Cyanotypes, Anatomy, and a Touch of History

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with cyanotype printing, and it’s opened up a whole new creative direction for me. If you’ve seen me at recent art trails or markets, you might’ve spotted these deep blue prints making their debut—and I’ve been really touched by the positive response so far.

Cyanotype is one of the oldest photographic printing processes, first developed in the 1840s by scientist and astronomer Sir John Herschel. It was later popularised by botanist Anna Atkins, who used the technique to document plant specimens—often considered the first female photographer. The process creates distinctive Prussian blue images using sunlight and specially coated paper, and the results can feel both delicate and bold.

Cyanotype of Dictyota dichotoma by Anna Atkins, showcasing the intricate details of the seaweed in its young and fruiting states.

For my cyanotypes, I’ve been using a combination of vintage anatomy illustrations and my own kaleidoscopic designs, which are also based on historical medical imagery. There’s something striking about seeing those anatomical forms and mirrored patterns emerge in blue—it feels like revealing something old in a completely new way.

I've been using old medical books to cyanotype old anatomy illustrations

Alongside heavyweight watercolour paper, I’ve also started printing onto pages from vintage medical books. The slightly yellowed tones of the old paper, along with the printed text and diagrams that sometimes peek through, add another layer of texture and meaning to the work. It’s as if the history of the page becomes part of the final piece.

These cyanotypes have been coming with me to art trails and markets recently, and I’ve really enjoyed seeing people connect with them—whether it’s the colour, the textures, or the unexpected fusion of art and science. Each print is a little bit unpredictable, depending on the paper and exposure time, which makes every one unique.

Those of you familiar with my work know I like to embellish some of my prints with a bit of gold leaf, and I couldn't resist gold leafing some of the the cyanotypes. The blue and the gold together look so beautiful.

I’ll be continuing to experiment with this process and hope to bring more to upcoming events. If you spot a glowing blue print on an old anatomy page, come and say hello—I’d love to show you more.