) anthotype by Dominick Rivers

“Ancestral Inquiries” by Dominick Rivers
Country: Bloomington, Indiana, USA
Parts used: Petals of redbud blossoms and violets, whole blueberries
Amount: 1/2 cup of each
Extracted by: Mortar & pestle
Thinner: Extremely cheap vodka
Application: Pour emulsion into lightproof container; submerge film strips in container; swirl around; rest container upside down for 20 minutes, then flip over for 20 minutes

Mix of Turmeric powder (Curcuma longa), Red curry paste (Capsicum annuum) and Tabasco scorpion sauce (Capsicum chinense) anthotype by Johan Alfraeus

“Happy Cousins” by Johan Alfraeus
Country: Hammarö/Karlstad, Sweden
Parts used: Powder, paste and sauce. Turmeric 50%, Red Curry Paste 30%, Tabasco Scorpion Sauce (Trinidad Scorpion Butch T, the hottest tabasco sauce there is) 20%
Amount: 60 grams Turmeric powder, 36 grams Red Curry Paste, 24 grams Tabasco Scorpion Sauce
Extracted by: Mix of ingredients listed above
Thinner: 96% Alcohol (Ethanol/Isopropanol). Emulsion strained through double-folded cotton fabric
Application: Sponge brush

Persimmon, Japanese (Diospyros kaki) anthotype by Dennis Humphrey

“kakimono” by Dennis Humphrey
Country: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Parts used: Powdered granules from brewed and fermented juice of ripened fruit
Amount: 3.5 grams
Thinner: 125 mL distilled water for 2 letter-sized prints
Application: Selective brushing and dripping with foam brush; stamping with rim of small shot glass

Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius) anthotype by Devon John Chebra

“Butterfly and Man No 3” by Devon John Chebra
Country: Yardley, Pennsylvania, USA
Parts used: Berries
Amount: Handful of berries to prep emulsion and a dropper-full per sheet of 5×7 inch paper
Extracted by: Cooking – gently simmered to release pigment and again after filtering to concentrate pigment in solution
Thinner: Filtered water
Application: Brushing


 

Exposure time of more than a week

Avocado, probably “Hass” from California / Mexico (Persea americana) anthotype by Ralph Rinke

“Slice-Acado” by Ralph Rinke
Country: North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Parts used: Skins: cleaned off all the flesh and chopped finely
Amount: 30 grams
Extracted by: Soaking in 100 mL distilled water with 10 mL of ammonia added, over
a period of one to two weeks. The ammonia will bring out the reds: shake/stir to
aerate the emulsion every day to intensify the colour
Thinner: Distilled water for smoother, easier coating
Application: Brushing with synthetic brush

Begonia, Rieger (Begonia x hiemalis) anthotype by Rhonda Lee Usipiuk

“Begonia Mom” by Rhonda Lee Usipiuk
Country: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Parts used: Petals and petal parts
Amount: Small handful
Extracted by: Tearing, snipping with scissors, and grinding with mortar & pestle
Thinner: One tablespoon cheap vodka
Application: Brushing with foam brush; left small bits of plant material in the emulsion


 


 
 

This anthotype is part of World Anthotype Day

World Anthotype Day was started by AlternativePhotography.com in 2022. In August anthotype artists all over the world celebrate the anthotype process and send in their entries. We add them here to the database and create a reference book for each year. The purpose of the day is to build a large resource where artist can learn which pigmenets and plants that work and draw inspiration from other artists' work. 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


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

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

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If you are already practising anthotype printing, we suggest making notes to document and learn:
Anthotype notebook50 pre-defined pages for you to document your anthotype process.
 

Anthotype notes – Document your anthotype process

Free for Supporting Members - both new and exisiting!

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