1. Tell me a little about yourself.

I am a wife, mom of three grown sons who are all in the military, step-mom to a daughter five years younger than me, grandmother of seven ranging in age from 3-24 years (stepdaughter has four children aged 13-24 years), and another new one due this summer. I grew up in rural western New York State, and have lived in Towanda, Pennsylvania, for 30 years. (Can I be that old?) I’m a genetically predisposed fabricoholic who began quilting when my now 22-year-old granddaughter was a baby (since I didn’t have any little girls to make cute ruffled dresses) using my stash of fabric started when I was in high school. I sold quilts, wall hangings, place mats, table runners, etc. from 1992 until I discovered art quilts ten years later and got hooked. I switched to selling art quilts and quilted jewelry when what I had been doing became boring. Late in 2007, I had to stop selling at shows due to medical issues that made setting up displays too difficult to do, and began looking into selling on the web. I now sell my art quilts, jewelry, and more from my shops on ArtFire.com.

2. Why did you join Postmark’d Art?

I started playing with making postcards and found Postmark’d Art while looking for an exchange group so I could have a “reason” to make more postcards and have others to trade them with.

3. When did you start making postcards?

I began making postcards early in 2006 when they began to be mentioned on the Quiltart list serve. I found they were a great way to try out new ideas in a small format.

4. How do you display your postcards?

I hang some around on various boards around the house and have a box that I keep a bunch in that are fun to pull out for others to flip through to drool over.

5. What have been some of your favorite themes?

Any theme that would involve flowers or nature in any form or another would be my favorites which leads to the next question.

6. Tell me about your other interests.

I love working with my flowers and gardens. My college degree is in Floriculture and I spent the first twenty-seven years after college working in or owning greenhouses, garden centers or floral shops. When the last greenhouse business I owned went belly-up, I was finally able to spend the time I had dreamed of in my own gardens –  taking photos of my flowers and adding more plants. I have perennials, trees and shrubs that I have collected, since getting married, in my huge flower gardens that surround my home. Many plants had been moved many times until we settled where we are 22 yrs ago. Plants and flowers have become part of my quilt art in the form of sun printed fabrics made using various leaves and flowers, photos I have taken printed onto fabric, and most recently flowers cut with a die cutting machine. My quilting gives me a way to garden using fabric when I am not able to play in the gardens outdoors, but I still dream of living in the middle of a botanical garden.

(इब्न अल हैदम) alhazen, मध्य युग में जो 1000AD आसपास रहने प्रकाशिकी पर एक महान अधिकार, पहली pinhole कैमरा (भी बुलाया कैमरा ओबस्क्युअर} का आविष्कार किया और समझाने क्यों छवियों उल्टा थे करने में सक्षम था पहली आकस्मिक. ऑप्टिक कानून है कि pinhole कैमरों संभव बनाया के संदर्भ में, मनाया गया था और अरस्तू 330 ई.पू. के आसपास, जो पूछताछ क्यों सूरज एक परिपत्र छवि बनाने के लिए जब यह एक वर्ग छेद के माध्यम से है shined सकता है ने कहा है.
पहली तस्वीर

1827 में एक गर्मी के दिन, यूसुफ Nicephore Niepce एक काला कैमरा के साथ फ़ोटो छवि बना दिया. पहले सिर्फ देखने या ड्राइंग तस्वीरें बनाने के लिए नहीं प्रयोजनों के लिए कैमरा ओबस्क्युअर का इस्तेमाल लोगों Niepce. यूसुफ Nicephore Niepce heliographs या सूरज प्रिंट के रूप में वे कहते थे दे प्रकाश तस्वीर खींचने के द्वारा, आधुनिक तस्वीर के लिए प्रोटोटाइप थे.
एक धातु प्लेट कोलतार में लेपित niepce पर एक उत्कीर्णन रखा है, और फिर यह प्रकाश उजागर. उत्कीर्णन के छायादार क्षेत्रों प्रकाश अवरुद्ध है, लेकिन whiter क्षेत्रों प्लेट पर रसायनों के साथ प्रतिक्रिया करने के लिए प्रकाश की अनुमति दी. जब एक विलायक, धीरे – धीरे एक छवि में Niepce धातु प्लेट, तो अदृश्य तक रखा, दिखाई दिया. हालांकि, Niepce तस्वीर बनाने के लिए और जल्द ही प्रदर्शित होने के बाद दूर फीका होता प्रकाश जोखिम के आठ घंटे की आवश्यकता है.

लुई Daguerre

साथी फ्रांसीसी, लुई Daguerre के भी एक छवि पर कब्जा करने के लिए एक रास्ता खोजने के प्रयोग कर रहा था, लेकिन यह एक और दर्जन साल पहले उसे ले Daguerre के लिए कम से कम 30 मिनट के समय जोखिम को कम करने और बाद में गायब से छवि रखने में सक्षम था.
आधुनिक फोटोग्राफ़ी का जन्म

लुई Daguerre के फोटोग्राफी के पहले व्यावहारिक प्रक्रिया के आविष्कारक था. 1829 में, वह साथ यूसुफ Nicephore Niepce प्रक्रिया Niepce विकसित की थी में सुधार के लिए एक साझेदारी का गठन किया था.
प्रयोग और Niepce मौत के कई साल बाद 1839 में Daguerre के फोटोग्राफी के एक और अधिक सुविधाजनक और प्रभावी विधि विकसित की है, यह खुद के बाद नामकरण daguerreotype.

Daguerre के प्रक्रिया चांदी चढ़ाया तांबे की चादर पर छवियों ‘तय’. वह और आयोडीन में यह लेपित चांदी पॉलिश, एक सतह है कि प्रकाश के प्रति संवेदनशील बनाने के. फिर, वह एक कैमरे में थाली डाल दिया है और यह एक कुछ मिनट के लिए उजागर. बाद छवि प्रकाश द्वारा चित्रित किया गया था, Daguerre के चांदी क्लोराइड के समाधान में थाली स्नान. इस प्रक्रिया को एक स्थायी छवि, एक है कि अगर प्रकाश के संपर्क में नहीं बदल जाएगा बनाया.

1839 में, Daguerre के और बेटा है Niepce daguerreotype के लिए अधिकारों को बेच दिया और फ्रांस की सरकार के लिए एक प्रक्रिया का वर्णन पुस्तिका प्रकाशित. daguerreotype जल्दी लोकप्रियता प्राप्त की, 1850 से, न्यूयॉर्क सिटी में अकेले सत्तर daguerreotype स्टूडियो पर थे.

Postive प्रक्रिया के लिए नकारात्मक

1 नकारात्मक है जिसमें से कई postive प्रिंट किए गए थे के आविष्कारक हेनरी फॉक्स टैलबोट, एक अंग्रेजी वनस्पति विज्ञानी और गणितज्ञ और Daguerre के समकालीन था.
टैलबोट अवगत कागज एक चांदी नमक समाधान के साथ प्रकाश. वह तो प्रकाश कागज अवगत कराया. पृष्ठभूमि काला हो गया, और विषय ग्रे की gradations में गाया था. यह एक नकारात्मक छवि है, और नकारात्मक कागज से, टैलबोट संपर्क प्रिंट बनाया है, प्रकाश और छाया के लिए एक विस्तृत चित्र बनाने के पीछे. 1841 में, वह इस प्रक्रिया के कागज नकारात्मक सिद्ध और यह एक calotype, सुंदर चित्र के लिए ग्रीक कहा जाता है.

Tintypes

Tintypes, हैमिल्टन स्मिथ द्वारा 1856 में पेटेंट, एक और मध्यम है कि फोटोग्राफी के जन्म की शुरुआत थे. लोहे की एक पतली शीट के लिए प्रकाश के प्रति संवेदनशील सामग्री के लिए एक आधार प्रदान करने के लिए इस्तेमाल किया गया था, एक सकारात्मक छवि उपज.
गीले प्लेट नकारात्मक

1851 में, फ्रेडरिक उपहास आर्चर, एक अंग्रेजी मूर्तिकार, गीला प्लेट नकारात्मक आविष्कार किया. कोलाइडयन का एक चिपचिपा समाधान का उपयोग करना, वह प्रकाश के प्रति संवेदनशील चांदी नमक के साथ कांच लेपित. क्योंकि यह कांच और कागज नहीं था, इस गीला प्लेट एक अधिक स्थिर और विस्तृत नकारात्मक बनाया.
फोटोग्राफी काफी उन्नत जब अवगत सामग्री थाली कांच पर लेपित किया जा सकता है.हालांकि, गीला प्लेट तेजी से विकसित हो पहले पायस सूख था. क्षेत्र में यह एक पोर्टेबल darkroom साथ ले जाने का मतलब है.

ड्राई प्लेट नकारात्मक और हाथ से आयोजित कैमरा

1879 में, शुष्क थाली का आविष्कार किया गया था, एक सूखे जेलाटीन पायसन के साथ एक गिलास नकारात्मक प्लेट. सूखी प्लेटें समय की अवधि के लिए भंडारित किया जा सकता है.फोटोग्राफर नहीं रह पोर्टेबल darkrooms जरूरत है और अब तकनीशियन किराया सकता है और उनकी फोटो का विकास. ड्राई प्रक्रियाओं प्रकाश जल्दी से इतनी तेजी से अवशोषित है कि हाथ से आयोजित कैमरा अब संभव था.
लचीला रोल फिल्म

1889 में, जॉर्ज ईस्टमैन फिल्म के साथ एक आधार है कि लचीला, अटूट था का आविष्कार किया है, और लुढ़का जा सकता है. ईस्टमैन के रूप में इस तरह के एक सेलूलोज़ नाइट्रेट फिल्म आधार, पर लेपित emulsions बॉक्स बड़े पैमाने पर उत्पादन एक वास्तविकता कैमरा बनाया है.
रंग फोटो

1940 की शुरुआत में, व्यावसायिक रूप से व्यवहार्य रंग फिल्मों Kodachrome, 1935 में शुरू के अलावा बाजार के लिए लाया गया. इन फिल्मों डाई मिलकर रंग की आधुनिक तकनीक है जो एक रासायनिक प्रक्रिया में तीन डाई परतों को एक साथ जोड़ता है एक स्पष्ट रंग छवि बनाने का उपयोग किया.
फोटोग्राफिक फिल्में

पहली लचीला रोल 1889 के लिए डेटिंग, फिल्मों सेलूलोज़ नाइट्रेट, जो रासायनिक समान करने के लिए एक प्रकार का तेज पलीता किए गए थे. नाइट्रेट आधारित एक फिल्म के समय के साथ खराब, oxidants और अम्लीय gasses जारी किया जाएगा. यह भी अत्यधिक ज्वलनशील है. इस फिल्म के लिए विशेष भंडारण की आवश्यकता है.
नाइट्रेट फिल्म ऐतिहासिक दृष्टि से महत्वपूर्ण है क्योंकि यह रोल फिल्मों के विकास के लिए अनुमति दी. पहली लचीला फिल्म फिल्में 35 मिमी चौड़े मापा और एक स्पूल पर लंबे समय तक रोल में आया. मध्य 1920 के दशक में, इस तकनीक का उपयोग, कैमरा 35 मिमी रोल फिल्म के लिए विकसित किया गया था. देर से 1920 के दशक तक, मध्यम प्रारूप रोल फिल्म में बनाया गया था. यह छह सेंटीमीटर चौड़ा मापा और एक कागज समर्थन यह दिन के उजाले में संभाल करने के लिए आसान बना था. यह 1929 में दो – लेंस पलटा कैमरा के विकास के लिए नेतृत्व किया. नाइट्रेट फिल्म शीट (4 एक्स 5 इंच) नाजुक गिलास प्लेटों के लिए की जरूरत है के अंत में उत्पादन किया गया था.

Triacetate फिल्म बाद में आया, और अधिक स्थिर है, लचीला, और fireproof था. अधिकांश 1970 के दशक में फिल्मों का निर्माण इस तकनीक पर आधारित थे. 1960 के दशक के बाद से, पॉलिएस्टर पॉलिमर को जेलाटीन आधार फिल्मों के लिए इस्तेमाल किया गया है.प्लास्टिक की फिल्म आधार सेलूलोज़ से अधिक स्थिर है और एक आग खतरा नहीं है.

आज, प्रौद्योगिकी टी अनाज emulsions के साथ फिल्म का उत्पादन किया गया है. इन फिल्मों प्रकाश के प्रति संवेदनशील चांदी (अनाज) halides है कि टी के आकार का उपयोग करें, इस प्रकार एक बहुत महीन अनाज पैटर्न प्रतिपादन. इस तरह फिल्में अधिक विस्तार और उच्च संकल्प, जिसका अर्थ है तेज छवियों की पेशकश करते हैं.

फिल्म स्पीड (आईएसओ) – फिल्म है कि बताता है कितना प्रकाश सही घनत्व के लिए फिल्म का पर्दाफाश करने के लिए की जरूरत है एक मनमाना संख्या रखा. आम तौर पर, कम आईएसओ संख्या, बेहतर छोटाबीजवाला और धीमी गति से एक फिल्म. आईएसओ अंतर्राष्ट्रीय मानक संगठन का मतलब है. यह शब्द पुराने एएसए गति सूचक को बदलता है.धीमी फिल्म है, और अधिक प्रकाश के लिए यह बेनकाब करने के लिए की जरूरत है.
फोटोग्राफिक प्रिंटों

परंपरागत रूप से, सनी चीर कागजात फ़ोटो प्रिंट बनाने के लिए आधार के रूप में इस्तेमाल किया गया. इस फाइबर आधार जेलाटीन पायस के साथ लेपित कागज पर प्रिंट काफी स्थिर रहे हैं जब ठीक से संसाधित किया. उनके स्थिरता है अगर प्रिंट या तो एक प्रकार की मछली (भूरे रंग टोन) या सेलेनियम (प्रकाश, चांदी टोन) के साथ toned है बढ़ाया है.
कागज बाहर सूखी और अभिलेखीय शर्तों के तहत गरीब दरार जाएगा. छवि का नुकसान भी उच्च आर्द्रता की वजह से हो सकता है, लेकिन कागज का असली दुश्मन रासायनिक अवशेषों की फोटो फिक्सर द्वारा छोड़ दिया है. इसके अलावा, प्रसंस्करण और धोने के लिए इस्तेमाल किया पानी में contaminants के नुकसान का कारण बन सकता है. यदि एक प्रिंट पूरी तरह से फिक्सर के सभी निशान हटाने के लिए नहीं धोया जाता है, परिणाम मलिनकिरण और छवि नुकसान होगा.

फिक्सर (Hypo) एक रासायनिक, सोडियम thiosulfate, फिल्मों और प्रिंट से अवशिष्ट चांदी halides (अनाज) को हटाने के लिए जब उन्हें प्रसंस्करण के लिए इस्तेमाल किया. फिक्सर या तो फिल्म या प्रिंट पर जगह में शेष चांदी halides को हल करता है “. फिक्सर हाइपो भी कहा जाता है.
फोटो अखबारों में अगले नवाचार राल कोटिंग, या पानी प्रतिरोधी कागज था. विचार सामान्य लिनन कागज फाइबर का आधार है और यह एक प्लास्टिक सामग्री (polyethylene) के साथ कोट, जल प्रतिरोधी कागज बनाने का उपयोग करने के लिए है. पायस एक प्लास्टिक कवर आधार कागज पर रखा गया है. राल लेपित कागजात के साथ समस्या यह है कि प्लास्टिक कोटिंग पर छवि की सवारी, और लुप्त होती करने के लिए अतिसंवेदनशील है.
पहली रंगीन प्रिंट में स्थिर है क्योंकि कार्बनिक रंजक रंग छवि बनाने के लिए इस्तेमाल किया गया नहीं थे. छवि सचमुच फिल्म या कागज के आधार से गायब हो के रूप में रंगों खराब होगा.Kodachrome, 20 वीं सदी के पहले तीसरे करने के लिए डेटिंग, प्रिंट है कि आधी शताब्दी पिछले सकता है के उत्पादन के लिए पहली रंगीन फिल्म थी. अब, नई तकनीक स्थायी रंग प्रिंट 200 साल या उससे अधिक स्थायी बना रहे हैं. नया मुद्रण विधियों का उपयोग कर कंप्यूटर उत्पन्न डिजिटल छवियों और अत्यधिक स्थिर pigments, रंग तस्वीरों के लिए स्थायित्व प्रदान करते हैं.
परिभाषा के द्वारा एक कैमरा एक lightproof वस्तु के साथ एक लेंस है, कि आने वाली प्रकाश कब्जा और प्रकाश और फिल्म (ऑप्टिकल कैमरा) या इमेजिंग उपकरण (डिजिटल कैमरा) की दिशा में जिसके परिणामस्वरूप छवि निर्देश, है.
सभी कैमरा प्रौद्योगिकी प्रकाशिकी पहले अरस्तू द्वारा की खोज की कानून पर आधारित है.मध्य – 1500s कलाकारों के लिए एक चित्र डिवाइस के द्वारा, कैमरा ओबस्क्युअर (अंधेरे कक्ष) आम था. कैमरा ओबस्क्युअर एक तरफ और दूसरे पर एक पारदर्शी स्क्रीन पर एक pinhole (बाद में लेंस में इस्तेमाल किया गया है) के साथ एक lightproof बॉक्स था. यह स्क्रीन अनुरेखण के लिए उल्टे pinhole है के माध्यम से प्रेषित छवि के कलाकारों द्वारा इस्तेमाल किया गया था.

1600 के आसपास, डेला Porta pinhole कैमरा में reinvented. जाहिर है वह पहली यूरोपीय pinhole कैमरा पर किसी भी जानकारी प्रकाशित है और कभी कभी गलत तरीके से अपने आविष्कार के साथ श्रेय दिया.

योहानेस केप्लर पहले 1604 में वाक्यांश कैमरा ओबस्क्युअर सिक्का के लिए व्यक्ति था, और 1609 में, केपलर आगे लेंस के उपयोग का सुझाव दिया है एक कैमरा ओबस्क्युअर द्वारा अनुमानित छवि में सुधार.

Daguerreotype कैमरा

daguerreotype प्रक्रिया में जल्द से जल्द कैमरों का इस्तेमाल किया ऑप्टिशियंस और उपकरण निर्माताओं द्वारा किए गए, या फोटोग्राफर द्वारा स्वयं भी कभी कभी. सबसे लोकप्रिय कैमरों एक स्लाइडिंग बॉक्स डिजाइन का उपयोग. लेंस के सामने बॉक्स में रखा गया था. एक दूसरा, थोड़ा छोटे बॉक्स, बड़ा बॉक्स की पीठ में गिरावट. ध्यान पीछे बॉक्स के आगे या पीछे की ओर फिसलने से नियंत्रित किया गया. जब तक कैमरा एक दर्पण या चश्मे के इस प्रभाव को ठीक करने के साथ लगाया गया था एक पाशर्ववत उलट छवि प्राप्त किया जाएगा. जब अवगत प्लेट कैमरे में रखा गया था, लेंस टोपी के लिए जोखिम शुरू करने के लिए हटा दिया जाएगा.
बॉक्स कैमरा

जार्ज ईस्टमैन. रोचेस्टर, न्यूयॉर्क, से एक सूखी थाली निर्माता कोडक कैमरे का आविष्कार किया. $ 22.00 के लिए, एक शौकिया 100 शॉट्स के लिए पर्याप्त फिल्म के साथ एक कैमरा खरीद सकता है. प्रयोग करने के बाद, इसे वापस कंपनी है, जो तब फिल्म संसाधित करने के लिए भेजा गया था. विज्ञापन नारे पढ़ते हैं, “आप बटन दबाते हैं, तो हम आराम करते हैं.” एक साल बाद, नाजुक कागज फिल्म एक प्लास्टिक के आधार करने के लिए बदल गया था, ताकि फोटोग्राफरों को अपने स्वयं के प्रसंस्करण कर सकता है.
ईस्टमैन 1888 में पहली सरल कैमरा एक साधारण लेंस और शटर है कि फिल्म के साथ कारखाने में भरा गया था के साथ एक लकड़ी, प्रकाश तंग बॉक्स था. फोटोग्राफर के लिए एक नकारात्मक उत्पादन के लिए एक बटन धक्का दिया. एक बार फिल्म में इस्तेमाल किया गया था, फोटोग्राफर फिल्म कैमरा अभी भी मेल में यह कोडक कारखाने जहां फिल्म के कैमरे से हटा दिया गया था, संसाधित, और मुद्रित करने के लिए. कैमरा तो फिल्म के साथ पुनः लोड किया गया था और लौट आए.

टॉर्च पाउडर

जर्मनी में 1887 में blitzlichtpulver या टॉर्च पाउडर एडॉल्फ Miethe और जोहानिस Gaedicke के द्वारा आविष्कार किया गया था. लूकोपोडियुम पाउडर (क्लब काई से मोमी spores) के जल्दी फ़्लैश पाउडर में इस्तेमाल किया गया था.
फ़्लैश बल्ब

पहली आधुनिक photoflash बल्ब या फ़्लैश बल्ब ऑस्ट्रिया, पॉल Vierkotter द्वारा आविष्कार किया गया था. Vierkotter एक खाली ग्लास ग्लोब में मैग्नीशियम लेपित तार का इस्तेमाल किया. मैग्नीशियम लेपित तार जल्द ही ऑक्सीजन में एल्यूमीनियम पन्नी के द्वारा बदल दिया गया था. 23 सितंबर, 1930 पर, पहला वाणिज्यिक उपलब्ध photoflash बल्ब जर्मन, जोहानिस OSTERMEIER द्वारा पेटेंट कराया गया था. ये फ़्लैश बल्ब Vacublitz नामित किया गया. जनरल इलेक्ट्रिक एक Sashalite कहा जाता है फ़्लैश बल्ब बनाया है.
फ़िल्टर – फ्रेडरिक चार्ल्स लूथर रैटन (1840-1926)

अंग्रेजी आविष्कारक और निर्माता, फ्रेडरिक रैटन पहली फोटो आपूर्ति व्यवसायों की, रैटन और 1878 में वेईनराईट की स्थापना की. रैटन और वेईनराईट निर्मित और बेचा कोलाइडयन गिलास प्लेट और जिलेटिन सूखे प्लेटें.
1878 में, रैटन धोने से पहले चांदी ब्रोमाइड जेलाटीन emulsions के noodling प्रक्रिया का आविष्कार किया. 1906 में, डा. CE के केनेथ Mees (Eck Mees) का आविष्कार किया है और इंग्लैंड में पहली पैनक्रोमेटिक प्लेट उत्पादन की सहायता के साथ रैटन. रैटन सबसे अच्छा फ़ोटो फिल्टर है कि वह आविष्कार के लिए जाना जाता है और अभी भी उसके बाद नामित किया रैटन फ़िल्टर. ईस्टमैन कोडक 1912 में उनकी कंपनी को खरीदा है.

35 मिमी कैमरा

1905 के रूप में जल्दी के रूप में, Oskar Barnack फिल्म नकारात्मक स्वरूप को कम करने और फिर तस्वीरों के विस्तार के बाद वे उजागर किया गया था का विचार था. Leica में विकास प्रबंधक के रूप में, वह अपने सिद्धांत अभ्यास में डाल करने में सक्षम था. वह सिनेमा फिल्म के लिए जोखिम के नमूने लेने के लिए एक साधन लिया और यह दुनिया का पहला 35 मिमी कैमरे में बदल गया: उर Leica है.
Polaroid या त्वरित तस्वीरें

Polaroid फोटोग्राफी एडविन हरबर्ट भूमि के द्वारा आविष्कार किया गया था. भूमि अमेरिकी आविष्कारक और भौतिक विज्ञानी के विकास और तत्काल फोटोग्राफी तस्वीरें मुद्रण के लिए एक कदम प्रक्रिया जिसका था. पहली Polaroid कैमरा नवंबर में जनता के लिए बेच दिया गया था 1948.
प्रयोज्य कैमरा

फ़ूजी 1986 में प्रयोज्य कैमरा शुरू की. हम उन्हें disposables कहते हैं लेकिन जो लोग इन कैमरों आप जानते हैं कि वे भागों रीसाइक्लिंग, वे अपने उत्पादों को फोन करके व्यक्त करने का प्रयास किया है एक संदेश करने के लिए प्रतिबद्ध हैं “कैमरों एकल उपयोग करना चाहते हैं.”
डिजिटल कैमरा

1984 में, कैनन का पहला डिजिटल इलेक्ट्रॉनिक अभी भी कैमरे का प्रदर्शन किया.

Better solution is to store useful chemicals in film canisters – especially the black plastic ones. They can take 30ml at the most, they’re ubiquitous (my current favourite word), they have nothing better to do with their time and they’re the perfect height. By which I mean, at about 3/4 full the metal bit (I’m lacking in technical terms) of a paintbrush doesn’t come in contact with the chemicals. So nothing drastic happens and nothing gets ruined by the metal. Given that I was keeping the gum sensitiser/poster paint in polystyrene cups, it’s an improvement. And I don’t have to keep hunting for empty water or milk bottles in the darkroom (because I happen to know where all the black film canisters are kept). So I get to be organised again, although if I was being really organised I’d use actual stickers instead of masking tape to label what was in there.

I’m exposing cyanotypes as I type (the best kind of multi-tasking which involves nothing more than looking to see if it’s done yet), I’ve already done one this morning which came out quite nicely. I’ve coated some different bits of paper, mostly because I’ve only really seen cyanotypes done on white paper/fabric and I have a nice little collection of scraps of paper. There’s probably some very obvious reason as to why no one uses nice, pretty, marbled paper (it doesn’t work, for example). But I’m curious, and I like patterns and I do like using my collections. Or some of them. We’ll see what happens anyway. I’m also finding interesting conspiracy theories about the Turin Shroud and the use of gum bichromate (there’s an argument – not entirely credible though – that Da Vinci was the first to use light sensitive materials to produce an image (there’s a portrait of him on the Shroud made from dichromated egg and urine).

Hi y’all! Come on by the Philadelphia International Flower Show on Sunday, March 4th, 3:30PM, Room #201B and learn how you can make these beautiful sun print glass trays and plates. My workshop is titled ‘Crafts From The Garden’. For all of you garden crafters (and gardeners), I’ll be sharing five easy projects for you to give a whirl.

Hope to see you on Sunday!

I did another cyanotype, but it dried funny and doesn’t look marvellous. But on the plus side I taught (in the loosest possible sense) someone else how to do them. That mixture has lasted ages as well…that was 30ml of each I think, and I’ve done a lot of paper (all with at least two coats). Those bottles are huge, so that’ll last ages.

And then I did more salt prints – and they worked far better. Luckily there was some salted paper left (although I did salt a piece of handmade paper and a thinner sheet so I can try that tomorrow) and a lot of silver nitrate solution. Apparently that was meant to have gone off by now (it’s been mixed up since the middle of December), but I think age has actually improved it. Or the lighting was a whole lot better today (it’s been properly sunny for the first time), because I got a lot better tones this time round.

I think I could spend a long time just pottering about with all these chemicals – I fear I’ve taken over the darkroom with all the stuff I’ve been using! Each set of chemicals and brushes (and paint) is kept in its  own tray, luckily not many other people seem to be using the darkroom and I can work with the lights on. If I learnt how to do it properly (and how it actually works) I guess i could teach workshops or something…that wouldn’t be so bad. Or write books, I’d like that.

E.

Here’s a sneak peek at one of the projects I’ll be sharing in my ‘Crafts From The Garden’ workshop...sun print coasters.  Fun, super easy and would make the perfect gift for your gardening friends and family.

Sun Print Coasters

It was actually light enough today for it to work (always a bonus). I do have some sort of idea in mind, but we’ll see where it goes. Anyway, look – it’s a miniature chair! How nice.

E.

This challenge is called “Postcards from Home” and features small (4 inch by 6 inch) pictorials of scenes from you home environment: landscapes, perhaps a historical  point of interest.  Some suggestions to get you thinking about a pictorial postcard:  the natural environment, such as mountains, deserts or coastal scenery; native flora and fauna; images of agriculture such as farms, ranches and dairies; man-made scenes, such as towns and cities, bridges, monuments, museums, and theme parks; historical images from home past; and recreational settings.

Deadline:  August 15, 2012
Open to all
Size:  4 inches by 6 inches (traditional postcard size
Writing may be included
Make a label for the back of your postcard containing the following information:

Postcard from Home Challenge 2012
Your Name and Address
Title of Postcard
Location of scene

On a separate piece of paper, please include a short paragraph explaining the scene you felted and any additional information that you wish to share.  This information may be used in promotional materials and articles concerning this challenge.

Bring the finished postcards, or mail* the finished postcard to me.  I will document and photograph each postcard. I would like to take a display of these postcards to various exhibits. We have a Final Friday exhibit here in my hometown of Lawrence, KS. There is First Friday in Kansas City, MO. There is a large possibility of several national venues for a traveling exhibit but locations are undisclosed at this time.

Leave a response if you might be interested.  The pieces will be auctioned off for a charity fund raiser TBA later. So this is a mere feeler for a response.  I may extend it to fiberart postcards, since  my circle of acquaintances extend way into the fiber world: weaving, surface design, beading,  hand made papers,  fabric design, dying, indigo, baskets etc. i have yet to decide.  What a great way to get your work SEEN by a groups of people.

1 Day Cyanotype Workshop
TBA – by appointment
Maximum 3 places
£80.00 ea (£25.00 deposit)

Booking includes lunch and Cyanotype Printing Kit.

Or pay a deposit to hold your place, then just settle the difference in cash on the day.

Artist and photographer Shari Baker runs one day and two day photographic workshops and masterclasses from her 27ft sailboat, Aquila, on selected dates, throughout the summer months, for small groups.

A new class this season will offer an introduction to the historic photographic printing technique of the Cyanotype. This printing process enables photographic images to be fixed onto a variety of organic or porous surfaces such as art paper and cloth, using only sunlight. The resulting photograms are blue in colour and this technique has been used historically for cataloguing flora and fauna, by the English Botanist and Photographer, Anna Atkins.

During the classes we will work with a range of natural found objects and flotsam from around the area, such as nets, seaweed, algae, feathers and leaves to produce individual sun prints. During the session, we will also have the opportunity to develop new work together and experiment with black and white photographic negatives – either brought with you (medium or large format works really well) or some I have on board.

Anyone wishing to bring their own treasures and objects to experiment with, please do -  jewellery and glass bottles can give lovely shapes.

A variety of paper sizes can be used as the blue cyanotype emulsion is painted on by hand, making it possible to create a range of wonderful outcomes during the session.

Cyanotype Printing Kits are available via my Etsy store for those who would like to try experimenting at home. The kits include cyanotype sensitiser, art paper, protective gloves, contact film, plus full step by step instructions for making your own sun prints.

To book a place on the workshop, or to find out more, please get in touch.

If there’s one thing we have lots of these days in Texas, it’s bright, hot, sunlight. It’s the perfect time for making sun prints! Today we tried out a small kit that came with everything we needed to make our very own sun photos.

The kit came with 12 sheets of light sensitive paper, some images to clip, and a great book with lots of interesting info. The kit box serves as the platform and the clear lid as a cover for your arrangement.

After you arrange your objects on the paper, you simply place it out in direct sunlight. The book said it would take a few minutes, but with the intensity of the August sunlight here, it only took about 30 seconds. If your young artists like instant gratification, this activity is sure to please!

After you expose your arrangement, the paper needs to be submerged in water with a few drops of lemon juice for a minute.

Then, you let it dry on a paper towel and the print develops in a few more minutes. The image turns white and the background turns darker blue. We tried some more nature objects, glass rocks, handwriting on a transparency, and even a photo printed on a transparency. It’s a lot of fun for kids to experiment with this! But you run out of your 12 sheets of sun print paper fast!

Ok, so the photo idea didn’t turn out like I had hoped. I probably should’ve changed it to black and white before I printed it. We loved the nature prints, though. I put the best ones together in a clip-frame and hung it up in the play room. I LOVE using the kid’s art in our home!

Off to try to make something for the Somerset Life newspaper challenge. Hope you’re having a great weekend!

We are all very excited to meet you at our first class March 17th at 3:15! And thanks for joining the blog. This is a place where we can share our thoughts and ideas about photography and the work we are doing together in class.

I have posted previously on cyanotype or  solar prints I made with light sensitive chemical saturated fabric, found objects and   solar light. I took at workshop at the UC  Berkely on sunprints The longer the exposure the deeper the indigo blue and crisper lines. Of course like any thing  there are limits, if over exposure  occurs the indigo transforms to a burnt brown and the fabric structure is weaken as in  scorching a fabric when ironing.

These samples were made on cotton sheeting. At one time, I dyed the fabric first then added the chemicals so the white ares would be replaces with magenta or yellow or colors of choice. The contrast with the indigo blue with the  underlying color is thrilling. I have not seen any documentation of  cyanotype printing on wool, so this might be another fun Sunday sunny afternoon project.

I found this site particularly interesting on sunprinting and sun prints

This was a very quiet week around here. It was so nice! We spent the time getting ready for Thanksgiving (which was wonderful), and playing, and getting a little bit ahead on our school work. I’m hoping to take a few weeks off when Daddy gets home…
We actually sat down and did school work on 3 mornings this week, which was my goal. Woo hoo!
Math:We finished our unit on clocks, and Crumpet is now pretty good at telling time to the hour and reading the time when it is written.
Reading: We started a new Progressive Phonics book. The style of teaching in the phonics books has changed a bit for this level, and we like it. It involves some repetition, but they make it fun, so Crumpet doesn’t mind. He is now reading entire pages. He also did his first word search puzzle in his McRuffy workbook, and he thought that was a lot of fun.
Science:We finally received the Scholastic Book order I place 2 months ago, which included a set of Magic School Bus books. My plan was to read one at a time and make a science unit out of each. Crumpet has other plans – he loves them, so we are rapidly working through the box. I guess we’ll reread them and make science units out of them at some other time! We performed the balloon inflating experiments from Tired, Need Sleep here. These were so fun. Crumpet was a big fan of the baking soda and vinegar one that threatened to explode all over the kitchen. “Again again!!!”
Science/Art: I bought some sun print paper at the contemporary art museum last week. We had used this an art class in Georgia, and I think it’s really neat. This time, we used sunscreen on one sheet and left the other one alone. I had heard that sunscreen would let less light through and the designs would not be as bright. You can sort of tell which paper had sunscreen (the one on the right)…

And can you believe the only other pictures I took this week were of the giant goose egg on Crumpet’s forehead? He slipped and fell face first on our hard linoleum floors. Ouch.

I hope you all had a great week, and a wonderful Thanksgiving! For more preschool posts, head over to Homeschool Creations!

Thank you, Carol. But don’t give her credit for the mistakes – each is my very own.

Why a blog now?

Here’s the 1st best reason. I’ve been honored with an invitation from Dawn Goldsmith to be a GUEST BLOGGER on Subversive Stitchers to talk about my Valentine post cards. Dawn graciously mentioned that I could link back to my own website, blog, facebook or whatever. Uhhhh, I didn’t happen to have a website, blog, facebook or even a whatever. I am a proud member of the original Art2Mail website, but I thought that maybe now is the time for a blog. We’ll see what happens.

The 2nd best reason is that I love the sun print that’s in the header and had to use it! The grid I used as a resist is one of those flats you get at gardening centers (or wherever) to carry your plants . I kid you not – even has those neat little starburst thingy’s and the solid circles. One more thing to consider about where we buy our plants. If they don’t have interesting flat designs . . . .Well, . . .

I had some room at the bottom of the fabric and decided to do a 4×6 post card for my granddaughter’s initials.  I used those fat ‘jello’  alphabet letters and love the shadow it made.  Of course the sun cooperated by being in the right place in the sky.  Thank you, sun.

Since I had some extra room I tried a scrap of paper filler used for packaging.  You can see the edge of the plant tray at the bottom.  I think it looks like a guard rail – maybe on a bridge???

Same scan only in this position the edge of the tray makes a neat vertical  lattice.

SUN PRINTS

I  learned how to sun print  from Ellen Guerrant in a class she taught in May  of 2007 at Cedar Lakes, in West Virginia.  Great class, great instructor, and great students equal a fantastic experience.  She is knowledgeable, has a great sense of humor and a very relaxing manner. The kind of instructor that makes you just want to go out and DO.  And I did.

As soon as I got home I had to teach someone else.

My 4 yr old granddaughter’s first wall hanging.  Grandma did the quilting and borders.

Those circles pretty much say what I feel right now after the battle I’ve waged to get one page of blog written.   I have no idea where the links to Carol Logan Newbill & Ellen Geurrant disappeared to.   The last time I tried to find them I managed to delete this whole thing – not again, not tonight.    And I don’t know how to fix the side bar.  Maybe tomorrow?  Maybe not.  Eventually.   It is now February 5th.  Enough said?

Cyanotypes

The cyanotype process for making prints was invented by Sir John Herschel in 1842 and came from his discovery of the light sensitivity of iron salts.

John Herschel-Julia Margaret Cameron

Cyanotypes became popular because it was a simple process and didn’t require a darkroom and very little equipment. Interesting to note, the process was used to copy architectural drawings, hence the term “blueprint”. John Herschel   developed the process as a means to copy his notes.

A sheet of paper was brushed with iron salt solutions and dried in the dark. The object to be reproduced – a plant specimen, a drawing or a negative – was then placed on the sheet in direct sunlight. After about 15 minutes a white impression of the subject formed on a blue background. The paper was then washed in water where oxidation produced the brilliant blue – or cyan – that gave the process its name.

Cyanotypes are one of the earliest photo processes.

Anna Atkins

Anna Atkins produced the first photographically illustrated book and is recognised as the first female photographer, with her three-volume British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions appearing in instalments from 1843. Atkins used the Cyanotype process which had been invented in 1842 by Fox Talbot’s associate Sir John Herschel.

Anna Atkins

Cyanotypes are fairly long-lasting, as some of Sir John Herschel’s originals from the 1840s are still clear. More modern forms were developed in time using different mixes of chemicals, but the process remains basically the same. The cyanotype process was popularly used in copying architectural plans but was made obsolete (fairly recently) by computer printers and photocopying. Cyanotypes remain to this day one of the most beautiful and unique processes in early photographic history

Anna Atkins

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Cyanotypes are made by combining two chemicals, potassium ferricyanide and ferric ammonium. Paper is coated with the mixture and left to dry in the dark. Negatives can be placed on the paper or objects are laid down and exposed to sunlight. Once the paper is exposed, it’s given a water bath. This produces a white image on a blue background.

The process in detail:http://www.photogs.com/bwworld/cyanotypes.html

Originally, Cyanotypes (called “ferro prussiate”) were used in conjunction with scientific recordings of mathematical tables, a diverse range of plant specimens and architectural structures. In fact, the first woman photographer, Anna Atkins, used Cyanotypes to print “Cyanotypes of British and Foreign Flowering Plants and Ferns” and was the very first book of printed photographs and text.Anna’s work and details of a variety of early photographic processes can be found on the V&A website.

Cyanotype processing involves two stock solutions which need to be kept separate from each other in dark glass bottles until required for coating. Stock Solution “A” uses Ferric Ammonium citrate Stock Solution “B” uses Potassium Ferricyanide Both of these chemicals are very toxic and care for yourself and the environment muct be taken at all times. When handling the chemicals, wear protective clothing and gloves, plus a dust mask when handling the powder form. OK! Enough of that….what you do to start making blueprints….

STOCK SOLUTION A:
Ferric ammounium citrate      90g
distilled water                         8 fl oz (124ml)

Adjust water temperature to 75 degrees F (23.8C). Using a funnel, pour 90g (124ml) ferric ammonium citrate into a clean glass beaker. While stirring, add enough water to make 8fl oz (250ml) of solution. Stir until dissolved throughly and pour into a labeled brown bottle.

STOCK SOLUTION B:
Potassium Ferricyanide        50g
distilled water                        8 fl oz (124ml)

Adjust water temperature to 75 degrees F (23.8C). Using a funnel, pour 50g (65ml) Potassium Ferricyanide into a clean glass beaker. While stirring, add enough water to make 8fl oz (250ml) of solution. Stir until dissolved throughly and pour into a labeled brown bottle. Both solutions should last several months, and longer sometimes, if kept in tightly sealed containers and in a dark, cool cupboard. Make sure you keep these bottles clearly labeled and away from animals and children.

To use the solutions, shake each bottle then mix together 1oz (29ml) of both A & B together in a glass or ceramic bowl. This will coat around eight 8×10 in sheets of paper (any type of thick printmaking/drawing paper). Dip a wide haired or foam brush in the mixture and apply a small amount to the paper, coating the yellowish mixture evenly in long strokes to cover the area needed. Dry by a cool fan or hairdryer or lay flat until dry.

The Process

To expose the paper, place it on a backing board and cover it with the negative you have made to the same size as the paper. Sandwich it all together with a sheet of glass and clamp it with bulldog clips. Place the frame under direct sunlight or another strong ultra violet source. The exposure times will vary from around 5 minutes to half an hour or longer depending on the level of light. You will be able to see when the emulsion is ready when it changes colour from yellowish green to blue/green to bright blue.

To develop the paper, simply remove it from the frame and hose it in a sink with cool water until the rinsing water is clear. You can then intensify the print by making a brightening solution with 2 capfuls of bleach to 2L of water and rock the print in a tray of it until the image turns a deeper blue. Wash the print throughly for 10 minutes, blot dry and hang on a clothesline or use a fan or hair dryer.

The process itself is very very simple and the results are strikingly beautiful. As with most alternative proceses you can experiment and combine processes such a Van Dyke and Cyanotype, although print the cyanotype first or the blueprint will obscure the print underneath. You may also like to try and experiment with placing objects such as ferns etc on top of the emulsion…the variations are unlimted.

For a wide range of ‘alternative ‘ photographic processes see the alternative photography website.

Using photoshop to produce cyanotypes

If you dont want to go traditional and get your hands wet -you can copy digital photographers who  have been trying to recreate early photographic processes using photopshop. Today’s cyanotypes, like the one pictured above, also fall under the umbrella of Photoshop Duotones. These are made with black, blue, and cyan ink; sometimes the smallest amount of green is added. See the tutorial from Digital Black and White

Also check out this Photoshop creative magazine article

Step One:
Select your images
Open the image statue and butapest and place both images in one photoshop file. Name the file “Cyanotype”.

Step Two:
Transform and Blend
To remove the black background behind the statue, switch the statue layer’s blend mode to Screen. Then transform the layer’s scale to work with the Budapest background. Be sure to hold the shift key down while transforming the image so that it will stay in proportion.

Step Three:
Bring back detail
Create a new layer sandwiched between the Statue and teh Budapest layers. Then with a large brush set to about 150 pixels, paint by dabbing over the statuue with a middle grey color. (R-128, G-128, B-128)This will bring back some definition in the statue while creating a grainy look.

Step Four:Add some grain
Select the Statue layer and add some extra grain via the filter/ pixelate/mezzotint. Select medium dots. Now fade the filter, edit/Fade by 30%. When done select the eraser tool, and use a large soft edge rush to erase around the statue where the mezzotint sprinkling has crept into the statue’s background.

Step Five:More Grain
Select the Budapest layer and apply some added grain, filter/texture/grain. Set both intensity and contrast to 50 and use the regular grain type. When done, save your image for backup and then merge the layers. Layer/merge visable.

Step Six:go vertical
With the image merged into a single layer, go back into the grain dialog again and then use Vertical as teh grain type. Now enter 18 for the intensity and 0 for the contrast.

Step Seven:From RGB to GReyscale to Duotone
Convert the image to greyscale, image / mode/ greyscale. click ok when asked to discard color information, click the ok button. Then immediately convert from greyscale to Duotone, image/mode/ duotone. The duotone dialog box opens.

Step Eight:The duotone dialog
The duotone dialog separates the image into printing inks. click on the color swatch under the black swatch and choose a cyan blue color hex value 024C7B for the duotone. click into the box with the diagonal line next to the black swatch and make a point in the center of the box and drag the point downward. Click ok. Click into the box next to the blue color and when the large dialog box cmes up click into the center and drag the point up to increase the blue tint. continue changing the amount until you have a nice combination of blue and black int he image.

Step Nine:convert to RGB
convert back to RGB mode and copy the layer and name it blue overlay. Switch the blend mode to overlay and make the opacity to 33%. Now apply a gaussian blur, filter/ blur / gaussian blur with a radius of 20. Finally desaturate teh layer, image/ adjust/ desaturate.

Step ten:Add some text
Select the foreground color to access the color picker and choose a light blue violet RGB 198,204,255. Pick the type tool and use a script font to type several lines of text until it fill s the screen. use the character palette on the options bar to ensure the text is closely spaced and overlaps slightly.

Step Eleven:Random transparency
Teh text is for effect, not readability, so to push it further into the background and make it look randomly scattered, add a layer mask to the type layer and apply the difference clouds filter three times on the mask. Filter/ clouds/ difference clouds.

Step Twelve:Add a border
Add a rough edge around the image by creating a new layer at the top of the layer stack. Select a chaulk or dry brush and dab at the edgeing all the way around the image. Use more than one brush to build the effect. Now change the layer’s blend mode to screen at 955. ‘ Save your work.

If you want to take it further and make semi real Cyanotypes you can purchase prepared light sensitive paper or fabric on which  you can place objects and negatives (which you can process in your image software programme by turning an image into a negative, increase the contrast and print out on transparent film ) and expose them to the sun, when rinsed under the tap , the images appear.

Take a look at

For fabric cyanotypes -take a look at Blueprints on Fabric:

Another artist who uses cyanotypes creatively is Katie Knight:

I print on paper or on fabric, with a fondness for silk. Its various textures influence transparency, saturation, and how the cloth hangs. After concocting the emulsion and coating it onto paper or cloth, I find myself making nests of natural materials, arranging them onto the sensitized surfaces. Watching birds and animals make their nests during my spring residency at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, I began composing nests as an expression of my interest in shelter. I layer the objects over the course of the exposure, playing with both time and distance from the surface. I can use the cyanotypes on fabric to construct sculptural forms that become nest-like houses. Alternatively, I can build them into boats that drift in air currents, whimsical or haunted with the spirits invoked by images.

Whether on paper or fabric, these delicate blue prints reflect the fragility of our blue planet, our dependence upon sunlight and water, and the vitality of dancing lightly with nature.

And a book to find out more about alternative photographic processes:

Easy enough for a 2.5 year-old to enjoy.

Nature Print Paper

During our last morning at Idle Primary School we made some special prints with Class 2. We called them ‘Magic Sunshine Prints’ but their real name is Cyanotypes. Cyan is another name for blue. Cyanotypes are a kind of photography. We placed leaves, grasses and flowers on the special paper outside in the sunshine, with a sheet of plastic over the top to hold things down in the wind which was quite blustery. Here is a picture of Viv and some boys creating their cyanotype.

The sunshine makes the paper go dark blue except where the leaves have been, which stays pale blue or white. Its like capturing the shadow of your object. After a couple of minutes in the sun, you put the paper in a bath of water to fix the image.

The children from class 2 made lots of wonderful patterns with their leaves and petals. Angie and Viv had collected all the green things from Buck Wood in the morning and brought them into school. This was the opposite of last week when all the children were collected at school and brought to Buck Wood!

Here is a picture showing just three of the 14 amazing cyantoypes that the children made.

Here are a few activities I have planned:

• Using spray bottles filled with colored water to create spray art on a white piece of poster board
• Dragging my mom to Orlando on Tuesday to go to IKEA and the outlet mall. It depends on her work schedule but I’m hopeful that she’ll be able to take off.
• Painting ceramic figurines (train and fish)
• Learning about sun bleaching by placing several items on a piece of construction paper and leaving it out in the sun for an hour.

• Activity sheets from a preschool workbook
• Putting a Diego jigsaw puzzle together
• Splashing in kiddie pools in the backyard
• If I’m really desperate, we might make cookies.
• Library story time on Thursday morning followed by a playdate/lunch at our house
• Day Out with Thomas on Friday!

(Notice the really crappy Photoshop job of the Thomas face on the train…)

Wildman loves trains, train tracks, train DVDs and train tables. Day Out with Thomas should be right up his alley! We’ll meet Sir Topham Hatt, take a 25-minute ride on Thomas, build stuff with Lego bricks, and more. The only thing that sucks is we have to drive 2 hours to get to the train park! Oh, well. It’ll be well worth the hike to get there. I better get the camera card cleared out in preparation for some cute pics.