World Anthotype Day is a free event and the emulsion database is free to use. Please help:
Support World Anthotype Day for the price of a coffee! Much appreciated!

Coffee (Coffea arábica) anthotype by Mónica Páez Espinosa

“Wildlife whisper” by Mónica Páez Espinosa
Country: Ecuador
Parts used: Roasted ‘Galapagos’ beans
Application: Brushing
Exposure time: 10 days
Month, season and year: May 2022
Substrate: Photographic paper
Contrast of final print: ** (Medium)

Anthotype made by Galapagos CoffeeCoffee for making anthotypesAmount: A handful for each print
Extracted using: Grinding
Thinner: Local sugar cane alcohol
Layers: 2
Used to create image: Positive on OHP paper (personal image)

Challenges or observations:
The roasted beans are a little too hard to mortar, so I used a grinder or a blender to pulverize them. It is better to grind the beans rather than use pre-ground coffee in order to keep the original oils of the coffee. The more coffee used, the thicker the emulsion, giving a better colour hue. Works better on photographic paper than on watercolour paper. Once mixed with alcohol, the ground coffee was strained through a cotton cloth.

Instagram: @monicaapaezfoto

Any additional information you would like to share: The Galapagos coffee is very closely related to the conservation of ecosystems. Farmers help eradicating invasive species that harm endemic species as well as restore the ground with endemic species. Coffee crops grow over lava rocks and share the land with endemic plant species as well as fruit trees, giving the Galapagos coffee special organoleptic properties.


 
 

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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