Cyanotype Printing and Toning Lab with Rebecca Ustrell was made possible in part through the generous support of Arts Connection – The Arts Council of San Bernardino County (AC). Through AC's Artist Microgrant Program, San Bernardino County artists receive direct funding to develop creative projects that uplift community stories, spark cultural connection, and inspire artistic innovation. This program reflects AC’s mission to strengthen the creative workforce, champion arts education, and expand access to arts and culture across San Bernardino County. To learn more, visit, artsconnectionnetwork.org.
In this workshop, you’ll learn to tone Cyanotype photos using a tannic acid solution formulated by Bostic & Sullivan.
About the process: The cyanotype is a slow-reacting, economical photographic printing formulation. It produces a monochrome, blue colored print, often used for art, and for reprography in the form of blueprints. Toning cyanotypes with potassium carbonate (or similar alkali like sodium carbonate) acts as a bleaching agent, shifting the traditional Prussian blue to yellow, pale blue, or white by breaking down the iron complex. This process is used to reduce stain or to prepare the print for further toning with tannins like tea or coffee.
Please note: Some chemicals will be used in this workshop and personal protective equipment and ventilation will be provided. Exact chemicals are: Cyanotype Bleaching Solution A-14% potassium carbaonate solution and Cyanotype Toning Solution B- 40% Tannic Acid Solution.
Rebecca Ustrell is an Arts Connection Network Micro Grant awardee. This workshop is possible in part by the support of the Arts Connection Network San Bernardino Micro Grant Program.
About the Artist
Rebecca Ustrell is an artist, educator, and documentarian in the Inland Empire of Southern California. In 2018 after a long period of creative burn-out, she leaned into her life-long passion for printed ephemera and founded Curious Publishing, a non-profit artbook publishing company which focuses on archiving stories and creating wealth by supporting queer, BIPOC, and femme creatives through small-run artbooks, zines, and print collections. In 2023-2024, she was the Activist Artist in Residence for the Community Engagement Center at Pitzer College, and is currently the Event Coordinator for Museum Arts & Culture at the City of Ontario.