Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) anthotype by Teemu Lampinen

“Full Send” by Teemu Lampinen
Country: Tampere, Finland
Parts used: Leaves
Amount: 20-25 leaves per A4 print
Extracted by: Mortar
Thinner: Tap water, alcohol (cheap vodka)
Application: Foam brush

Layers: 4
Substrate: Watercolour paper, 220 gsm
Created with: Laser printed OHP positive
Exposure: 5-6 hours, afternoon sun, July, summer 2023
Contrast: ✿✿ (Medium)
Challenges or observations: Lily of the Valley is easy to work with and creates nice prints in a short time. Note that the plant is poisonous and is also protected in some countries/regions. I made 3-4 prints at once. I washed the leaves and didn’t add any more water. I added 5 mL of vodka per print and cut the leaves into thin slices before processing them, working with protective gloves. Exposure time with my other lily of the valley prints ranged from 4 to 7 hours, depending on how strong the sunlight was.
Additional information: This anthotype print was made from a photo taken by my friend Tapio Lehtonen in the World Rally Championship event Rally Estonia in 2021. It shows Finnish drivers and reigning World Champions Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen on their way to their career-first victory. This summer, I’ve solely made anthotypes from my friend’s rallying photographs, combining worlds that at first seem far apart.
Instagram: @lupatarkastaja
Twitter: @HartusvuoriWRC