World Anthotype Day is a free event and the emulsion database is free to use. Please help:
Support World Anthotype Day for the price of a coffee! Much appreciated!

Pepper / Paprika, common (Capsicum annuum varietals) anthotype by Frank Gorga

“Summer Vine” by Frank Gorga
Country: USA
Parts used: Powder from the grocery store
Application: Dipping (but see observations)
Exposure time: 45-60 minutes
Months, season and year: July, summer, 2022
Substrate: Strathmore Series 400 Drawing paper (but see observations)
Contrast of final print: *** (High)

Anthotype Paprika, common (Capsicum annuum varietals) anthotype by Frank GorgaPaprika powder for making anthotypesAmount: 10 g /100 mL
Extracted using: Soaking, allowing insoluble material to settle out and decanting
Thinner: mineral spirits (but see observations)
Layers: 1 (but see observation)
Used to create image: fresh plant material (leaves and stem)

Challenges or observations:

1) Dipped paper works well, but adding a second coat with a brush after the first is dry is probably worthwhile.
2) iso-propanol (rubbing alcohol) can be used in place of mineral spirits but in this case double coating is
probably necessary.
3) This process does not seem to be picky about paper. I have tried a number of different papers from expensive
rag watercolor and printmaking papers to inexpensive drawing papers. All seem to work. My ‘go to’ papers are
Strathmore 400 Series drawing paper and Strathmore Vision drawing paper.
4) This process is *VERY* fast compared to most other anthotypes. Exposures are roughly 1 hour in bright sun.
5) Because of the speed of exposures it is worth considering the following:
a) I think that this process is well suited for teaching purposes, especially if one uses iso-propanol
as the solvent. (I doubt that I would use mineral spirits with children, but it might be OK with adults
in the right setting.) One should be able to go from making an extract to a finshed print in less than
one day.
b) Coated paper needs to be dried in a dark (because of the speed) and well ventilated (because of the
mineral spirits) place.
c) Paprika anthotypes are likely quite impermanent. However, I have found that spraying finished prints
with an acrylic fixative is very effective at stabilizing the prints.

A pdf file with the result of this
experiment and examples of paprika anthotypes is available at
http://gorga.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Paprika-Anthotypes.pdf

Recommended reading - Learn more in the Anthotype books
Anthotypes – Explore the darkroom in your garden and make photographs using plants
Buy directly from us

Anthotypes – Explore the darkroom in your garden and make photographs using plants

by Malin Fabbri

9 of 10   Rated 9,8 - based on 224 votes

Make prints using plants - an environmentally safe process!
The most comprehensive resource on Anthotypes.
 
From World Anthotype Day 2022 and 2023
Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 2 – The collective research from photographers on World Anthotype Day 2023
Buy directly from us

Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 2 – The collective research from photographers on World Anthotype Day 2023

by Malin Fabbri

Anthotype research from almost 140 artists from all over the globe on 100 different plants, powders and dyes for anthotypes!
 

Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 1 – The collective research from photographers on World Anthotype Day 2022
Buy directly from us

Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 1 – The collective research from photographers on World Anthotype Day 2022

by Malin Fabbri

Anthotype research from over 100 artists from all over the globe on 60 different plants, powders and dyes for anthotypes!
 
Anthotype Notebook
Anthotype notebook
Buy directly from us

Anthotype notes – Document your anthotype process

Notebook by Malin Fabbri

10 of 10   Rated 10 - based on 2 votes

50 pre-defined pages for you to document your anthotype process.
 

 
 

This anthotype is part of World Anthotype Day

World Anthotype Day was started by AlternativePhotography.com in 2022. In August anthotype artists all over the world celebrate the anthotype process and send in their entries. We add them here to the database and create a reference book for each year. The purpose of the day is to build a large resource where artist can learn which pigmenets and plants that work and draw inspiration from other artists' work. The reference books can be found here:

Volume 1 is the first book in the series:
Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 1 – The collective research from photographers on World Anthotype Day 2022
Volume 1 contains 60 unique anthotype emulsions from 103 artists taking part from 31 countries.
 

Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 1 – The collective research from photographers on World Anthotype Day 2022


Volume 2 is the second book:
Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 2 – The collective research from photogaphers on World Anthotype Day 2023
Volume 2 contains 100 unique anthotype emulsions from 139 artists taking part from 31 countries.
 

Anthotype Emulsions, Volume 2 – The collective research from photographers on World Anthotype Day 2023


 
If you want to learn more about making anthotypes there is also the "how-to" book:
Anthotypes – Explore the darkroom in your garden and make photographs using plantsMake prints using plants - an environmentally safe process!
 
The most comprehensive resource on Anthotypes.
 

Anthotypes – Explore the darkroom in your garden and make photographs using plants

9 of 10   Rated 9,8 - based on 224 votes

If you are already practising anthotype printing, we suggest making notes to document and learn:
Anthotype notebook50 pre-defined pages for you to document your anthotype process.
 

Anthotype notes – Document your anthotype process

Free for Supporting Members - both new and exisiting!

10 of 10   Rated 10 - based on 2 votes

 

Leave a Comment