| If you're looking for something fun and
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| | treated fabric will start to change color
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| creative to do this summer, consider
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| | slowly.
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| blueprinting, an alternative photographic
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| | Some ideas for designs:
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| process. But you won't be creating an
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| | - Dry flowers and leaves pressed flat
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| image for construction. Instead, you'll
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| | - Ribbons and feathers
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| learn how to use the sun to transform a
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| | - Stencils
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| design into a work of art on fabric. You
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| | - Film
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| may wish to design a scarf, t-shirt, or
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| | - Images drawn or stamped on clear
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| any other garment or fashion accessory.
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| | acrylic
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| You can also make an art print to frame
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| | - Photos (negatives) printed on clear
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| and display. Kids would also love to do
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| | transparencies
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| this easy and fun activity.
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| | I use photo imaging software to change a
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| The blueprinting process or cyanotype was
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| | scanned or digital photo to a negative.
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| invented in 1842 by an English
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| | Next, I print the negative on a
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| astronomer, Sir John Herschel. But it
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| | transparency sheet. After that, I place
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| wasn't until the industrial revolution
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| | the sheet on the fabric and cover the
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| that the process was used widely to copy
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| | transparency and fabric with non-UV
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| drawings by architects, builders, and
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| | coated acrylic.
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| engineers. A blueprint used to contain
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| | Put a piece of glass or acrylic (non-UV
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| white lines on a blue background. Today
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| | coated) on top of the design. This will
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| the standard blueprint process contains
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| | help maintain close contact between the
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| blue lines on a white background.
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| | design and the treated fabric.
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| Preparing to Make Blueprints
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| | Consequently, movement will be prevented
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| Blueprinting on fabric begins with the
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| | and light won't be able to expose the
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| fabric being saturated with a solution of
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| | covered area. You may also choose to pin
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| two chemicals--ammonium ferric citrate
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| | the objects to the treated fabric. If the
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| and potassium ferricyanide (water soluble
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| | acrylic or glass is not at least as large
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| iron salts), which react to UV light
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| | as the fabric, lines will print.
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| producing the compound Prussian blue.
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| | Fixing the Blueprint
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| You'll be working with treated fabric.
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| | After 2-15 minutes (depending upon the
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| Therefore, you won't need to mix any
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| | time of day and year) when your fabric
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| chemicals. The treated fabric is safe to
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| | becomes dark green, bring the fabric
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| use. All you'll need are gloves and
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| | inside and rinse it in a tub of water.
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| perhap an apron or old clothes and a drop
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| | Keep rinsing until the water is clear.
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| cloth to keep things from being stained.
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| | The non-exposed chemicals will rinse out.
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| It is best to use a natural fiber such as
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| | With white fabric, you'll see the print
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| 100% cotton, rayon or silk. If you use a
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| | appear in white and blue. If you have
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| fabric of cotton and polyester blend, the
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| | fuchsia fabric, the print will be purple
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| background color will not be a rich
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| | and fuchsia; yellow fabric will produce a
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| indigo blue and may fade in time. Also,
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| | green and yellow print; turquoise will
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| before you begin your project, wash the
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| | produce a blue-green and turquoise print.
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| fabric to remove sizing and conditioners,
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| | The fabric color will appear in
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| which would interfere with the chemical
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| | non-exposed areas after rinsing if the
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| reaction.
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| | objects covering those areas are opaque.
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| Blueprinting on a Clear Summer Day
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| | If the objects are transparent or
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| The best time of day to print your fabric
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| | transluscent, light will get through and
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| is around noon when the sun is overhead
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| | expose that area of the print.
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| and the sky is clear. The UV light is
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| | After thoroughly rinsing the fabric, hang
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| most intense and the angle of the sun
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| | it to dry inside.
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| will help print a crisp picture. If the
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| | Care of Your Printed Fabric
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| sun is low in the sky, you'll need to
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| | When you need to wash the fabric, always
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| prop up your treated fabric so that it
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| | select a non- phosphate liquid soap such
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| will be perpendicular to the sun. In this
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| | as Woolite or Dove. It is better to hand
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| way, shadows and a fuzzy picture can be
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| | wash than machine wash. If you use a
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| avoided. Also, select a place that is
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| | powder detergent with phosphate, your
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| wind-free; any movement will produce a
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| | print will fade or contain yellow or
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| fuzzy picture.
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| | brown blotches. If you leave your fabric
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| When you are ready to begin, place a
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| | to dry outside, it will fade over time.
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| large piece of plywood or foam board on a
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| | If you want to have it drycleaned, take a
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| table and take the treated fabric out of
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| | swatch to the cleaners for testing. With
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| the lightproof bag. You should be indoors
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| | gentle care, your fabric will fabric will
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| away from the sunlight when you do this.
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| | Source:
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| Place the fabric on the support and add
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| | Hewitt, Barbara. Blueprints on Fabric:
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| to the fabric the objects that will
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| | Innovative Uses for Cyanotype. Loveland,
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| create a design. Try to do this quickly.
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| | Colorado: Interweave Press, 1995.
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| Although you will have a few minutes, the
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