Cyanotype Printmaking Workshop, August 12, 2023

A one-day workshop on the Cyanotype Printmaking technique was organized by the Department of Fine Arts on August 12, 2023. The convenor of the workshop was Ms. Ekta Sharma, Assistant Professor, Department of Fine Arts. The students of B.F.A Sem V & VII and M.F.A Sem III participated in this workshop. 

The workshop started with a warm welcome of the Printmaker Mr. Chandra Prakash Jain. Further, the event progressed with an introduction of the artist and his subject specialization. This was added by a power point presentation on the history, materials, and process of the Cyanotype technique by Mr. Chandra Prakash Jain. A quick query session was conducted where students got the chance to express and clarify their doubts regarding the presented subject. They were keen to know about the ratio of chemicals used in the printing process which Prakash Sir demonstrated to the students later on and also stated the potential harm caused by the chemicals.

A brief demonstration was given on how to prepare a uniform mixture of solutions Ferric Ammonium Citrate and Potassium Ferricyanide with water to be used for printing in a dark room. An insight on the specifications of the arrangement of UV light was highlighted during the process of preparing the dark room for printing. The process of taking print in natural sunlight was also explained to the students. With an addition to it, an understanding of taking prints using natural materials like flowers, grass, leaves and other texture based materials was focused during the session. Further, the convenor assisted them with the printing method of direct negative based images, photograph based negative print. Thereafter the students experimented with the layouts for cyanotype printing. Wherein they created drawings to be converted into cyanotype prints. 

The workshop came out to be very useful and important for the students as they learnt a contemporary printmaking technique, which enhanced their practical skills.