Resistance
Vicky Thorpe
HNC Photography
Introduction
This is my project on Lyveden, called Resistance. Through my research I’ve chosen to focus on Thomas Tresham’s refusal to convert from Catholicism to the Anglican Church, even though this conversion was being pushed by Queen Elizabeth I. I decided to explore this idea through two linked exhibitions, one inside and one outside. My outcomes are made using cyanotype, which I chose because it’s relatively safe to use in the environment in small amounts, and because I like how the process itself feels like it is resisting the UV light. All the images are my own photographs, taken on either my DSLR or my analogue film cameras. I originally thought about using graffiti as one of my exhibits but changed my mind because I wasn’t sure I could clearly link the historic graffiti on the building to the modern graffiti we see today.
Considerations for the Project
The symbolism throughout the design of the building
When and Where Thomas was Imprisoned
Trying Another Method for Exposure
Splitting the Images into Channels
I Made Another Attempt with the Altered Mixtures to See if it had any Effect.
Problem-solving with lining up negatives
Trying my flag design with material
Re-editing the Cyanotype Negative
Learning How to Develop Colour Film
Splitting the images into channels
Collabarating with Isabella and Sophia
Cyanotype for display inside Lyveden
How to Purchase Lyveden Postcards
Preparing the banners for display
Making a Project and Exhibition Page on my Website
Radical Architectures of Oxford and Paris
Photo language (Nigel Green & Robin Wilson)
Clarity and intent: how well were the ideas conveyed to the audience?
Concept: how well the visual research, influences, or contextual references supported the idea?
Illustrated Annotated Bibliography
Three Artists not Already Researched
Ideas for projects
Considerations for the Project
Because we are exhibiting at Lyveden, I must carefully consider the materials I use, especially for any outdoor work. I will need to make these as environmentally friendly as possible to avoid harming the surrounding area. I also see this as an opportunity to use new techniques and experiment with different ways to display my results.
I need to consider the clothes I wear on location, as Lyveden can be muddy and windy. I want to stay dry and warm while avoiding tracking mud into other areas by changing into clean shoes and putting on a warm coat and gloves.
Ideas for processing
I could use the onsite water at Lyveden and expose the results to the sun. If it doesn't work, I could take some water home and do it that way.
I will test and research how long turmeric-based prints will last outdoors, as turmeric fades over time. I will also see how the wind affects the work. The idea of doing my cyanotype at Lyveden is that it will be directly connected to the site using Lyveden’s sun and water. In cyanotype, the dark parts of the negative resist the sun while the uncovered parts react with the photosensitive solution. This resistant nature makes cyanotype a perfect tool to convey the message of resistance.
Ideas
Initially, I explored using turmeric anthotypes alongside cyanotype as a more environmentally friendly option for outdoor work. I documented my early tests and began researching other sustainable approaches.
I developed three early ideas using fabric pieces (such as tea towels or flags): one focusing on Thomas Tresham’s resistance to Anglican worship, one on Frances Tresham’s involvement in the Gunpowder Plot and the impact on his family, and one comparing historic and current images of the garden lodge stone to show its physical resistance to weather over time.
However, I realised that trying to fit all three strands into one outcome risked overcomplicating the work and crowding the exhibition. This led me to refine my approach and focus more clearly on how Thomas Tresham’s resistance is expressed through his buildings.
Inspiration
I am inspired by Thomas Tresham’s successful resistance to being forced to convert from Catholicism to Anglicanism by Queen Elizabeth I. He endured fines and imprisonment, which drained a considerable amount of his resources, but this did not deter him from continuing to practice his Catholicism. This included displaying Catholic symbols on many of the buildings he built, including the garden lodge at Lyveden, often referred to as Lyveden New Bield.
I was impressed by the lengths he went to remain a Catholic. Although the Elizabethans had a thing for puzzles, secrets, and hidden meanings, I am still intrigued by how much this influenced his designing of intricate details, like how long the walls should be so they would fit into the religious meaning. I decided to show them in my outcome because I was so impressed.
I was also inspired by something James said while we were discussing my initial ideas: he mentioned the word “graffiti.” I cannot remember exactly what he said, as I focused on the word. It made me think of what graffiti was and what it represents. I knew there would be a variation of styles over the years.
I watched a video on social media where the photographer took pictures of stone carvings and made them into a video by displaying each image for 5 seconds. If I can find enough information about Thomas Tresham's fines and imprisonments, I could intertwine that with this information.
Research
What is the definition of resistance?
Resistance has many meanings. It can be used to describe the act of refusing to change your religion to the required one. He resisted the change. It can also be used to show resistance to authority through graffiti. This can range from your name and the year you defaced the object, to political statements, or even to show what gang rules that area.
The information I have found out about Tresham’s life has heavily influenced my project. I was totally unaware of the meaning behind Lyveden before this project, and I will end this project with a rich knowledge of all the information I have researched. Without learning about various parts of the historical relevance, I would have had no inspiration for my outcome. The resistance Tresham showed throughout the years of his life fit perfectly with the title of my project.
Graffiti and Vandalism
I could also take images of the graffiti; maybe this could be its own outcome, because graffiti is a form of resistance against authority. Its form can change over time, depending on what is written, but you will always find people’s names with dates. It is also telling where the graffiti has been left, whether it has defaced something, and whether it makes a statement about the person’s beliefs or anger, perhaps at a religious carving, or whether it was left in a discreet place where the artist could not be seen doing it, so they could be daring without much chance of being caught committing the act. It is often a way of leaving one’s mark, but it can also be a way of protesting current events or expressing one's views on outdated points of view, as with the statue of Edward Colston in Bristol.
The city wanted to create a local idol in the form of a statue. His work directly involved him in enslaving 84,000 Africans, of whom 19,000 died during the voyage. But this fact was simply deemed irrelevant at the time. They saw him as a respectable philanthropist and a paternalist, or someone who fitted their agenda at the time. This was a time when statues of great men who embodied great values were being placed around Europe. The statue of Colston makes no mention of his slave-trading routes; it simply refers to him as a merchant linked to the sea. Part of his claim to be worthy of a statue rest on his donating to a church and founding a boys' school. On the surface, this appears to be an act of selflessness, but in fact, he founded the school to train boys to become sailors for his ships. The statue was erected more than 170 years after his death because they wanted to show off local influential men (Watts, 2020)
The statue was graffitied and toppled during a Black Lives Matter protest. It had ropes tied to it and was dragged to the floor in about 30 seconds. Protesters were photographed putting their knee on the statue's neck to mimic how George Floyd died after an American police officer knelt on his neck as part of restraining him after paying for cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 note. This sadly ended in Floyd's death, and protests in Bristol followed in many places across the world.
The statue that ended up in the river was seen as a fitting place, as thousands of his trafficked slaves had died on the voyage over. It was later retrieved and, after consultation with the public, displayed in the M Shed on its back, with the graffiti still in situ, and the discarded placards from the day displayed behind it. It also has an updated plaque stating Colson's history in slavery and telling the story of the day it toppled from its high plinth. (Harcombe, 2025)
The history of graffiti
The meaning of graffiti has changed over time. Graffiti has provided so much insight into ancient life that archaeologists have their own word for it, 'Graffito' meaning: An ancient drawing or writing scratched on a wall or other surface (usually without permission and within public view). (90 Degrees Art, 2024) This shows that marking public spaces has always been a part of human communication.
Over time, people have inscribed their names into things for many centuries. I saw this in the graffiti at Lyveden Garden Lodge. The earliest I found on the outside was in 1790. I also noticed the neatness of the writing and how the formal tone has lessened over the years. The latest I found was from 2025
We, as humans, have been drawing on walls since time began. In fact, we have learned a great deal about how our ancestors lived, and some of these findings have changed what we thought we knew. Some of the graffiti and drawings found are over 30,000 years old. (90 Degrees Art, 2024)
These have been found in Chauvet Cave in southern France and in the equally old Aboriginal rock art in Wunnumurra Gorge. (90 Degrees Art, 2024)
In fact, much of what we know about the eruption at Pompeii comes from the drawings and paintings on the walls. The so-called graffiti, often drawings and paintings that adorned the inside of people’s houses, mainly depicted the people living in the house and sometimes included their or famous people’s achievements. They also often immortalised their pets and horses in this way, too
Tags began to evolve in the 1960’s in New York. One of the earliest tags was Taki 183. Taki was a shortened version of his Christian name, and 183 was his street number. Tags had moved from walls throughout the city to the inside and outside of trains. This meant that their art could be seen by a wider audience. (90 Degrees Art, 2024)
In the 1970’s, the letters of the words became like bubbles; they also added shadows and highlights to make the lettering appear 3D, and this new form became known as Pieces. It was all about getting your “Tag” or “Piece” out there for as many people as possible to see or “up”. The writers of the ghettos were the local heroes before rappers earned fame by busting rhymes. (90 Degrees Art, 2024)
The spread of train writing/train graffiti, and the book that helped popularise this phenomenon worldwide, was a book called Subway Art. This book was created by two highly regarded New York photographers, Henry Chalfant and Martha Cooper. It was compiled from years of observing New York trains and became a very popular resource for many writers.
In the early 1990s, New York was suffering a huge crime wave of every imaginable kind, and residents felt unsafe in a city they once called home. The mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, understood the need for change. He helped clean up the streets of New York, but this also signalled the end of an era for the graffiti subculture, which was targeted as well. (90 Degrees Art, 2024)
Modern graffiti has learnt from all its past lessons. It needs to have a good hand style; your tag letters show who you are and your style. These need to be practiced and well thought out because when putting up graffiti you need to be quick and good at it. Graffiti has become a real art ranging from the abstract to realistic detail and everything in between.
Before the internet, graffiti writers had pen pals whom they exchanged photographs or sketches of their work with. The invention of the internet changed this forever. Even more so when social media began. Sites like Facebook and Instagram turned what used to be a small audience into a global one.
Graffiti at Lyveden
I visited Lyveden on 16 February during half term. I wanted to have a look around before we went on a college trip. One of the things I found fascinating was the graffiti all over the garden lodge.
I found lots of graffiti. I focused on those that had a year to indicate when they were done, and on how well they had stood the test of time.
Pictures taken at Lyveden
Here is a selection of the digital images that I took at Lyveden and used in different parts of my project.
Trip to Camden
We are going to learn how to develop colour film next week, and I was given a roll of colour film to use for my current project. I planned to look at local graffiti, but there isn’t much near me, so I was going to go to Northampton. I considered going to Camden, as Nic had mentioned he visited there in level 3 and had shared an image with me. because I couldn’t stop thinking about all the photographic opportunities I decided early on Saturday, 7 March, to go.
When I went to load the film into my camera, it wouldn’t wind on after I had inserted it. I initially thought my camera was broken until I switched it to check mode and realised the battery was dead. Luckily, I had spare batteries at home, so I replaced them, and it worked. I finished loading the film, which at the time I assumed had all worked correctly. I then booked my tickets and headed to the train station. I arrived at St Pancras just after 8 and went straight to Camden via the Northern line on the underground.
When I arrived, I had no idea where to find the graffiti and asked a passerby, who directed me to where the vans park at Inverness Street market. The vans are covered in graffiti, with some fantastic designs. After photographing the vans, I continued further along Camden Street and found plenty of other street art to capture. Once I finished shooting with the film, I tried to rewind it but accidentally snapped the film. I left it in the camera and planned to ask a tutor to help me extract it on Monday.
After going into college, I took the film out in the darkroom to find that the reel had fully gone into the canister. This led me to believe that I did not load the camera properly. I was devastated, but it is a lesson to learn from. I chatted with James, and he asked me if I thought I had exposed the film and it was just very quick to rewind. I decided to reuse the film after James managed with a tool to get the end back out again. I took the film to Lyveden and shot up to 32 images. The last one seemed to not want to wind on as easily, so I stopped. I will try and take the rest of the images before we develop them when we learn how to develop colour films. If I’m wrong about the film, we could get some interesting double exposures. It will be interesting to see what comes out. It turns out that I hadn’t loaded the film properly and this meant it didn’t take any images at all just the ones I took at Lyveden. These are displayed later in my continuous document. I did also take my box camera with me, and I managed to capture these images.
Images taken at Camden
Religious Carving at Lyveden
The religious carvings that adorn the outside of Lyveden were part of Thomas Tresham’s resistance to Queen Elizabeth’s pressure to convert to the Anglican faith.
These carvings are repeated around the first-floor windows. I took these images on my iPhone. I aim to capture higher-quality images when I next return to Lyveden.
The sacred monogram IHS is formed by the pillar, cross with crown of thorns, ladder, sponge and spear, with heart between them, a cord (or scourge) in the form of an S, and three nails below. This emblem consists of the first three Greek letters of the name Jesus and was adopted as the symbol of the Jesuits. The surrounding band contains the Tresham trefoil and the Latin words mihi esto' (to me be it').
(Bradshaw, 2004)
XP forms the first two
Greek letters of the name
Christ (or Chi Rho), which also stands for Christos resurrexit - 'Christ has risen'. The surrounding laurel wreath is embossed with the Greek initials ETN, for 'EV TOUTW VLKN, meaning 'Victory in this. (Bradshaw, 2004)
Surrounded by a twisted cord are the lantern, torches, swords and spears used during the arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. On the right-hand sabre is the ear of Malchus cut off by Peter at the arrest of Jesus. (Bradshaw, 2004)
Thirty pieces of silver surround Judas's money bag, which is tied to form a trefoil. (Bradshaw, 2004)
The scourge, pillar, crown of thorns and sceptre of
reeds, surrounded by a band of twisted linen. On the pillar stands a cockerel, which Jesus said would only crow after Peter had denied Him three times. (Bradshaw, 2004)
Three dice, each showing the number five, surround the seamless garment of Jesus, contained within a ring of Roman helmets and gauntlets. This depicts the soldiers casting lots to determine who owns the garment. (Bradshaw, 2004)
The crown of thorns surrounds the cross, with ladder, spear, sponge, hammer and pincers alongside. (Bradshaw, 2004)
The symbolism throughout the design of the building
He used the symbolism of three to design his Triangular Lodge at Rushton. But he decided to expand the use of hidden symbolism in building this garden lodge by incorporating more hidden numbers into its design. He added the numbers 5 and 7 to the number 3 he used at Rushton.
· The number 3 signifies the trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
· The number 5 symbolises the number of wounds that Christ received on the cross.
· The number 7 symbolises the number of instruments used in the Passion (crucifixion)
The plan at New Bield consisted of 5 equal squares, each arm of the cross ending in a bay window, with sides measuring 5 feet, making a total of 25 feet. This date is important because it’s not only the date of the nativity (December) but also the annunciation (The announcement of the Incarnation by the angel Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1:26–38) (This happens in March)
The lodge is built over 3 floors; outside, sets of three shields are divided by three windows, the diamonds are grouped in threes, and the distance from one side of the building to the other is 243 feet, which is 3x3x3x3x3. The carved frieze between the ground and the first floor was adapted from the Italian architect Serlio’s pattern books, but Tresham adapted it to show the seven emblems of the passion of Christ.
The letters IHS (Jesus) and XP (Christ) occur most prominently. These are repeated in the middle of each side of the bay and in the middle of each arm of the cross. The words IESVS (Jesus) and MARIA (Mary) are on each side of the bay window. This is emphasised by the Tresham emblem, the trefoil (three-leafed clover), an emblem created by Tresham.
Turmeric Anthotype
(Paul Bishop, 2019)
I researched how to make a Turmeric Anthotype by watching the YouTube video above.
Although he didn’t use exact amounts, I suppose he has been doing it for so long that he can eyeball it. For my own trials I want more precision, so I’ll research exact ratios before I start. Bishop adds some turmeric to alcohol and mixes it. He then places a piece of paper on a disposable plate because turmeric stains everything. He places some kitchen roll on top to absorb any excess. He then pours the mixture onto the paper until it’s saturated. He lets it sit for a few minutes, then lays it out on cardboard in a dark room to dry. He explains that it shouldn’t take long, as alcohol evaporates quickly. You can use it as soon as it’s dry.
He places the paper on a frame back. He then presses the leaves onto the paper and places the glass in the frame to hold them together. He leaves it under the UV light for about an hour until the yellow turns white. He removes the paper and the leaves from the frame, leaving their imprint. He then places it in a water-borax solution and leaves it until the yellow turns deep red. He briefly rinses it under a running tap and lets it dry. He then sprays it with some polyurethane to protect the images from ultraviolet light and further oxidation.
The Anthotype process was invented in 1842 by Sir John Herschel. This process captures an image using plants’ photosensitive qualities.
Method
One teaspoon of turmeric powder mixed with four teaspoons of alcohol. Mix this well
Allow the mixture to stand for a few minutes so the solids fall to the bottom of the container.
Pour the liquid from the top of the container, making sure you don’t get any solids.
Coat the paper and leave it to dry in a dark room. This should take about an hour.
Place the negative on top of the paper, place a piece of glass on top, and expose it for the required time. This can be determined by testing various timing options beforehand.
Add two teaspoons of borax to 125ml of warm water and stir until dissolved.
Pour the borax solution over the paper until the exposed parts turn brown.
When this is achieved, rinse in water until the borax is removed.
Your Anthotype will naturally fade unless you store it in a dark space.
(Photo-Recipes: Turmeric Anthotype, n.d.)
Is Polyurethane sustainable?
Polyurethane is derived from fossil fuels, which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, and the depletion of Earth’s resources. It does not break down easily, so it will last for years in your local landfill. It also adds microplastics to the environment. (Good On You, 2024)
An alternative would be to waterproof the fabric without necessarily UV-protecting it, which could lead to an interesting evolution in my outcome.
Two-tone Cyanotype
To make bleach: Dissolve 15g of Soda Crystals in 1 Litre of water, cooled to room temperature.
Cyanotype will begin to fade quickly when put into the solution. Do not let the cyanotype fade completely; just let it fade partially.
To make toner: 15g dandelion leaf tea (loose) to 1 litre of water, stewed for 30 minutes. Leave to cool, then strain before putting it in your tray. I toned mine for 10 minutes
(Dr Melanie King, 2025)
Tips I noticed while watching the video.
Make sure that the negatives go the right way round. King marked the edge of the negative on the paper to make sure this happened. Maybe put a number on the acetate the negative is printed on, since the woman in the video unknowingly put the second negative on the wrong side. I am glad she chose to share this video despite the errors, as it raises awareness of this. Another video I watched used a hole punch to line things up. I think this could also be a technique to consider.
One of my concerns is that if I only used turmeric in my process, it would fade before the end of the exhibition. I intend to do a trial run to see how well it would last, but if I also used cyanotype, it would still be visible. This is also something I will have to trial.
History of Lyveden
The earliest known settlement at Lyveden dates to before the 13th century, when a Roman temple was built on the site. The temple was surrounded by rich mineral deposits, so industries such as iron smelting and pottery developed there. These businesses were supported by the wealth of good hunting grounds in the surrounding areas.
Finds in the local area suggest that farming took place on the site until at least 1540, when Lyveden was purchased by the Tresham family. They turned 400 acres of land into fields, which by 1597 housed around 6000 sheep.
Sir Thomas Tresham lived from 1543 to 1605 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1575. A devout Catholic, he refused to attend Anglican services from 1580 onward; this refusal led to several fines and even periods of imprisonment. His fines amounted to nearly £8,000, which is about £2 million today.
He instructed his foreman on the designs for his garden. These plans were discovered in the walls of Rushton Hall, another Tresham property. The design included canals, raised beds, viewing mounts and orchards. A lot of this still survives today. It is, in fact, one of the oldest surviving gardens in the country. You can still walk through these gardens as they would have been able to in the 16th century. There are three sides to a moated garden; it is not known whether it was never completed or was lost to the ravages of time. This was going to be an orchard planted with roses and raspberries.
The garden lodge was never finished because Thomas Tresham died, and it has hardly been touched since.
Although his wife, Meriel, was alive, she did not inherit the estate; it went to the eldest son, Francis, who was implicated in the Gunpowder Plot not long after. Some say that Tresham himself wrote a letter that led to the plot’s discovery. He died waiting for his trial to be heard. This left the substantial debt to be managed by his mother. The estate passed to the next brother, Lewis, who was the last of the Tresham’s to own the estate. It was sold in 1668.
It passed through various owners with little notable history until the National Trust purchased the garden and lodge in 1922, after raising money through a public appeal. They later acquired the manor house and an additional 27 acres of land in 2013. (National Trust, n.d.)
When and Where Thomas was Imprisoned
· He was imprisoned in Fleet prison from 1581-3
· House arrest at Hoxton 1583-7
· He was committed in the tense period of 1587-8
· House arrest at Hoxton 1589-93
· Sent to his house in Rushton
· Tresham was subject to further imprisonment by the family of his brother-in-law, William Vaux, Lord Vaux of Harrowden. Whose financial embarrassment, Tresham tried to disentangle the mess that was left after Vaux’s death. (Lock, 2004)
Tresham’s Debt at Death.
He is said to have been £11,500 in debt when he died. Part of this was due to his insistence that each of his 6 daughters marry Catholic peers, including William Parker, Lord Morley. Each was given a dowry of at least £2000 to help ensure this. He also paid over £3000 in fines and bribes to save the life of his first son, Francis, after the Essex uprising. He did not manage his finances well over the years, and his son Lewis, who inherited the estate after Francis died, settled the debts by selling parts of the vast lands he owned.
Annette Golaz
Golaz became interested in photography in her childhood. Her father was really into cameras and photography and owned over 400 cameras and an attic full of photographs, negatives, and Super 8 film. Her dad shared his love of the camera with all his three children. He showed them how to use an analogue camera properly and how to develop those images in a darkroom. Golaz, even with all this experience and knowledge, never felt equal to her father; she always felt like the student. She started painting and drawing instead. Finally, after over ten years after her father had passed, she was able to pick up a camera again.
Golaz only really started looking at cyanotypes after she had been asked to contribute to a book about them with Christina Z Anderson. This took the focus from her favourite gum printing and forced it into cyanotypes. She was hooked; she not only loved the fact that it’s inexpensive, and she could also freely experiment without ruining herself financially, and that it’s non-toxic, and she liked the fact that she had no allergic reactions like she did when she used dichromate for gum printing.
Golaz never intended to write a book; she merely wanted to share what she had learned with others. She mentioned this to Anderson, who suggested that she write a proposal to Routledge (a publishing house for academic books), who snapped up the offer, and the rest is history.
I first found Golaz by her book Cyanotype Toning: Using Botanicals to Tone Blueprints Naturally. This was recommended on many YouTube videos and websites. The authors had often started with techniques from the book. The more I investigate who she is, the more I resonate with her. Her detailed tables and notes reassure me that my own level of technical documentation is a legitimate working method. Her book is structured in the same way I like to write my continuous documents. I want to be able to look back and recreate the same process with the instructions provided as I sometimes forget details. I also fell into cyanotype; I saw students in my college doing it, so I was curious. After seeing what different outcomes, you can get from various places in real life and the internet, I too have fallen in love with the technique and alternative processes generally. I am also in awe of the experimentation she does, and I also like to experiment and not always follow the traditional path. (AlternativePhotography.com, 2021)
Testing
Turmeric Anthotypes
As I have never used turmeric to make an anthotype before, I needed to test my UV light to see how long it takes. I also need to get more familiar with this technique and see if it will work for my intended outcome.
I started off with this image of graffiti I had taken at Lyveden. I imported it into Photoshop and adjusted the image’s colours to make the writing stand out more.
I turned the image black and white, then inverted it to create a negative.
After applying gloves and a protective apron. I then mixed 4 teaspoons of 99% isopropyl alcohol with a teaspoon of turmeric in a Pyrex jug. The images are dark because I did this in low light to protect the mixture.
I stirred the mixture until it had combined, then I waited for the solids to settle to the bottom and poured the liquid into another container.
I then painted some 100% recycled cartridge paper with the liquid I acquired. I used a sponge brush, but I may switch to a paintbrush in the future
because the sponge absorbed a lot of the mixture. I left this to dry in a dark room. I didn’t manage to cover many papers. I only managed 1 ½ A4 pages. I will have to increase the quantities for further mixtures.
I tested the paper under UV light. I used a test card for photos to adjust the amount of exposure my test strip received. I got a bit enthusiastic as the colour on the paper appeared to change very quickly. I decided to go with every 30 seconds instead of 5 minutes, and every minute after that. I closed a panel every 30 seconds until I had finished, 2.30 minutes later. While I was doing this, I noticed that I had left the cut-off bit I had trimmed under the lamp, too. After noticing the colour hadn’t really changed, I turned off the UV lamp and had a think. I decided to leave that square of paper exposed for another fifteen minutes, as that is the limit of my UV lamp before it gets too hot. I set a timer and left the room. After the timer went off, I went back in and immediately smelled the im too hot smell. I turned the lamp off straight away and turned the normal light back on. Although the paper had lightened, I knew it was nowhere near good enough for the exposure. I decided, since I had mixed the soda crystals (I substituted borax for this, as it was easier to get), to put all the paper in a tray. I did consider leaving another piece of paper outside to see how that would work, but since it is raining, I am worried it will wash away before it has properly exposed.
Later that day, I noticed it had stopped raining. So, I took a chance and set up an experiment to see how the turmeric coated paper would expose in the sun (or lack of it). I put the turmeric paper in an old photo frame twice the size of the paper and placed a negative printed on an acrylic sheet on top. I also put some cyanotype-coated paper with another printed negative on top. I placed the glass on top of these and secured them together using bulldog clips around the outside.
I checked after 2 hours and saw some change on the cyanotype, but I don’t really see any change on the turmeric paper.
This image is from 2 hours later. I think the cyanotype is still fading, but I see no difference in the turmeric.
I left it out for another 2 hours and saw little change. As it was now 5pm and sunset was only 30 mins away, I decided that it would be a good idea to finish this little experiment and see how well it did.
Here are the papers once they have had the glass and the negatives removed
This is after I have poured soda crystals over it. I think the lines may be from the photographic tray I used.
This is me rinsing the cyanotype.
I can see part of the negative on the paper.
But this disappeared during the washing stage. I have left both to dry, and I will see how they turn out.
You can see some of the negatives on the paper, but it is clearly underexposed.
Trying Another Method for Exposure
I had an idea to work within the limitations of my UV lamps. I have a smart plug, and I have programmed it to turn on for 15 mins, then turn off again for 15 mins. The manufacturer recommended time is 30 seconds, but I wanted to be cautious. This cycle will repeat four times, so the turmeric paper receives a total of 1 hour of exposure. This is the paper with the negative still on after the hour.
You can see a slight exposure on the paper. I was quite disappointed. I was hoping for a better result, but at least there is progress, as I haven’t seen any exposure until now.
You can see the impression after the soda crystals have been poured over it.
This is the paper after I rinsed the soda crystals out. It will be interesting to see if the image comes back when it’s dried. As you can see nothing had changed when the paper had dried.
Will Halving the Recipe Work?
I decided to try adding twice the amount of isopropyl alcohol to the original amount of turmeric. Because isopropanol fumes are harmful and I wanted to be safe, I wore a protective apron and disposable gloves. I also mixed the ingredients outside, applied them to the paper, and left them to dry for 20 minutes before bringing them inside. I made sure to do this in the evening, when it was dark, and there was minimal outside lighting, as I didn’t want to expose it to UV before I was ready.
I will have to research whether there is any advice online. I did have a brief look, and some people suggest adding a little extra alcohol, and someone suggested using a spray bottle for the soda crystal instead of pouring it on the paper.
I decided to try leaving the turmeric paper outside again with a negative. I put it outside at 10 am and intend to leave it there until this evening.
I looked out of the window later and saw that it was raining. Instead of bringing my experiment in.
I decided to move it, as I thought the water resting on the frame could change the way it is exposed
I took the stand I had made to rest my booklet on in my first exhibition and put my frame on it, hoping that any rain that hits runs directly off. I also put it on a table under the gazebo to lessen the amount of rain that falls on it. I am hoping that not too much rain goes down the side of the frame.
I left the paper out until 5pm, dried the outside, and exposed it under the UV lamp for a total of 1 hour. I then removed the glass from the frame, and the paper had stuck to the negative. I did my best to remove it and sparingly applied a soda crystal solution to see how it would turn out. I have decided that, given my current results, I will not continue to research this anthotype unless some interesting information comes to light.
Why did I Choose Cyanotype?
To make the cyanotype, you mix ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide. These by themselves are not light-sensitive, but once mixed, they will immediately react to light. I must keep a mixed solution in a light-tight bottle so that it doesn’t react.
The placement of a negative on top of coated paper, fabric, or other medium resists the sun, and this is what makes the image appear after exposure to a UV lamp or the sun.
You need to rinse the chosen medium. Rinsing washes away the unexposed bits of chemistry so the resisted bits stay light and create the image.
I have used both the sun and UV lamps in my tests. The cyanotype process relies on many forms of resistance to work, and this fits perfectly with my brief and because I like working with cyanotype.
As I have some coated paper left over from my previous project, I will test my images out on this to see if I need to improve my technique in any way.
My first attempt was with paper I had already previously made. It was a bit streaky, but I still went ahead and used it.
I exposed my negative that was printed on acetate under the UV lamp for 5 minutes
This is the image after rinsing it in water.
I then soaked it in a citric acid solution for 30 seconds, then I shook the image to remove as much of the liquid as I could.
I then covered the paper with hydrogen peroxide to darken the image and accelerate oxidation.
I tried to make the negative a bit more contrasty to make it more visible.
I used Photoshop, selected Black and White from the Single Adjustments, and chose Infrared from the Presets. This made the image transition from left to right.
I exposed the paper under my UV light for 5 minutes and rinsed it until all the cyanotype had come out. During this time, I poked at a bit that didn’t want to rinse as well as all the other bits. I caused a slight tear, so I stopped. I rinsed it in a citric acid solution to bring the white out and then poured on a hydrogen peroxide solution to speed up the oxidation. The outcome is the image underneath.
Standstill
I came into college at a bit of a standstill. I felt like the direction I was going in might not be working, and I just needed to discuss it with a tutor. I explained to Claire how I was feeling and how my project had gone so far. She said the direction I was going in was fine, but I needed to try some things differently. She suggested that I alter the images more in Photoshop to work better with the cyanotype and explained how long turmeric can really take to expose properly. It can sometimes be days! I can assume that the man in the video lives in a very sunny country and did his at the height of summer. I can go one of two ways with this. I can either invest in a UV bulb to leave it on longer, or I can set my smart plug to allow for a cooling-down period. I could shorten the cooling-down period from 15 mins to less, as the manufacturer recommends 30 seconds, but I must also consider that it may not cool at the same rate over an extended period.
After watching a YouTube video on preparing images for cyanotype, I decided to give those methods a go.
I imported an image into Photoshop, converted it to black and white, adjusted the highlights, midtones, and shadows using levels and curves, and then used burn to highlight the graffiti and dodge to highlight the area around the graffiti, making it stand out more.
I cropped the image, inverted it, and printed it on acetate sheets.
I used the college UV light to expose the cyanotype paper for 15 mins as recommended by Shannen. I rinsed the paper afterwards, and they came out well.
I tried to recreate what I created at college at home. My lamp normally takes around 5 minutes to expose a cyanotype, so I used that as my guide.
I tried to recreate what I created at college at home. My lamp normally takes around 5 minutes to expose a cyanotype, so I used that as my guide. I pulled the head down onto my lap so it would get a bit more light. The lamp in the collage is fixed.
I was disappointed with the result. It was dark, and you could hardly see the image on the paper.
I redid the exposure with some more of the same paper, but this time I raised the lamp head higher. This time, the image was much clearer, and I also used citric acid to whiten it and hydrogen peroxide to rapidly oxidise it.
It was at this point that I realised I hadn’t inverted the image before, as the colours would be the opposite way round.
Splitting the Images into Channels
To make duotone work, I needed to split the images into channels. I asked Google for help with this in Photoshop, and AI returned with these instructions. The images are my own.
1. Photoshop "Split Channels"
This method separates the image into individual, greyscale files for each colour component.
2. Open your image in Adobe Photoshop.
3. Flatten the Image: Go to Layer > Flatten Image to ensure all layers are combined. I found that, as I did not have multiple layers already, I duplicated the original layer, then right clicked and flattened the image.
4. Convert to CMYK:
Go to Image > Mode > CMYK Colour.
5. Open Channels Panel: If not visible, go to Window > Channels
6. Split Channels: Click the menu icon (four lines) in the top right corner of the Channels panel and select "Split Channels".
7. Result: Photoshop will close your original file and open four separate, greyscale images titled with the colour initials (e.g., File_C, File_M, File_Y, File_K).( Google AI 2026)
8. I then inverted each one to make it negative and saved them to a file, naming each one after the colour it represents. I then printed them on acetate.
Trying out Duo Tone Cyanotype
First I soaked my cartridge paper in hot tap water for 30 mins. I put each one in and made sure it soaked through before adding the next one. After I had added all the sheets, I put another tray to keep the paper submerged. I laid it on foam board and stood it on its side so the water drained off. I left it in my bath to dry.
I did this because the book Cyanotype Toning Using Botanicals to Tone Blueprints Naturally by Annette Golaz advised me to pre-shrink the paper so it doesn’t shrink during the process. This should help ensure a better outcome.
From this point I was following the YouTube video by Dr Melanie King https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHehkeqsz7Q&t=608s.
If you look closely at the jug with the darker liquid, you can see my name on it. This is a health and safety measure to ensure that my jugs, used only for my photography and not for food preparation. I prepared the soda crystal mix using 15g of crystals and filled it with 1 litre of boiling water. I stirred this so it dissolved and left it to cool. I also measured out 15g of dandelion root, filled it with 1 litre of boiling water, and left it to brew for 30 minutes. I then strained the dandelion root tea through a coffee filter to remove the larger bits.
I place my previously prepared paper on top of the yellow negative. I ensured that the top of the negative was lined up with the top of the paper. I am hoping this technique will work when I add the cyan layer later. I exposed the paper to UV light for 5 minutes and rinsed it in water.
This is the image after exposure and below is the paper just after it has been put in the water to rinse. I don’t think I will ever tire of this magic.
After I had finished rinsing the image, I was advised to let it dry. I hung it up to dry in the house with a small fan to aid the drying. It dried quickly.
I then placed it into the crystal mixture. The tutorial in the video suggested it took around 2 minutes. It wasn’t far off that estimate. I left it in the bleach solution until it reached this stage. Unfortunately, during this stage, I was a little rough with the paper and managed to pull a bit of paper off the edge.
I rinsed the paper once again, then put it into the dandelion root tea until it left a yellowish tone on the paper. I hung it up to dry again with a fan and a tray underneath to catch any stray drips
This is the dried image after bleaching and toning.
After the image had been recoated with cyanotype, it was left to dry with a fan. I stumbled across a problem. I had forgotten which way was up, and I could not see the image beneath the cyanotype covering. I remembered that I had taken a bit of paper out of the side and went back through my images to find out which way the paper went, using this defect. I also forgot which way the negative went and used this picture to orient that, too. I lined up the negative with the top of the paper and hoped for the best. As the video or the book that I previously mentioned did not state an exposure time, I had to guess. I exposed the image for another 5 minutes. This picture to the left was taken after the exposure, but it gives you an idea of how difficult it was to see the original image.
This image appeared seconds after washing. I continued rinsing the paper until all the cyanotype had washed out.
This is the finished image I have left to dry. I decided not to use hydrogen peroxide to hasten oxidation this time, as I was worried about its effects. I think I overthought it and plan to use it next time. I am very pleased with the outcome of my first attempt.
Triple Cyanotype
I decided to try making a triple cyanotype. I used the same chemicals from my duo-tone and added some madder root solution. I was unsure what amount to use, as the recipe in the book I was following. This book is called Annette Golaz’s ‘Cyanotype Toning Using Botanicals.which only included instructions for the roots, not the powder I had purchased. I decided that 2 heaped teaspoons looked like a good amount and mixed it with warm water.
I used coated paper to expose the magenta negative. I exposed it to 5 minutes of exposure and rinsed it in clean water. I let it dry, then soaked it in the soda crystal solution until it was bleached.
I rinsed it again and put it into the madder root solution for 30 minutes.
I left it to dry with a fan to speed the process. I then coated the paper with cyanotype solution and dried it with the fan again. I exposed the paper with the yellow negative this time, making sure the negative was aligned with the top of the paper. I exposed it for triple the time as advised in the book Annette Golaz’s ‘Cyanotype Toning Using Botanicals. It advises you do this as it makes a clearer image when you have bleached it. This is recommended for the magenta layer. I rinsed the paper again until it was clear and dried it. I did notice that some of the splotches on the paper were not clearing, so I decided to continue anyway.
I then bleached it with the crystal solution again and rinsed it. I did notice that it had lightened some of the sploges, but not completely removed them. I did not want to bleach further because I didn’t want to ruin the rest of the image.
I then left it in the dandelion root bath for 30 minutes, then hung it out to dry with a fan. After it had dried, I applied cyanotype solution for the third time and let it dry.
I exposed the image for 5 minutes and rinsed it with clean water. The image hasn’t come out as well as I had hoped, but this is my first time, and I had to guess some of the process.
During the process, I decided to write the number 5 so I could tell which way the print was. This sadly leaked through the image. I will use a different way of marking it next time.
Where I may have gone wrong
I should have researched better into how much to use of madder root powder instead of using. I could have left the paper in the toner longer so they could get a better tone. I was also a little impatient in letting the paper dry. I may have started before I should have, with the paper not quite bone dry.
I also remembered that I used the recipe for dandelion tea instead of dandelion root. So I checked Google and found that Dr Melanie King’s Patreon post gave me the answer https://www.patreon.com/posts/cyanotype-leaf-89202950?l=it
next time I will use 75g dandelion leaves to 1 litre of water, stewed for 30 minutes. Leave to cool and strain before putting in your tray. The only answer I was able to find for the Madden root was on a Facebook page.
I Made Another Attempt with the Altered Mixtures to See if it had any Effect.
The second one looks darker to me as it was left in the dye for 30 min as opposed to the first, which had an hour.
This is an image of the paper dry after toning the image yellow. Although this is a better result than before it still needs improvement to be yellow enough to show through on a duo or trip cyanotype.
Problem-solving with lining up negatives
I noticed while editing my duo cyanotype that this had happened. You can see where the cyan negative is in a slightly different place than the yellow one. This causes a few problems, firstly it makes the image blurred, and secondly it gives an artificial glow around the image.
I found these folder clips online and thought they would be perfect for an Idea I saw on the internet. They used a hole punch to put holes through the acetate negatives and the paper itself, so it keeps it aligned every time. I am going to make a foam board with metal clips sticking out, like in the image. I will have to be cautious of how I use this and store it as the ends look like they could hurt someone.
I have purchased a heavy-duty hole punch, hoping it will easily go through several layers of acetate and paper. Both will also be useful for other tasks. I managed to pick up a double one for the price of £1
I put all three negatives together in a light box to better match them. I used a magnifying glass to help me match the details better. I then use bulldog clips to hold them together while I hole punch them.
Here you can see that both the negatives and the paper have been hole-punched to try to keep them in line.
Refine Cyanotype Negatives
I noticed while testing some cyanotypes that although I like the colour of the sky, etc., the building's detail is not very clear. I decided to try to burn the negative to dull down the places where I wanted more detail. Here are a couple of examples that show the difference between the two images.
Retrying duo cyanotype
I am retrying duo cyanotype with my altered negatives and my new method of keeping the negative lined up. The image on the left shows the cyanotype paper after 5 minutes of exposure under a UV lamp.
This is the image after it was rinsed in water
This is the image after I had bleached it in washing soda.
This is the paper after it was recoated with cyanotype, left to dry, and then exposed again for five minutes. The paper would not rinse properly. After researching, I found that this can be caused by several factors, including leaving it in the bleaching bath for too long or failing to rinse it properly. I will need to keep this in mind as I continue my trials.
After a discussion with my child, Jayce, they suggested that the cyanotype liquids I was using might have expired. I checked the ingredients, and one of them didn't look right, so I remade everything from scratch.
This resulted in a better outcome, but it still did not rinse well.
I tried two different papers to see if that would make a difference. The cartage paper on the left is clearer, but the paper is more delicate, and below is the watercolour paper. It’s nice and thick, but it isn’t smooth, and it isn’t rinsing as well.
I changed the exposure time to 4 minutes to see if this would make any difference. This is the paper after exposure. I forgot to take one after I had rinsed it. It did rinse a little easier.
This is after I bleached it with soda crystals. I think I could have left it a bit longer, but it was changing so quickly as it was a new solution.
This is after leaving it in the madder roots for about 5 minutes. I will let it dry and recoat with cyanotype.
This is the paper after it was exposed for 5 minutes.
This is the image after rinsing
This is after soaking in a citric acid dilute solution for 2 minutes.
This is after speeding up the oxidation with a diluted hydrogen peroxide. I really like the image, but it doesn’t really look like a trio cyanotype. I will have to find a way to make the red and yellow colours more vibrant.
Trialling cyanotype on cloth
Because one of my goals is to create a flag or other cloth object outdoors for display, I need to find the best material and exposure time to ensure success. I bought a bed sheet from a charity shop to begin my initial trials, giving me plenty of material to learn from mistakes. I started with the same exposure time I used for much of my paperwork. I coated some square samples and left them to dry, then exposed them to UV light for 5 minutes. Because one of my goals is to create a flag or other cloth object to display outside, I need to find the best material and exposure time to ensure it succeeds. I bought a bed sheet from a charity shop to begin my initial trials, giving me plenty of material to learn from mistakes. I started with the same exposure time I used for much of my paperwork. I coated some square samples, left them to dry, and then exposed them to UV light for 5 minutes.
After talking to James about the indoor projects starting to merge in my head, we discussed my ideas and how I should try to mentally separate them and concentrate on the outside one first, then move on to the second. This does seem intuitive as I type it, but sometimes you need another person to point it out. We also discussed a few of the ideas I had, and he turned them all into a more manageable way to look at it.
I started looking at ways to shape what I want my outdoor flag to look like. These are my initial attempts, but after discussing with the tutors, they suggested I make it a bit more distinctive. I agreed with this, as it would be an expected image, and I could find a more interesting one that would better make my point about religious resistance.
I settled on this one. My next challenge was to make them fit better into the picture. Shannen suggested using the eraser to reveal the parts of each image I wanted after copying the background and placing it above all the layers.
I made sure the opacity was low initially to control how much was revealed, but I decided I wanted all the details since I planned to merge it later by colouring it a similar shade. So, I set the opacity to 100%. This is the final image. The images are not as perfectly aligned as I would like.
This is because I had to take the images from the ground floor, whereas they should be taken from the tops of the first-floor windows, as shown in the image below.
I have spoken to Tom about different ways I can more seamlessly merge the carvings into the background. I will not have to make sure it’s perfect as I would if I were displaying the image itself, as I plan to make this into a cyanoype.I wanted to clean up the sides of the carvings, so I duplicated another background and used the eraser to bring that through to neaten up the edges.
Here is the before and after.
This is the finished result. I converted it to black and white, inverted the image to make a negative, and printed it on acetate.
I then tested it on 300 gsm watercolour paper with a 4-minute exposure time under my UV lamp. I was very happy with the result.
I then, as I do not have an A3 printer, also tried cutting a negative in half, sellotaping it back together and exposing it to see if I could make an A3 from 2 A4S.
I have shown the full image on the right and a zoomed-in one, so you can see the connection. You can see a line, but it could possibly be explained away by it being just another mark on the wall in the image. I will retest with two A4 images and see if it’s still okay.
Trying my flag design with material
I tested the cyanotype out on two different materials this fisrt is a cotton cloth. This is the cloth asfter it has been exposed for 4 minutes.
This is the cloth after it has finished rinsing
This is the dried result.
This is the muslim cloth after exposure of 4 minutes.
This is the cloth after it has been rinsed.
This is the dried result.
Cyanotype at Lyveden
On a visit to Lyveden, I decided to take my cyanotype-coated paper to create a finished outcome that was a part of Lyveden itself. I used the negatives’ resistance to the sun to create the image on the UV sensitive cyanotype paper. I clipped the paper to an old picture frame, and I used the glass to hold the negative onto the paper.
It was a cloudy and windy day, so I wasn’t hoping for much reaction. I exposed the paper pointed at the sun for 30 minutes, then used the river water to rinse the paper. This is also another type of resistance and the cyanotype in the paper resists the water from rinsing it out when the UV light has changed it. Instead, it changes colour.
The water as very cold and I’m glad I remember to take a towel with me.
I stopped rinsing after the paper started to degrade in the crease areas.
I walked back to the café with the paper hanging so it would dry on the way back. It ripped because it was delicate and the wind caught it a couple of times, but I think this links it more to Lyveden and makes it more interesting.
It is not the greatest looking cyanotype ever produced, but once you know its story, it makes it more beautiful. Sometimes people’s resistance to looking in-depth instead of just on the surface prevents them from seeing the real beauty.
I tried making an A3-sized cyanotype at home in the sun as it was a nice sunny day. I left the first one out for nine minutes, and that was on paper. This is it, rinsed.
I left the second one out for five mins that was on watercolour paper to see if there was a difference. I noticed that on some spots both were a little blurred. I think this is because I didn’t put enough clips to secure the glass tightly enough to the backing to hold the negative nice and flat against the paper.
I decided to do a trial under my UV land for 10 minutes; I doubled the clips and laid it on its back rather than on its side facing the sun. I also notice that the religious
Re-editing the Cyanotype Negative
On the left is the unedited version and the right is the edited version I have edited the religious carvings to be lighter so they appear clearer in on the cyanotype paper.
None of these came out as I had hoped and the top of both of these cannot be seen at all. I am going to put this to one side and carry on with my old negatives.
Learning How to Develop Colour Film
Colorchem kit C-41
Standard process
Chemical
Time in Minutes
Temperature
Margin
of Error
Colour Developer
3.15
38c
0.3
Bleach Fixer
6
38c
2.0
Wash (Water)
3.15
38c
2.0
Stabiliser
1
20-25c
Prewarming time of 4 minutes
Rapid Process
Prewarming time of 2 minutes
Chemical
Time in Minutes
Temperature
Margin
of Error
Colour Developer
2
45c
Bleach Fixer
5
45c
Wash (Water)
2
45c
Stabiliser
1
20-25c
Alternative Process
No prewarming needed
Chemical
Time in Minutes
Temperature
Margin
of Error
Colour Developer
13
25c
Bleach Fixer
8
25c
Wash (Water)
6
25c
Stabiliser
1
20-25c
The processing times also change depending on how many films you have processed, as the chemicals slowly degrade
Developer
Temp
1-4 films
5-8
9-12
12-16
38
3m 15s
3m30s
3m45s
4m
45
2m
2m10s
2m20s
2m30s
25
13m
15m
17m
19m
Bleach Fixer
Temp
1-4 films
5-8
9-12
12-16
38
6m
6m
10m
15m
45
5m
5m
*
*
25
8m
8m
12m
20m
The bleach-fixer can be reused twice. For additional processes 50% of the bleach
fixer must be exchanged with fresh solution.
-
Developing the colour films
I have never developed colour film, so I was completely new to this. Firstly, we had to make a new batch of chemicals. We had to heat up the water to 25c, which sounds easier to do than it is in practice when you have to keep it at temperature. This was achieved by adding hot water and cold water. After taking quite a while to get the water to 25c, we started making the developer. This required 800ml of 25c water, then in this order; a bottle of developer A, a bottle of developer B and a bottle C. Each of the solutions are premeasured for making a 1 litre once all the different bottles and water had been added as the instructions advice. It is advised that you measure the water first in case you measure it wrong then add the bottles as described.
To make the bleach fixer you heat 600ml of water to 25c and transfer to the container and then add the bottles A &B in that order. You then shake thoroughly to combine.
To make the stabiliser you heat 900ml of water to 25c, transfer to the container and add Bottle A and shake. The bottles and the heated water all add up to 1 litre.
We had put our films into the film tanks ready for developing. We put the developer into some warm water to get the temperature back up to 25°C. After we had achieved this, we measured out 300ml because we only had one 35mm film in each of our tanks. We set a stopwatch for 13 minutes as soon as we had poured the liquid in. We then agitated it for 15 seconds, then turned it upside down and back upright every 30 seconds after that until the 13 minutes were up. We poured the used liquid back into a jug, then transferred it back to the original container. We then moved on to the bleach fixer. We again measured 300ml each and set the timer for 8 minutes, repeating the same agitation pattern as previously used. After this had finished, we again used the jug to help transfer the used liquid into the original container.
We washed the lids of the tanks, so we didn’t transfer chemicals to the next stage, which is rinsing. We then used the water that we had been keeping the chemicals at the right temperature as it was preheated. We added 300ml of 25°C water and continuously agitated the tanks for 1 minute 30 seconds. Then we changed the water. We disposed of the used water. We repeated this step another 3 times. We then heated the stabiliser up to 25°C and added 300ml to each of our tanks. We agitated the tank for the first 15 seconds, then a couple more times during the 1-minute process. We then put our used liquid into the jug, which was then returned to the original container. We took our films from the tanks after this, removed the excess water with a wet squeegee, then put them into the drying cupboard on medium. I am quite pleased with the results of my first colour film.
Here are my scanned negatives. I have decided to leave these as scanned because I think some of them are quite beautiful ain their own was as they came out. I am really pleased with these and plane to do at least 1 more colour film.
New UV Lamps
I was having another go at the trio cyanotypes. I try to correct the issues I have had in the past with getting the yellow colour to be very visible. I had managed to get the bleached cyanotype to be more like the images I saw online (on the right, Bary, 2021) The yellow colour is a lot clearer and contrasted than mine and this is what I want to aim for. Even though it’s not as vibrant, I was willing to give it a go.
I decided to try repeating this, but I kept getting very light exposures that would totally disappear after I rinsed them. I did several repeat tests to find out what I was doing wrong, as I just couldn’t figure it out. I tested some different paper that I had used successfully under the light and still had the same effect. After becoming stressed, I chatted to my child, Jayce, about the problems I was having. We talked about how I had used the same cyanotype mix and even precoated paper, and it was suggested that the only thing left was the UV lamp being faulty. I wanted to test this theory, so I tried a UV nail light I have in the house, and I used that on the same paper, and it worked. My UV lamp had stopped working. I was pleased to find out it was equipment failure rather than human error.
I decided to invest in the same UV lights as the college had. I knew they could be used for long periods of time, whereas mine was limited to 15 mins, then it needed to cool down. I also thought that if they could stand constant use from students, they must be durable. I already knew the exposure time from my previous experience using the ones at college, so I had a tried and tested exposure time to work with. I recovered my earlier experiment with cyanotype chemicals again and exposed it for 15 mins; this is standard for the new UV lights that are 20w; this is the new 5 mins on my old 50w UV light. Here is the result before applying the hydrogen peroxide mixture (this is 5ml mixed with 495ml of water) to quicken oxidisation. I unfortunately have misplaced the result after. But you can see the difference between a normal cyanotype and this although I recognise that there is still much more improvement to be made.
New cloth
I decided to get some cloth that I was sure of what it was and I would be able to repeat my outcome reliably, if necessary, by purchasing the identical material again. I chose this one because it was unbleached, and I thought that it made it more environmentally friendly. Also, it’s cotton, which works well with cyanotype. I think the colour will make my outcome look a bit more rustic and so the base tone echoes Lyveden’s stone.
I was thinking of keeping the edges unhemmed as this would make it easier for the effects of the weather to show how well my flag depicting the resistance of Tresham to changing religion would resist the elements. I also want to leave it unfinished as the garden lodge itself was unfinished due to a lack of funds once Thomas Tresham died. Which ties the flag back to the building itself.
I did an exposure test on the fabric to find out what would be a good exposure for future experiments. On the bottom of the image below we have a 12 minute exposure under the UV lamp and on top we have a 15 minute exposure. I am happier with the overall result of the top one as I think the images are clearer and more detailed.
My First Flag
After my successful tests with the fabric I thought, I would try exposing the cyanotype in the sun, as I had coated an A1-sized piece of fabric and I don’t have enough UV lamps to do this successfully in one go. I only have two UV lamps which will cover an A4-sized area each. This pushed me to use the sun to expose my cyanotype while it was out. I started off by coating the A1-sized fabric that I had used in my previous test and hanging it up to dry in a dark room with foamboard underneath to catch any drips.
While this was drying, I had to upscale my negative to fit the cloth. I used Photoshop to create an A1-sized negative by making a custom template. This meant I could keep the layout consistent with my earlier tests, just scaled up to flag size
I dragged my previously used negative into the new template and enlarged it until it fitted. I used the website ‘Split image online’ on pinetools.com to divide my image into 12 sections so that I could print them at home. I printed these onto A4 acetate, as this is the largest size my home printer will print, which let me create an A1 negative from smaller tiled pieces.
Here is one of the images I printed.
I trimmed the acetate to remove the unprinted bits so I could piece them together like a jigsaw puzzle. I placed them as close together as I could, used a small piece of sellotape to secure the pages together, and continued to do this until I had attached them all. I did have to remove and refit a few to make it correct. After this had been completed, I turned it over and, with some help, I used a long bit of sellotape on every bit that joined. I did this horizontally and vertically. This gave me one large, stable A1 acetate negative that I could move onto the fabric without the pieces shifting.
I placed the coated cloth on a piece of A1 foamboard and used a piece of Perspex I have to help me keep my work area clean to hold the negative on top of the cloth. As the Perspex was very close to the size of the cloth, I struggled to hold it together with the bulldog clips. I clipped the corners in the hope that it would make a difference and that it wouldn’t affect the outcome.
This is what it looked like after 35 minutes’ exposure.
Here is the result after rinsing and drying. I am undecided about this result. In some ways I like it because of the rich blue tone and in others I feel it may not be detailed enough.
This test helped me understand how strong the midday sun is compared to my 15-minute UV lamp exposure, and I’m considering redoing this flag under the lamps to get more detail. I realised that I forgot to invert the negative, but this leads to a bolder flag that could be seen easier.
Flag 2, the Redo
I thought it would be a good idea to invert the negative, reprint and do another test. I wanted to do this one under UV lights as I thought this would be a guaranteed result. This was wrong I think it’s because I changed from using a paint brush to apply the chemicals to the cloth to using a sponge brush. This is because I was applying a lot more liquid with the brush. I also tried to smooth out any excess liquid to cover other parts instead of it dripping off as it hung up. This is not only wasteful but lengthens the rinsing time.
As I do not have enough UV lamps, I had to try and evenly spread the two A4 ones I have over a three A4 wide area. As the whole area I was covering was a three-wide by three-high grid of A4 sheets, I exposed it in one strip of three A4s at a time with my two lamps spread across to cover the area.
I had previously tested some cyanotype cloth with a left over strip of blackout material that I used to cover windows in my garage to so I can carry on my Uni work that required either low light or no light at home. You can see the clear line where the blackout material was laid on the cyanotype.
You can see the material covering part of the cyanotype under the UV lamp. It successfully blocked the UV light. I did this experiment with the possibility of breaking up the exposure. I was so happy with the result that I used it to section off the areas I didn’t want to be exposed.
I started off blocking off all the areas I did not want to expose with the blackout material and weighed this down with either a weightlifting weight or some glass. I lined up the edge of the blackout material with the end of the acetate negatives I had previously stuck together with Sellotape, so I knew I was only exposing one A4 sheet at a time. I positioned the UV lamps in the places that I thought would ensure the most coverage. I set a timer and waited for 15 minutes.
I then moved my black-out material and lined it up with the edge of the next set of A4 acetates. I used the glass one side and the weights the other side to hold the material firmly to the cyanotype fabric so I did not get any light leaks underneath.
After leaving the UV lights for 15 minutes, I then moved the blackout material to cover the previously exposed bits. I left the lights on again for the final 15 minutes.
This is the result before rinsing. I was quite hopeful that this had worked at this point.
Unfortunately, I was to be disappointed as it was over exposed. I did try to use some Hydrogen Peroxide solution that was 1-100 mix with water, but this did not bring out the images sufficiently. This proved that it was a failed test. I learned to remember to retest exposure times if I make any changes in future.
The next day I decided to try again, and as it was such a beautiful, sunny Easter Monday, I decided to do a cyanotype in the sun. I learned from my previous failure and made sure to do test strips. As it was sunny with a UV index of 3, I decided to start my test at 10 minutes and take a strip every 10 minutes after that. As I only remembered to label them after 40 minutes, I can only guess at the order of the first ones. I still picked the result by eye.
I picked 60 minutes, even though this isn’t the most contrasted one, I believe this is because the others had more time to soak the excess cyanotype off. I chose it because it had the best balance. I had to make my decision quickly as it was now 4 p.m. and I was worried about starting to run out of good sun.
I used the same setup as before with two weights on each end of the Perspex that was holding the negative as close to the fabric as possible. This makes the images sharper on the finished result. I reinforced this with two bulldog clips at the top and bottom. I exposed it for 60 minutes and this is the pre-rinsed result.
While my test strips are nicely exposed my outcome is not. The contrast between the blue and white is at a level that I’m happy with. I am wondering if my decision to start the full flag later in the day as the sun was starting to fade was such a good idea after all. The overall flag is too light and would be difficult to see when installed at Lyveden. I will expose my next flag earlier in the day to enable me to continue my experiment without the sun fading.
The next day was also a sunny day with a predicted UV index of 4 and I had plenty of hours of daylight, so I didn’t have to worry about that. I laid my cyanotype fabric on the grass with a negative and sheet of Perspex over it. I put the weights on to keep the negative as close to the cloth as I could and started a stopwatch on my phone.
At 35 minutes, I checked the exposure of the left symbols. I was happy with the exposure but not of the middle or the top symbols. I put a sheet of my light-blocking window fabric over that bit so the rest could continue to expose to the sun, whilst the bit under the fabric could ”pause”.
Then at 45 minutes, I was happy with how much of the middle had exposed, so I covered all but the top row of the fabric with my light blocking cloth so I could pause that bit too and let the top row continue to be exposed to the sun.
When it reached 55 minutes, I checked and didn’t believe that further time exposing the cloth to the sun would improve the clarity or contrast of the uncovered symbols. I decided to leave it there and rinse the cyanotype cloth.
The finished outcome is a little dark in places. I have chosen to use this one as it will be interesting how the clear symbols and the darker symbols show their resistance to the weather at Lyveden. Also because of the shape of the fabric it is made on, I am going to turn it into a banner instead of a flag as the fabric allows for the adding of eyelets at the top and bottom. These will enable me to fix it securely to a fence , so it stays readable even in a wind.
Meghann Riepenhoff
I discovered her images and wanted to learn more about how they were created. In an interview with Musée she talks about her work and her processes. I was interested in how much she let the environment shape her outcome without the control of what it would be.
In her work, Riepenhoff explains how she coats paper with cyanotype solution and then collaborates with her chosen element. For example, she will lay the cyanotype paper in the rain to expose it and see how the washing away of the chemicals changes the outcome, so no image can ever be identical.
This links to my banner outcomes, as before the change in where I could exhibit my work, I was hoping to see the effect the elements were going to have on my banner. I wanted to document the changes that the resistance, or lack of resistance, to the weather would have over time, making my banner an ever‑changing piece of art, in my own way collaborating with Lyveden itself. She is letting the resistance of the element she uses design her work, which is a bold thing to do as she is relinquishing control over it.
Riepenhoff started out wanting to connect with her environment and she found a unique way of achieving this. Her Guggenheim Fellowship allowed her to focus on ‘troubled’ bodies of water – places that are vulnerable because of human activity, industry, or extreme weather. Working in these environments has changed her thought process and made her live more ecologically thoughtfully within her surroundings. This links to me trying to be environmentally conscious while I was making my banners.
Splitting the images into channels
To make duotone work, I needed to split the images into channels. I asked Google for help with this in Photoshop, and AI returned with these instructions. The images are my own.
1. Photoshop "Split Channels"
This method separates the image into individual, greyscale files for each colour component.
2. Open your image in Adobe Photoshop.
3. Flatten the Image: Go to Layer > Flatten Image to ensure all layers are combined. I found that, as I did not have multiple layers already, I duplicated the original layer, then right clicked and flattened the image.
4. Find the saturation and turn that up to 100%
5. Convert to RGB:
Go to Image > Mode > RGB.
6. Open Channels Panel: If not visible, go to Window > Channels
7. Split Channels: Click the menu icon (four lines) in the top right corner of the Channels panel and select "Split Channels".
8. Result: Photoshop will close your original file and open four separate, greyscale images titled with the colour initials (e.g., File_R File_G, File_B).
9.
Red layer = Cyan layer
· Green layer = Magenta layer
· Blue layer = Yellow layer
10. Select the red channel, the turn the brightness all the way up
11.
· Turn up the black level
· Location: Go to Filter > Camera Raw Filter.
· Properties: In the "Basic" panel, find the Blacks or Shadows slider.
· Then turn the black slider
12. Invert the image.
13. Save the file as a cyan layer
14. Now select the green image and turn the brightness up
15. Invert the image and save it as the magenta level.
16. Select the blue image. Turn up the brightness to the max.
17. Invert the image. Then save as the yellow image.
18. You can now print these images on acetate
This is the cyan layer
This is the magenta layer.
This is the yellow layer.
This looks like it has worked well. I will be trying this again. I adapted these instructions from this page that were for the Gimp photographic program and made
them work inside of Photoshop. https://www.alternativephotography.com/tri-color-cyanotypes/
Exhibition
Making the Exhibition Booklet
I made a booklet to go with my first exhibition of this course. I designed the booklet and the images within it and got Repo Graphics to bind it with wire and put an acetate cover on top. I was very happy with this booklet, but I wanted the booklet for this exhibition to be an improvement on the last one. I recently purchased a binding machine and wanted to use that to make my booklet from scratch.
One of my first limitations was that the largest I can print at home is A4. When I was researching which binder to purchase, I watched videos of people using the machine to see what their honest feelings were.
Whilst doing this I saw a lady called Tina use some chipboard as the covers of the book. She carefully explained how to stick your desired covering onto the chipboard. I really liked the finished result, so I did this on mine too. I also chose to print the pages which had images on photo paper to make them look more professional. I matched the thickness of that paper with card that I printed the writing on, so when you flicked through it you could not tell the difference and it felt nice to handle.
I first worked out the margin I would need to make the cover from an A4 piece of paper. I chose 15 mm on each side and cut this from each edge of the chipboard. I then printed my two covers and used double-sided tape on the chipboard so I could stick my cover on. I placed the tape about every centimetre to ensure the paper stuck well. I gently hovered the cardboard over the paper until it looked evenly spaced, then placed it down and used a print roller to make sure it stuck to all the tape.
Next, I used a tool on the corners to tell me how much to cut off. I then folded each edge over to the back of the board. If there were any gaps where the two bits of paper met, I used the discarded triangles underneath so that this wasn’t noticeable. After I had checked everything, I applied more double-sided tape on the edges and underneath any required triangles and went over it again with the print roller.
Finally, I measured a piece of white paper to cover the inside, cut it to the required size, and glued it to the inside of the board to complete the cover. I repeated these steps with the back cover.
I wrote all the information and added the pictures that I wanted to include. I then had to edit the margins so that the words fitted properly on the pages and the binding holes did not go through the images or writing. I managed this by trial and error.
I finally found that adding an extra 1 cm on the side that was going to be bound and then removing 2 cm from each of the other sides, solved this. I also had to do the same with the top and bottom, as I didn’t want to cut any writing or titles off at the top, so I took 3 cm off the bottom and only 1.5 cm off the top.
This made the paper slightly smaller than the cover, which is what I intended. I punched the paper to prepare it for binding, then punched the front cover. I then realised that I had punched the wrong side and had to remake the entire front cover.
After that, I made sure that both covers were the correct way round before I punched them again. I assembled the book by using the side of the machine to hold the binding while I placed the pages and covers in order. I then moved the assembled book to the back of the machine to squeeze the wire closed so it could hold all the pages.
I am pleased that I took the time to make the booklet myself, as not only have I got a sense of achievement from it, but I also have something unique that no one else at the exhibition will have.
Booklet
Collabarating with Isabella and Sophia
We decided that we would collaborate with each other when making the feedback poster. Sophia created the questionnaire for the feedback online and also for printing.
I made the QR code and instructions for using it, as I observed at the last exhibition that when visitors were asked to use the code they were not sure how, and I had to guide a good percentage of people.
I mentioned in my last unit that this was something I wanted to make more accessible to everyone. As this exhibition was not going to be manned apart from opening night, I felt this was important. We then passed the document on to Isabella to take a document with words into a poster. We were really pleased with the result.
Cyanotype for display inside Lyveden
To make my indoor exhibit piece, which is made from the same digital negative as the flag/banner, only the size has changed, so it was reprinted.
I coated 2 pieces of CANSON XL Watercolour 300gsm A3 Paper, Cold Pressed with cyanotype chemicals. I then left them to dry. I exposed both cyanotypes for 15 minutes. The first one I rinsed and will leave it as is.
I noticed when I was rinsing this that there were a couple of blurry areas where the negative hadn’t been held tight enough to the paper, so on my next exposure I added extra weights to hold it flatter. Comparing them side by side I think the sharpness has improved, although it’s harder to see on the tea-stained print because of the darker tones.
The second one I bleached with soda crystals and stained with stewed tea and left it to dry. I did this because I wanted to have some choices about what I exhibit.
I am considering scanning these and printing them on photographic paper at either A1 or A2 for better detail and durability.
Postcards
I decided to make postcards of some of my images to sell at the exhibition. I made the back in Photoshop. I took a sample of the postcards I’d designed into college to get some feedback from my tutors to see how I could improve them. Three of the images I had chosen had been taken on colour film which I developed myself. They do need their colours adjusting but I wanted to see what they look like as a postcard. Everyone agreed that the one in the bottom right was the weakest of the images and should be replaced with another one. It was also suggested that these would look better in black and white, that that I only have ‘Lyveden’ written at the bottom and that I move my logo to the reverse side. Here is the new set. The colour set at the top shows my original choices, and the black and white set below is the updated version after feedback
I designed a standard back in Photoshop with my logo, contact details and space for a stamp and address, which I will print on all the cards, so they work as a coherent set.
I made a 3D‑printed stand for my postcards for the exhibition. I did this because I wanted something easily accessible to keep them tidy. I also made some index cards to make the cards easy to find for the customers.
I have added a shop page to my website so that my customers can pay for any items they want without having to leave cash. I made sure that I used well-known payment methods so people will feel safe using it. These currently include Apple Pay and Google Pay.
I have made a product for each image and decided that £1 would be a good price. After setting up the payment system I noticed that I would be charged 25p + 3% per transaction. To offset this, I changed my price to £1.25 and added an automatic discount of 15% if the customer spent more than £2.50. This is to prevent the customer overpaying on multi-item transactions. I will be relying on the customers’ honesty to make the payment. I also created payment guidance, as I noticed that a lot of people did not know how to use a QR code at the last exhibition when we used one for feedback
How to Purchase Lyveden Postcards
Postcards £1.25 each or save 15% when you spend £2.50 or more.
Please pay by one of the following methods:
· QR code
Simply open the camera app on your phone and point it at the QR code at the bottom of this page (as if you’re going to take a picture, but don’t press the button). Then tap the link that pops up at the bottom of your camera app on your screen. This will take you to the shop on my website. Follow the instructions below *
Or
· Go to www.vickythorpephotography.com/shop then follow the instructions below *
Or
· Place your phone on top of the NFC card, then tap the link that comes up and follow the instructions below *
* On my website, you can select your chosen postcards and purchase your items.
You can pay using trusted methods such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.
After you purchase, please take your chosen postcards from my exhibit.
This checkout only applies to cards purchased from the Lyveden exhibition. If you would like to purchase some to be delivered, please contact info@vickythorpephotography.com for more information.
I also 3D‑printed an NFC tap point so visitors could place their phone on it and be taken directly to my online shop, making it easier for them to purchase my items.
Poster for Lyveden Exhibition
In Tom’s class we were asked to make a poster for the upcoming exhibit at Lyveden. I used Photoshop to create my poster as I find it easy to use. I had to make sure I included the required information given to us by Tom, including the logos for both Tresham College and the National Trust.
I made the poster from scratch, but I was influenced by one of the posters from last year’s exhibition, which Tom showed us as an example.
I first decided on the image. The view of both the cottage and Lyveden is one of my favourites, so it was an easy pick for this poster. I also included the rest of the images that I am printing as postcards, as I think they work well together as a set.
I then added the title and tried a few different fonts before I chose Muse Moderno. After that I added the details about the dates of the event and who was exhibiting there.
It was vital that I added that people needed to check with the National Trust for opening times, as these could change at short notice.
I liked last year’s poster because it drew your attention without overwhelming you with information, so I kept my design simple and made sure the key details were easy to find.
Preparing the banners for display
I asked my youngest child, Jayce, to help me put eyelets into the banners. They were kind enough to do the whole process for me.
First, they created a straight edge along the top and bottom of the banner. They followed the edge of the image rather than the fabric, because I had placed the print slightly wonky on the material when I was making it. They left plenty of space for the eyelets, so they sat away from the edge of the image, then cut along the line with pinking shears.
They measured and marked where they wanted each hole. This went a bit wrong on the bottom edge because some of the blue pen marks disappeared into areas of cyanotype where the chemistry had ‘escaped’. I made sure we used a washable pen so it wouldn’t stain the fabric permanently.
We used a metal punch and hammer to make the holes, with a brick underneath as a solid surface that didn’t matter if it got marked.
I chose 12mm eyelets so that different fixings could easily be passed through them when the banners are hung.
The tool that came in the set was then used to attach each eyelet: the two parts were placed either side of the fabric and squeezed together until they locked. This was repeated until all the eyelets were in place. I am very pleased with the result.
Hanging my Exhibit
Hanging day did not go quite as I expected. I had prepared an outside exhibit as well as an indoor one and had emailed Katy at Lyveden beforehand to discuss where I could hang my pieces. She was on holiday until the Monday of the hanging, so the first time we actually spoke was on the day. At that point I was told she was only expecting indoor exhibits, and I could not place work outside. I was disappointed, as so much of my planning and hopes had depended on the banners being outside, physically resisting the weather.
James first tried to hang my outdoor pieces on the wall, but they sagged together as they were never designed to hang that way. He suggested that I find something to keep them straight across while they hung, so I went outside to see what I could use. I found a long stick as well as some smaller ones and used the long one along the top to hold both banners together. Luckily it was just long enough. I like that the sticks from Lyveden are now resisting the banners’ desire to scrunch together. It feels like part of Lyveden is physically supporting a show of resistance. Although that link makes me feel slightly better, I am still disappointed that I had to let go of my original plan to see the work outside in the weather.
My printed outcomes were a little easier and went as I expected. I borrowed two frames from Lyveden to hold my images. I did need to trim the outside of the paper, but I had already planned for that. I discussed with James how I was going to hang them with the banners, and we decided that side by side would work well. Once they were placed on the wall, I felt this layout supported the rest of the exhibit.
I then found out that my planned way of enabling guests to pay for my postcards was not compatible with the National Trust’s charity status and the way they sell things. I can put items out for sale, but I cannot have prices or payment information on display. Instead, I must have a notice asking any guests wishing to purchase one of my items to speak to a member of staff, so they can pass on my details, and I can complete the transaction directly. I am not sure I will be very successful this way, as I feel a postcard is more of an impulse buy than a planned one.
After talking to Claire, I decided to give the postcards away free instead. I made this decision because I believe postcards are something you pick up in the moment rather than order and wait to receive, and I did not want to put barriers in the way of people engaging with my work. I will also have to change my information on my website to reflect this change.
Making a Project and Exhibition Page on my Website
I had business cards on my display so anyone interested in my photography could contact me. I included my Instagram so people can see samples of my photography, and my business email if they want to get in touch. On the reverse, with my logo, I also added my website address. I left a stack of cards in a business card stand in front of my exhibition.
I also added a page on my website about my Resistance project and another page showing the exhibition. I did this so people who have not seen the exhibition can still experience the work, and so visitors can be reminded of it afterwards.
Keeping this project on my website also means my National Trust exhibition stays visible as part of my professional portfolio, not just while the show is on at Lyveden. I have also included screenshots of these pages to document how I presented this project online.
I have also added screenshots of my website and Instagram visitor activity to show the impact of advertising my details at Lyveden. I’ve seen a noticeable rise in visits, which for me is a substantial increase.
What my exhibit looks like
Here is my intended outdoor exhibits
Here are my indoor exhibits
Other
Copyright
During a conversation with James, the subject of copyright came up, and he mentioned that I should have a copyright notice on my website. I hadn’t considered this before, but it’s an important part of protecting my work.
Because I wanted to get the wording right, I searched online for copyright notice guidance. I found an example I was happy with:
Copyright © (Year) (Business name). All Rights Reserved.
All images, text, and graphics on this website are protected by UK copyright law and are the property of (Business name). You may not reproduce, copy, transmit, publish, or distribute any material from this site without express written permission. Any unauthorized use of these images constitutes copyright infringement and may lead to legal action
I filled in the wording with my own details and added it to the footer of my website, so it appears on every page. I’d read that this placement was important while I was researching.
The Postcard Colour Film
I went to Lyveden to take some colour images for the postcards I am going to make. Here are the images I took on the day.
Trip to Oxford
We went on a trip to Oxford to have a look at the various museums and galleries there. As HE students we were not given a specific brief, so we could focus on whatever interested us. I wandered around the town taking images of various interesting buildings. I am always drawn to old and interesting buildings, and I like it when a building demands your attention.
I visited the Natural History Museum and later the Pitt Rivers Museum. I did not realise the Pitt Rivers was there until some of the tutors mentioned it, and I went in later with the year three students
Brutalist Imaginaries:
Radical Architectures of Oxford and Paris
Photo language (Nigel Green & Robin Wilson)
James also recommended that we have a look at the Brutalist Architecture exhibition at the Maison Française d'Oxford. It was interesting looking at how they presented the work. They had managed to turn mundane buildings that you wouldn’t normally pay any attention to into interesting pieces of art. Here are some images I took on the day.
Required Tasks
Proposal
Lyveden is the site of an unfinished garden lodge dating back to the 1600s. The building is rich in hidden Catholic symbolism, created by Thomas Tresham during a period when he faced repeated punishment from Queen Elizabeth I for refusing to convert to Anglicanism. Despite fines and multiple imprisonments, Tresham remained steadfast in his beliefs. His unwavering resistance has inspired me to incorporate the carved symbols on the lodge’s first floor into my project outcome.
Through my research, I started to explore the meanings behind these carvings and the wider context of Tresham’s life, family, and the pressures they faced. I intend to continue investigating the specifics of his fines and imprisonments to deepen the narrative behind my work. What stands out throughout this research is Tresham’s determination to maintain his faith, even when it impacted not only himself but also his family’s finances. This resilience is central to my creative approach. To support the theme of resistance will investigate how other photographers demonstrate this in their work. I will investigate modern forms of resistance to religion.
To capture the necessary images, I will use my DSLR with a 100–400mm lens. I will also use a 50mm lens to photograph the graffiti, as it is more accessible. I will use flash to improve clarity in low-light conditions, an area in which I aim to build confidence. Photographing architectural subjects will broaden my technical skill set, while revisiting cyanotype printing will allow me to develop my imagery through alternative processes. I will further my understanding of cyanotype by preparing digital negatives in Photoshop, guided by Sophia Jenny’s YouTube tutorials, and I plan to explore duotone and possibly triple-tone cyanotype methods, following instructions from Dr Melanie King.
I have set aside structured study periods of at least four hours, three times a week, to ensure consistent progress, and I regularly work beyond these sessions when needed. My access to transport and my National Trust membership will allow me to make additional research visits to Lyveden. Throughout the project, I will continue to follow safety practices, including wearing gloves, using an apron, ensuring adequate ventilation, and operating my UV lamp according to the manufacturer’s instructions, allowing extra cooling time as necessary.
Building on feedback from my previous exhibition at Wicksteed, I will design a poster to assist visitors unfamiliar with QR codes and will create a new booklet showcasing my processes and supplementary outcomes. I have also purchased a display stand that will keep the booklet open, making it more inviting to viewers.
I am planning two final exhibits. The first will be an outdoor piece, cyanotype printed onto cloth and attached to a tree or post, to demonstrate how the imagery and symbolism resist the elements. This may focus on Catholic resistance under Elizabeth I or on the graffiti at Lyveden as a form of defiance against authority. The second exhibit will be indoors, as a video that combines images of the carved symbols with details of Tresham’s punishments or other contextual information, highlighting the narrative of resistance that underpins the project.
References
Sophia Jenny Artist (2025). How to Make Perfect Digital Negatives for Cyanotype Printing. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoL5aAZIRv0 [Accessed 26 Feb. 2026].
Dr Melanie King (2025). #DIY Duotone Cyanotype // in Praise of Raw Data Project. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHehkeqsz7Q [Accessed 13 Feb. 2026].
My Unit A2 Presentation
Feedback from my Peers
Presentation formatting: how effective was the presentation, visually?
· Visually, I liked it. The presentation itself was good.
· Communication was clear and understandable.
· Clear presentation and communication of imagery could have included the edited photos of where you used Photoshop
· Presentation is informative, clear explanation for multiple interesting theories and plans
· Visually effective, pro-practices clearly stated
· Clear explanation, very professional
· Clear presentation visuals and text title and formatting is effective
I am happy that my presentation came across clearly.
Clarity and intent: how well were the ideas conveyed to the audience?
· Good discussions of technical processes.
· Very clear- using symbolism for interior and exterior outcomes. Cyanotype outside flag
· Artifact evidence inside
· Perfect and clear ideas loved the testing ideas (cyanotype very effective) unfinished flag a cool idea.
· Clear clarity on the ideas, which are very original and I can’t wait to see how it finalises
· The ideas for your final outcomes are strong with the use of quite a unique medium- cyanotype and the flag idea is different and original. A lot of consideration has been made environmentally.
· Ideas were conveyed well, clearly explained what you want to do.
I am happy that my ideas were effectively communicated to my audience
Concept: how well the visual research, influences, or contextual references supported the idea?
· Mentions of cyanotype artists such as Meline King.
· Contextual references do support the idea well
· Only a brief mention of artists, might need to reference more?
· Very well
· Photo and research well thought
· Loved the testing outcomes
· Melanie King
I agree with the critique that there could be more references to the artists that have influenced my work with either their ideas or techniques.
After my presentation
After I had given my presentation, I was asked by Alex how I was going to link my idea of modern-day graffiti with the old graffiti that’s at Lyveden. I had not figured it out yet, and the more I thought about it, the more I disliked the idea. I chatted with James about my idea of doing a second flag depicting the different ways Tresham showed his resistance to becoming an Anglican. I can still exhibit inside too, but this will be more about processes and explanations of why I chose what I chose, etc. I will decide this in detail later on.
Illustrated Annotated Bibliography
National Trust Lyveden Guidebook (2004, Mark Bradshaw)
The National Trust's 2004 book on Lyveden provides all the details about its history. It focuses mainly on the Tresham family and their lives. It details how and why the garden lodge was built, what the gardens were intended to look like, Thomas Tresham’s life and its impact on Lyveden, and the religious symbolism in the buildings. It goes on to explain how his son, after his death, inherited the estate and nearly bankrupted it because he was involved in the gunpowder plot to overthrow the government of the day. He was involved before he inherited it, but there was no money left to complete the garden lodge, so it was left as it is today. It does explore some of the history after the estate was sold, but it appears that either the most interesting or the most documented time was when the Tresham’s were in ownership.
It is a very credible source because I purchased it from Lyveden itself, it was written by the National Trust, which runs the Lyveden site, and it draws on information from other credible English history sources.
I decided to use it to enhance my project because it provides detailed information about different parts of Lyveden that I might not have found elsewhere, and it is easily accessible. I found the book very detailed, and it helped me research some of the images I found around the site.
Subway Art
By
Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant
This book brought subway art to the world's attention and helped it become a global phenomenon. Then they began their journey into photographing graffiti; they did not even know each other. They were exploring independently; Martha was capturing images of art on the trains as part of their urban environmental project. Meanwhile, Henry was photographing the trains to document the ephemeral art; his focus was on the images, as he was an artist himself. He demonstrated this by isolating the art in his photographs.
During their time photographing the trains, they became friendly with some of the graffiti artists, which led to introductions and them joining forces, as their work complemented each other and provided a more complete picture of graffiti in New York.
The book presents a comprehensive collection of graffiti art from New York in the 70s and 80s; it also explains some of the most common vocabulary and its meanings. Additionally, it describes the process artists go through to create their work, showing images of artists at work and sharing some trade secrets. It also traces the history of graffiti, portraying it as art rather than merely a nuisance.
I used this book to learn about the history of graffiti to gain insights into their world. It is a highly reliable source, as they were part of this scene for a considerable period.
I had previously seen graffiti simply as a nuisance that defaced walls, buildings, and trains. But it is much more than that. It encompasses various purposes, such as advertising who ‘owns' a block and which gangs operate there, as well as efforts by individuals to increase the popularity of their art or share political views, with the aim of persuading viewers to reconsider their opinions on certain subjects. When done well, these pieces are often magnificent works of art, a joy to behold.
Artist Statement
Vicky Thorpe
HNC Photography
Resistance
This work was inspired by the resistance of Sir Thomas Tresham, who refused to convert from his beloved Catholicism to the Anglican church ordered by Queen Elizabeth I. He resisted by refusing to attend Anglican services, which caused him to be imprisoned and fined repeatedly. At his Lyveden estate, where he felt safest, he hid a multitude of symbols so he could continue to show his devotion to his chosen God.
The carvings used around this outcome reflect the seven instruments used in the Passion (crucifixion). The centre of the image is some devotional bird graffiti carved into the building.
Cyanotype was chosen to produce this outcome. The process involves resistance, with the negative resisting the UV light. That resistance, depending on how dark the negative is in each area, defines the tones of the image.
The part faded appearance of the finished work reflects the weathered stone surface of Tresham’s testament to resistance that has resisted the march of time.
CYANOTYPE TONING
USING BOTANICALS TO TONE BLUEPRINTS NATURALLY
ANNETTE GOLAZ
This book is a how-to guide on how to tone cyanotypes with botanicals. It describes in detail a selection of different ones you can use and discusses the colour properties as well as how to prepare each one before you use it. It tells you about the plants themselves, goes into detail on how to achieve a good outcome It has very detailed step by step instructions so you can easily follow each process. As there are so many variants in things like the hardness of water that can change the ph. level of tour toner, this in turn will change your outcome. It warns you of all these sorts of things and recommends distilled water to use with the toners to help eliminate some of these issues you can face. It is also a guide not a definitive set of instructions as the strength of the botanicals can vary dramatically.
It has many images to check if your work is progressing as it should look. It also looks at over 60 different types of paper with recommendations on what’s better for what. Furthermore, it tells you what equipment you will need for a successful outcome and a range of creative ideas should you need help.
I’ve seen this book recommended countless times while searching online for cyanotyping advice. Many of the people I’ve watched in videos have started with its techniques but then refined them to suit their own needs. I knew this book would be reliable. I’ve been using it to improve my basic cyanotyping and learn duo and triple colour techniques. While I haven’t mastered these yet, I find the book incredibly helpful. It includes instructions for bleaching and toning with various ingredients, and I’m sure I’ll continue to learn more as there’s so much more to explore.
Symposium
I attended the symposium at Bedford Six Form College. Here is the poster I presented.
My audience was asked to fill out a chart on how well they thought. Here is my feedback
Criterion
Excellent
Good
Developing
Beginning
Opening and Framing
1
Clear Purpose; Strong Start
6
Clear enough; some engagement
1
Basic or unclear start
No clear introduction
Explanation of Research/ Inquiry
5
Clear, Concise, accessible
4
Mostly clear; minor issues
Overly detailed or vague
Hard to follow / inaccurate
Communication of Key Issues
6
Key points Clear and Confident
3
Mostly clear; minor gaps
Some points unclear/rushed
Key points missing/ inaccurate
Audience Engagement
5
Invites participation; answers well
3
Responds well overall
Limited engagement
1
Avoids engagements/ unable to answer
Use of Poster/ Visual Aid
3
Supports narrative; not read verbatim
6
Mostly supported
Relies heavily on reading
Visuals not used effectively
Deliverance and Presence
7
Clear Voice; Steady pace; confident
2
Mostly clear; minor phrasing/pacing issues
Hesitant or uneven
Difficult to hear or follow
Timing (5-10 min)
Well, paced
9
Slightly under/ over
Significantly off time
No sense of timing
I had 9 people in my audience. The discrepancy with the first line only showing 8 opinions is because one of my sheets did not contain an answer for line one.
How did I feel the presentation went?
I felt I could have done better; I did not prepare well enough; nerves played their part and I had also never attended an event like this before. I struggled at the start but once I started found my flow and it went better. I did briefly consider bringing the outcome of my work, but I decided against this. I think that would have enhance my presentation. I am happy with the results above as they do show an overall picture of how it went from my view too. Next time I would like to prepare earlier and include physical examples alongside my poster.
Evaluation
My work was influenced by Thomas Tresham’s resistance to changing his religion from Catholicism to the Anglican faith. I chose cyanotype because the process of creating my outcome involves many forms of resistance to enable a final image. I tried turmeric anthotype and tri‑coloured cyanotypes, but I was unable to refine the technique in the time I had for the brief. I followed techniques from a YouTube video by Dr Melanie King showing how to do duo cyanotypes and used these in my trials when trying to achieve both duo and tri‑coloured cyanotypes. Although I didn’t achieve what I wanted from these techniques, this was due to me not following the correct tutorial for the negatives and not yet having the correct technique for bleaching the cyanotypes properly. I have now hugely improved this technique, but I did not have time to perfect it to a level I would have wanted to. Her tutorial fitted with how I like to learn new processes visually, and it helped me understand different ways of layering and bleaching cyanotypes
After we were given the brief of ‘Resistance’ that had to be linked to Lyveden New Bield, I started researching Lyveden and discovered Thomas Tresham’s formidable resistance to changing his religion under overwhelming pressure. I decided to focus on Thomas because I was impressed by his willingness to keep facing imprisonment and fines rather than give in. He wanted to make his home a sanctuary, and he risked further punishment so he and his family could truly be themselves, surrounded by reminders of their devotion to their chosen deity.
My original plans did not always go the way I intended. I could not hang my intended outdoor exhibit because the offer to exhibit outside does not appear to have been shared between the Lyveden staff. When I turned up to hang my outcomes and asked where outside would be suitable, like a fence, I was told there were no fences that could be used and that outdoor exhibiting was not an option, so my only option was to hang the banners alongside my indoor exhibits. When James tried to hang them inside, the banners bunched together when a wire was threaded through the eyelets. He suggested I find something like a piece of venetian blind to hold them up so they would hang straight. I asked if I could look around the grounds to find something suitable and I found some short sticks and one large stick. I used these and tied my banners to the sticks with fishing line, using the long one at the top and the short ones at the bottom of each banner to help them hang better.
I had also originally intended to sell my postcards through my shop website, directing customers using a QR code, an NFC chip and my website address. I was asked by Lyveden to take down the payment information and prices because this was not in line with their charitable status and their guidelines surrounding direct sales on National Trust premises. After talks with both James and Claire, I decided to change the postcards to free items and offered my prints for sale instead, with any enquiries going through Lyveden staff. This shows how my ideas about both display and sales had to evolve in response to the venue and how flexible I was in adapting my original plans.
I took the image of Lyveden New Bield with my DSLR using a 16–35mm lens at f/4, ISO 100 and a shutter speed of 1/400. I worked in full manual mode so I could control aperture, shutter speed and ISO myself, and used spot metering to make sure the building was correctly exposed. The rest of the postcard images were taken on a 35mm film camera with colour film. I shot the roll, processed the film and scanned the negatives myself. I imported the scans into Lightroom, adjusted exposure and contrast to my taste, then converted the images to black and white. James suggested that the images would be stronger in black and white and recommended turning the orchard image into a sepia version. I chose fabric for my outdoor exhibits as paper would not last outside, and I wanted to move to a medium I had not used with cyanotype before, which ticked both boxes.
I’m starting to feel more confident in my photographic eye. Through practice I’m finding that more of my shots are working, and that’s true for both digital and analogue cameras. When I went to Lyveden with the intention of shooting a colour film specifically for postcards, it really focused my mind, and I ended up with a lot more images I was happy to use. This project has built my confidence in using cyanotype on different surfaces, as well as expanding into more advanced techniques and trying other anthotypes.
The images I used for my cyanotypes are interesting to look at and encourage the audience to question why I chose those images and what they mean. This is why I created the booklet, to explain my ideas and share my processes too. I made it from scratch to improve on the booklet from my first exhibition. I also shared a ‘Perfecting Cyanotype on Fabric’ poster at a symposium and presented it to a group of peers who were also sharing their projects. I was nervous but once I started talking, I found my flow, and it helped me practise explaining my process and decisions out loud.
I was persuaded to use the image of Lyveden and the cottage as one of my main images by tutor James. I am very glad he did as it really works well at A1 size, and it was originally only intended to be one of my postcard images. I did not want my inside cyanotype to be an exact copy of my outdoor exhibits, so after I had made the cyanotype on paper, I bleached it then toned it with tea. I am very pleased with the resulting colour, as it reminds me of the stone at Lyveden and brings my outcome closer to its origin.
I chose a wall to exhibit my outcomes on, and my chosen wall ended up being a better choice than I realised because I also had to accommodate my outside exhibits. I spoke with tutor James about positioning as I was unsure how we were going to put it all together. We settled on the outside banners on the left and the inside ones on the right, with the Lyveden image in between to break it up a little. I was not initially happy with this change, and I am still not 100%, but I think bringing in sticks from Lyveden’s grounds gave it a physical link to the outside and made the exhibit stand out because of the unusual hanging style. I also added postcards made from scratch, and the booklet I made from scratch, and created a clear sign to direct any customers who might be interested in purchasing my prints.
When I revisited the exhibition, I noticed that quite a few of my free postcards had been taken. I hadn’t written down how many I originally left, but the image on the right shows the initial amount, and the image below shows how many were left when I visited today.
I then refilled the holder with some spare postcards from home so there would be more available for visitors.
Through using the criteria to write my evaluation I have picked up things that went well, like borrowing the frames from Lyveden to display my images, as they suited the work and the space. I also realised what I would change next time, such as checking in with Lyveden earlier about where to hang my exhibit outside so I could have prepared better. The same is true for selling my items on the premises: I should have asked about any rules around sales in advance instead of having to make a last‑minute change.
Feedback from the Exhibition
Here is the feedback from the exhibit through the QR code on the poster we made:
Lastly, is there any extra feedback for the HE students which have exhibited their work?
· Well done to all the HNC students who exhibited their final outcome. It was very interesting to read everyone's work showcasing their ideas and perspectives to their theme resistance.
· Please keep up the great work. All of the pieces presented at the exhibition showed great uniqueness, creativity and knowledge of the subject. There was also a wide variety of techniques used and executed well to produce all the pieces. It was a brilliant way to showcase the groups journey and growth in there learning.
· Sublime to see the hard copy prints on walls in a viewing gallery. Interested to know what paper you used for the prints. Thank you!
· Very beautifully executed, deeply thought provoking. Superb all :)
This is very positive feedback and reflects the hard work everyone put into their own exhibits.
This is the personal feedback I have received:
Vicky has created large scale outcomes which was very ambitious and successful. I especially like the fabric cyanotypes, and I believe you have tackled and compromised really well by using the sticks found at Lyveden grounds to exhibit the piece when you could no longer have it outside. It has brought that outside element inside. Also the use of postcards, business cards and booklet adds getting professional practise.
I did struggle with the idea of what to do once I couldn’t exhibit outside, but after talking with James about how to hold the banners up and then finding the sticks in Lyveden’s grounds, it made the disappointment feel a little better. I also struggled at times with the size of the banners when exposing, coating with chemicals and making sure they were fully rinsed. Because I used the sun as well as various combinations of UV lights, quite a few attempts went wrong before they went right. Seeing a review like this makes all of that experimentation and problem‑solving feel worthwhile.
Feedback left at Lyveden
RESISTANCE FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE:
Please answer all questions with your feedback from viewing this exhibition. Thankyou!
How well has the exhibited work reflected the theme
'Resistance'? (5 = Excellent, 1 = Poor)
5,5,5,1,3
How likely are you to recommend viewing this exhibition
to other? (5 = Excellent, 1 = Poor)
5,5,5,1,4
Overall, how would you rate your enjoyment of your
visit to the exhibition? (5 = Excellent, 1 = Poor)
5,5,5,1,4
Lastly, is there any extra feedback for the HE students which have exhibited their work?
· Excellent work by all the students experimenting with different techniques
· Superb Venue! Nicely reflected in the themes of the work
· It was a very interesting and informative (in the art world) to see so many interpretations of resistance.
· No
· No
It is difficult to adjust future exhibitions if the people who leave lower feedback do not explain what we could do better. However, I am glad that the other responses were positive.