Cyanotype Duotone Online Workshop

Join Melanie King for a unique insight into how she creates duotone (two coloured) cyanotypes using natural, sustainable botanical toners. 

Cyanotype is an accessible, environmentally friendly photographic process which is known for its strong blue colour.

In this workshop you will learn how to produce two digital negatives on acetate which will provide the basis for your two-coloured cyanotypes. Melanie will demonstrate her full cyanotype process including how to bleach cyanotypes with soda crystals, and tone them with tannin-based substances such as green tea, coffee, and red wine.

Cyanotypes may be known for their strong blue colours but it is possible to alter the blue colour with bleaches and tannins to achieve yellow, purple, brown and tones that are close to black.

About the artist

Dr Melanie King is an artist, curator and lecturer. In her work she highlights the intimate connection between photographic materials and the natural world. Melanie is currently researching several sustainable photographic processes, to minimise the environmental impact of her artistic practice. Melanie was artist in residence at the Mawddach Residency in February 2025, where she was researching her duotone cyanotype process alongside her other photographic work. The residency and the production of this workshop was supported by funding from A-N.

What you need to take part

We suggest you have the following materials for the session:

• Potassium Ferricyanide & Ammonium Ferric Citrate (Or pre-made Cyanotype kit)
• Foam or Goat Hair brush.
• Paper (Melanie uses Fabriano Accademia 200GSM+, Arches Platine, Somerset Satin, Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag)
• Transparencies & Printer or drawing material & transparent film or flat objects to make contact prints (e.g. leaves)
• Access to water
• Jugs for water / Trays big enough to hold your paper / Gloves
• Contact printing frame / clip frame / sheet of glass
• Sunlight or UV light
  
  For Bleaching & Toning
• Kettle or method of boiling water
• Bleaching material (Bicarbonate of Soda, Oak Bark)
• Tannin materials (Green tea, coffee, black tea, red wine)
• Jugs for water / Trays big enough to hold your paper
• Access to water
  
  If you don’t have the right materials you’re still welcome to take part with whatever materials you have to hand. If you have any questions about the materials you need, just pop us an email on info@draw-brighton.co.uk.

Before the class

• Before the session, make sure you have a Zoom account and cyanotype materials for the class
• At the advertised time of the session, set yourself up to draw in front of your device, sign in to Zoom and click on the link in your email to join the class.

After the session

• If you’d like to share your cyanotypes with the rest of the community can post them up on the Draw Community Facebook group HERE
• You can also share your work with us on Instagram, tagging the tutor @melaniekatking & @draw_brighton or using the #drawbrighton hashtag.