Learn Cyanotype Printing – Workshops & Mentoring in London /

Q: What is a cyanotype workshop like?

Each workshop is fully hands-on. You will learn to mix chemistry, hand-coat papers, expose prints under UV light, and experiment with creative techniques such as bleaching and toning. By the end, you will have your own finished cyanotypes to take home.

Q: Where are the workshops held?

Workshops take place in my London studio in Hackney. I also offer one-to-one mentoring sessions tailored to individual projects.

Exploring the Cyanotype Process

Cyanotype is one of the earliest photographic printing processes, instantly recognisable for its deep Prussian blue tones and contact-printing technique. First developed in the 1840s, cyanotype offers a direct, hands-on approach to image-making—merging light, chemistry, and time.

In my own practice, I use cyanotype not just for its historic significance but for its expressive potential. Alongside traditional cyanotypes, I create advanced variations including toned cyanotypes, layered prints, and works made from digital negatives. The results sit between photography, drawing, and printmaking—where image and surface are inseparable.

Contemporary Cyanotype Prints

The cyanotypes shown here form part of a wider exploration into impermanence, perception, and the materiality of photographic processes. Some prints are single-layered and traditional; others are multi-layered and toned using natural substances such as tea, tannins, or iron salts. These alter the colour, shifting the blue into sepia, grey, or warm black hues. Each print is unique, created by hand on watercolour paper using sensitised solutions and UV exposure. None are editioned or reproduced—they exist as one-of-a-kind objects, part of an evolving conversation between chance and control.

Cyanotype Teaching & Mentoring

Cyanotype also plays a central role in my workshops and mentoring. With over 35 years’ experience as a fine-art photographer and lecturer at London Metropolitan University and Cambridge School of Art, I bring both historical knowledge and contemporary experimentation to my teaching. I run cyanotype workshops in London for beginners, artists, and advanced practitioners, covering:

Making and calibrating digital negatives
Hand-coating papers and preparing surfaces
UV exposure and development techniques
Bleaching and toning processes
Hybrid analogue/digital workflows

Whether you’re a photographer, printmaker, or fine artist, cyanotype offers a tactile, contemplative way to reconnect with the physical act of making.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cyanotype workshop like?
Each workshop is fully hands-on. You’ll learn to mix chemistry, hand-coat papers, expose prints under UV light, and experiment with creative techniques such as bleaching and toning. By the end, you’ll have your own finished cyanotypes to take home.

Do I need photography experience?
Not at all. Cyanotype workshops are designed for complete beginners as well as photographers, artists, and printmakers who want to deepen their practice or explore hybrid analogue/digital methods. In fact, you don’t even need a camera.

Where are the workshops held?
Workshops take place in my London studio (Hackney). I also offer one-to-one mentoring sessions tailored to your individual projects.

For details on one-to-one cyanotype tuition or small group workshops in London, see the ➤ Workshops & Mentoring pages.