Mulberry, black (Morus nigra) anthotype by Jen Perena

“Mulberry Photogram” by Jen Perena
Country: Rochester, NY, USA
Parts used: Berries
Amount: Handful for each print
Extracted by: Mortar
Thinner: Alcohol (vodka, 40%)
Application: Brushing

Layers: 5
Substrate: Watercolour paper
Created with: Photogram of mulberry tree leaves
Exposure: 10 hours over 2 days, July, summer, 2023
Contrast: ✿✿ (Medium)
Challenges or observations: After the third coat, the emulsion took much longer to dry; even after it appeared dry, it was not easy to apply the 4th coat evenly, so some of the brush strokes are visible. By the 5th coat, it felt quite thick and almost sticky. I used the actual leaves of the mulberry tree for the photogram; I love their shape, no two being the same. The chemical properties of the leaves may have impacted the resulting image; the colour in the blocked areas under the leaves is almost black, much darker than the original, lovely maroon colour after 5 coats. I tried this also with vinegar as the thinner, but the acid seems to cause the color to really fade away quickly.
Additional information: I just learned about anthotypes earlier this summer, and since then have been experimenting with single-item emulsions, layering the emulsions to get a good contrast. But I have been practising alternative historic processes for over 15 years, most of which are black-and-white, with hand coloring to bring color back into them. Now I’m excited to see how I might combine these with other processes, like kallitype, to create really unique pieces. I will submit an anthotype to a photo exhibition in Rochester NY this fall; I will place the anthotype next to a digital print of the scanned anthotype, and then display it under UV-protected glass to see how the original anthotype changes over the course of the exhibit.
Instagram: @kallitypegirl
Website: kallitypegirl.com