“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
Layers: 3
Substrate: Watercolour paper Canson 300 gsm (60% cotton)
Created with: Negative image on transparency of the Senso-ji temple, Tokyo
Exposure: 9 days with 4 hours of direct sunlight per day (36 h), July, summer, 2023 (on a very hot week with strong sunlight)
Contrast: ✿✿ (Medium)
Challenges or observations: I intensified the opacity of the shadows on the transparency with a black pen and my strokes are visible on the final result (around the top of the pagoda). The contrast between highlights and shadows is very good, but not many details of intermediate tones have been preserved. Compared to the beetroot anthotypes diluted with vodka, this is a more subtle pink, although the contrast achieved is the same.
Additional information: I wanted to evoke the sakura of Japan, so I chose beetroot for its colour, although it is not an innovative emulsion.
Pinterest: @albacsa
Instagram: @albacid_
Website: albacid.com
Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) anthotype by Alba Cid
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:
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:
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:
Make 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
Rated 9,8 - based on 224 votes
If you are already practising anthotype printing, we suggest making notes to document and learn:
50 pre-defined pages for you to document your anthotype process.
Anthotype notes – Document your anthotype process
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