Anthotypes

Anthotypes were first described by Sir John Herschel  in 1842. The process uses natural plant pigments (e.g. spinach, beetroot, turmeric) to coat a substrate, typically paper, which is then exposed to sunlight with a masked image to create a print.

Key Characteristics:

Non-toxic and eco-friendly.

No fixative is used, hence the image remains photosensitive and will continue to fade over time.

Primarily suited to  contact printing with high contrast images.

Results are often subtle and pastel-like, with unique colour properties based on the source plant.

Recipes (Emulsion Preparation)

Beetroot Anthotype

Pigment: 

Beetroot juice.

Method: 

Grate and press beetroots; strain the juice. Optionally, blend with ethanol (vodka or rubbing alcohol) to improve light sensitivity.

Time to Expose: 

1–3 days in bright sunlight.

Resulting Colour:  

Magenta to pink tones.

Spinach Anthotype

Pigment: 

Chlorophyll from spinach leaves.

Method: 

Blend fresh spinach with minimal water. Filter to remove pulp. Can be thickened slightly using gum arabic.

Time to Expose: 

 3–7 days depending on sunlight intensity.

Resulting Colour: 

Greenish-yellow hues.

Turmeric Anthotype

Pigment:

Curcumin in turmeric powder.

Method:

Mix turmeric with isopropyl alcohol; strain thoroughly.

Time to Expose:

1–2 days.

Resulting Colour:

Bright yellow, fades to white in exposed areas.

Red Cabbage Anthotype

Pigment: 

Anthocyanins.

Method:

Boil red cabbage, then strain and reduce liquid.

Time to Expose:

 2–5 days.

Resulting Colour:

Purple to blue.

Permanence and Image Longevity

Anthotypes are inherently impermanent. They will gradually fade when exposed to continuous light, particularly UV radiation. Key factors influencing this include:

Type of pigment: 

Chlorophyll and anthocyanins degrade faster than curcumin or carotenoids.

Storage conditions: If kept in the dark or behind UV-protective glass, images may last months or even years.

Fixing options: 

Some experimental approaches involve scanning and digital preservation, but no chemical fixatives are viable without compromising the organic concept.

References

Heriot-Watt University, no date. Light Patterning with Anthotypes and Printing with Plants. Available at: <https://www.hw.ac.uk/documents/Post-13-Light-Patterning_Anthotypes_Printing-with-.pdf> [Accessed 30 April 2024].

AlternativePhotography.com, no date. Anthotypes – the Anthotype Process. Available at: <https://www.alternativephotography.com/anthotypes-anthotype-process/> [Accessed 30 April 2024].

Alternative Processes, no date. Anthotypes for Everyone. Available at: <https://www.alternativeprocesses.org/post/anthotypes-for-everyone> [Accessed 30 April 2024].

AlternativePhotography.com, no date. In-Camera Anthotypes. Available at: <https://www.alternativephotography.com/in-camera-anthotypes/> [Accessed 30 April 2024].

 Wikipedia, no date. Anthotype. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthotype> [Accessed 30 April 2024].