Cyanotype as a resource in contemporary art: a blue light that does not go out

Abstract

The photochemical process known as cyanotype is one of simplest and most suggestive existing methods of obtaining photographic images. After being discovered in the first half of the nineteenth century and being widely used in the twentieth century to make copies of architectural plans now, in the 21st century and after the massive popularization of the digital image, it seemed doomed to disappear. However, new technologies have opened new paths, for example, making possible hybrid creations (through the elaboration of digital negatives to obtain blueprints) or making possible the diffusion of both these creations and technical manuals through the network. Currently cyanotype is a resource used in different areas; Along with pedagogical or therapeutic applications we can find significant artistic results in different parts of the world, Spain among them. All these issues are addressed in this article.