I have been experimenting with the cyanotype process for a month now. My experiments and test have proved unsatisfactory. Upon reflection, there are two takeaways.
First, without considering how much I dislike the process, I thought cyanotype would be a cost-effective way to produce a massive single-exposure print on a bolt of linen. While it is affordable, the process is very messy – the scale I am working in is not suited to a small flat – and not producing the results I was hoping for.
I have a great concept for a polyptych gelatin silver print. It will be expensive. Although I have enough materials to begin the troubleshooting process in the darkroom, I am worried that I will not have the resources to create the final artwork. On the other hand, I have always found a way.
Thus, the takeaways are simple. Make what I love, love what I make and get on with it. The rest be damned.