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

Layers: 1 generous layer
Substrate: Arches Platine 310 gsm paper
Created with: Negative previously used for cyanotype on OHP laser film (C-line #60837)
Exposure: 4 days in August, summer 2026. About 5 hours a day in direct sun. 2 of these days were in the garden beside the basil plants
UV strength: 6-9
Temperature: 24-32° Celsius or 75-90° Fahrenheit
Humidity: 65-95%
Contrast: ✿✿ (Medium)
Additional information: My basil plants outdid themselves, and I had way more than I needed. I have a heavy glass blender for non-kitchen uses, and I keep 91% isopropyl alcohol on hand for alcohol ink projects. I had just a few sheets of Arches Platine left, so I coated three of them with the basil extract. A negative that had previously been printed as a cyanotype looked like it would work as a positive for an anthotype, so I tried it. The image is a flower cluster on a big orange amaryllis from last winter.