Use Cyanotype Process on a Tea Bag for Your Art Journal

 

—-Tea Bag Art Tip—-

Here are some examples of how I use tea bags with the cyanotype process in my art journal using pressed flowers and leaves.
All of these are pages will go in my Tiny Stories Art Journal.

Cyanotype process on three art journal pages

If you’re not familiar with the cyanotype process, here’s an excellent tutorial on getting started.

I use the cyanotype process on clean tea bags that haven’t been steeped. When I make tea, I empty the leaves into a tea strainer and keep the tea bag for my art.

My tea bag art Process using Cyanotype

Here are the steps in my process:

  1. I prepare the chemicals, following the directions given in the link above.

  2. I iron tea bags, if necessary, then lay out them in a single layer on a sturdy non-absorbent substrate. I like to use tempered glass as the substrate for applying the chemical.

  3. I put on protective gloves and apply the chemical with a brush from the center to the outside edge.

  4. I let the tea bags get almost dry on the glass. They’ll stick to the glass if I let them get completely dry.

  5. I lay out the almost dry tea bags in a single layer on another base like cardboard, newsprint, or fabric to dry completely.

  6. When they’re dry, I place the pressed flowers and/or leaves I want to use as masks on the tea bags. The chemical will not develop (turn dark) under the mask because the sunlight can’t reach the chemical. The cyanotype chemical will rinse out leaving area under the mask on the tea bag as a whitish area.

  7. I lay clear acrylic or glass on the masks and tea bags. This keeps good contact between the mask and the chemical-treated tea bag.

  8. I set the stack of glass, tea bags, masks, and clear acrylic in the sun for about 20 minutes. You could leave them there more or less time depending on the strength of the sun. Don’t move this stack when it’s exposing in the sun.

  9. When the time is up, I carry the stack indoors and remove the plexiglass and masks.

  10. I put each tea bag under running water for five minutes or I’ll put the tea bags in a pan with clean water for 5 minutes, then rinse.  I make sure to rinse all of the undeveloped chemical out of the tea bags.

  11. I lay them flat and let them dry.

  12. Finally, I iron them, embellish them, and make them into art.


Resources for Cyanotype Sensitizer

https://www.freestylephoto.biz/070091-Formulary-Liquid-Cyanotype-Kit-1-Liter

https://www.dickblick.com/items/jaquard-cyanotype-sensitizer-set/

 
 
 
tea bag art tutsCarol Ann WebsterComment