Cyanotype on cloth

[intorquemada]

Hi!
I have some experience with making regular cyanotypes, but I wanted to try something different. Due to costs of chemicals in my countries, the tests would be quite expensive for me - maybe someone did a similar project and knows if thats possible.
I wanted to soak a big (approx. 2x1 meter) cloth in classic canotype chemicals, let it dry in the darkness and then hand it on the wall in a room with regular, artificial light only. With some people standing with their backs to the cloth for let's say, 20 minutes?, I would like to record their silhouettes. Then I'd try to develop it in a bucket of water and hang to dry on the same wall.
Will the silhouettes record without sunlight, would given time be enough?
Let me know if you did anything similar/ have some ideas
Cheers

 

[compur]

cyanotypes require UV light.

 

[terri]

Yes, the light is critical here. You could explore the kinds of UV bulbs available in your area and try setting this up, but they'd have to be fairly close.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I've done cyanotypes on paper and on fabric, on a table in a window, and yes you need sunlight or other UV light source.

What came to mind is would it work to lay the treated fabric on the ground outside and have subjects lay down on it? You'd have to figure out ahead of time where each person will be and they'll probably need to lay down quick and stay perfectly still. (Maybe do a test run on a bedsheet or something to let them 'practice' before you use the treated fabric.) Usually exposure is about 10 minutes but see what the directions with the chemistry say to do.