Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) anthotype Bridget Murphy Milligan

“Broken Arrowhead” by Bridget Murphy Milligan, Ohio, USA
Parts used: Leaves
Amount: 2 cups of the leaves
Extracted by: Blender
Thinner: ½ cup of cheap vodka
Application: Brushing

Layers: 4-5 layers
Substrate: Hahnemühle platinum rag, 300 gsm
Created with: Positive on Pictorico Ultra OHP film, printed with inkjet
Exposure: 6 hours in September, autumn 2025
UV strength: 6-8
Temperature: 21-32° Celsius or 70-90° Fahrenheit
Contrast: ✿✿ (Medium)
Challenges or observations: I prepared the emulsion by blending the leaves with ½ cup of vodka and letting it rest in the refrigerator for 2–3 days before straining through cheesecloth to remove the pulp. I applied 4–5 coats to Hahnemühle Platinum paper using a foam brush. The coated paper was sandwiched with OHP film and exposed in a contact printing frame for six hours under the hot September sun. I was pleasantly surprised that the exposure, taking less than a full day, produced a high-contrast image with sharp detail in both highlights and midtones. A generous coat of Renaissance wax was applied to prevent fading and oxidation.
Additional information: Lambsquarters, or white goosefoot, is a common plant in sunny, disturbed areas across North America—gardens, ploughed fields, roadsides, and stream banks. Historically, many Native American communities used it for food and medicine, and its shoots and leaves were also employed to produce natural green dyes for camouflaging bows and arrows.
Website: bridgetmmilligan.com