Dwarf elder (Sambucus ebulus L.) anthotype by Gabriele Coassin

“Ebulus leaves” by Gabriele Coassin, Venetian countryside, Italy
Parts used: Whole berries
Amount: A handful for each A4 print
Extracted by: Wrapped in cotton wool and pressed with a potato masher
Solvent: None
Application: Brushing

Layers: 1, which gives the best result in terms of time-to-contrast ratio
Substrate: ECO cotton paper for fine art inkjet printing, 200 grams
Created with: Cameraless imprint of fresh Ebulus leaves
Exposure: 25 hours at the end of August, 2026
Temperature: 18-32° Celsius or 65-90° Fahrenheit
Contrast: ✿✿ (Medium)
Challenges or observations: Caution: use appropriate protection, as elderberry stains are very difficult to remove. I tested 25, 50 and 75 hours of exposure using both single and double layers. Contrast improved with longer exposure times and a double layer of emulsion. However, even 25 hours, during the height of summer, produced an interesting result.
Additional information: Toxic berries! They are easy to confuse with edible elderberries, but the difference in their leaves helps with identification. In reality, they are not deadly; in ancient folk medicine, they were used in very small quantities to treat constipation.
Instagram: @il_coassin
Website: https://youtu.be/bShwHfXrzrQ?si=-pbi9JbRz4-IiMfT