Nature Sun Print Tutorial
Sun Printing, or cyanotype photography, is an addicting process that utilizes special sun sensitive paper. This paper is coated in sun-sensitive chemicals that change color when exposed to light. Anything you place on the paper blocks that light. Once fully-exposed, the paper is rinsed and your images are magically fixed on the sheet.
For this project, you will need:
Piece of cardboard or tray
Nature material (or other action figures, blocks, cookie cutter, etc., anything goes)
Notes: This is best done on a still day without much wind. You can also do this project using regular construction paper, but you must leave it exposed for 4-6 hours (no washing at the end)
Step 1: Gather your materials and plan your design
Go on a nature walk and gather your materials. Leaves and flowers with clear edges work best. Plan you design out on a regular piece of paper or the floor.
Step 2: Place your materials on sun paper
Once your design is complete, you are ready to transfer it to the magical sun paper. Remember that once you take the sun paper out of the packaging, it will start to be exposed to light. Try to work in a space with less light (we did this in our garage). Place your tray or piece of cardboard down, then the sun paper (blue side up), and quickly move your design on top.
Step 3: Move your paper in the sun
Carefully walk your paper into the sun and place on the ground (go slowly so you do not move your material around). It will take 1-5 minutes for the paper to expose, depending on how sunny it is outside. When the blue paper has turned white, it is ready to come in! Do not over-expose. We did this on a sunny day and left our papers out for 2.5-3 minutes.
Once your paper turns white, remove your nature material and then run the paper under water for about 1 minute. You will see the colors reverse magically before your eyes!
Step 4: Dry Flat
Allow your sun print to dry flat. The blue color will darken as the paper dries.
