Elderberry, red (Sambucus racemosa) anthotype by Ambjörn Jansson

“Druvfläder” by Ambjörn Jansson, Sweden
Parts used: Berries
Amount: A handful (quite a big hand!)
Extracted by: Mortar
Solvent: A tablespoon of alcohol (isopropyl)
Application: Brushing

Layers: 1 layer on the entire picture, and 7 layers in the middle
Substrate: Fabriano Bristol
Created with: A branch with leaves and a seed cluster from the Red elderberry plant 
Exposure: 3 days of sun in August, summer 2026
UV strength: 3-4
Temperature: Around 22° Celsius or 72° Fahrenheit
Humidity: 55-70%
Contrast: ✿✿✿ (High)
Challenges or observations: The pigment is in the peel, and I tried to “peel” the berries, which was messy. After a while, I just added the entire berry to the mix.
Additional information: I started coating the entire paper but realised the emulsion was quite thin and that I probably would not have enough for many layers. For the next six layers, I coated a square in the middle. This made for an interesting image with four colours. The leaf on the lighter border is pink, while the leaf inside the middle is browner. The seed cluster (infructescence) also coloured the paper blue, making it a five-coloured anthotype. The emulsion also oxidised and darkened rather than becoming lighter, which was unexpected.