Going Old School: Chemistry, Death, and Creating Beauty

Creating Cyanotypes, Part 1: Treating the Paper from Jillisa Hope Milner on Vimeo.

Ever wondered what happens when you combine ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide? No, you won't get an explosion, but the ingredients could actually kill you! The chemicals are indeed toxic (if you smell almonds, it may be the last thing you smelll!) but if you work with care, you're in greater danger of staining your clothes than you are of dying. It's all a part of the fun: these are the chemicals you use to treat paper or fabric for creating cyanotypes!

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