Jacquard Cyanotype Potassium Ferricyanide 450g (16oz)

Jacquard Cyanotype Potassium Ferricyanide 450g (16oz)

Jacquard Potassium Ferricyanide is one of the two essential chemicals used to create cyanotype prints, a historic photographic process known for its distinctive Prussian blue tones. In modern settings where a full darkroom is not always practical, especially at home or in education, cyanotype offers a simple and highly accessible way to explore analogue image-making in a contemporary way.

Cyanotype, often referred to as sun printing, is based on one of the earliest photographic processes. Images are created by placing objects such as leaves, flowers, shells, or textured materials onto a coated surface and exposing it to sunlight or UV light. After just a few minutes of exposure, the print is rinsed in water to reveal a striking image formed purely by light and shadow. Areas exposed to light turn blue, while blocked areas remain white, creating beautifully simple and graphic results.

Why We Like It

This process has a lot of charm. It is tactile, creative, and a great reminder of how photography works at its most fundamental level. It is especially effective in schools and workshops, where the immediacy of the results makes it both engaging and educational. That said, it is not just for beginners. Many photographers and artists return to cyanotype for its distinctive look and creative flexibility, particularly when working with alternative processes or mixed media.

There is also a strong historical connection here. Cyanotype was widely used in the 19th century as an inexpensive way to reproduce documents, maps, and technical drawings, which is where the term “blueprint” originates. Using it today feels both relevant and rooted in photographic history.

Key Features

• Potassium Ferricyanide for cyanotype and sun printing processes
• Used with Ferric Ammonium Citrate to create light-sensitive sensitiser
• Produces distinctive Prussian blue monochrome prints
• Suitable for paper, fabric, and other absorbent materials
• Simple process using sunlight or UV light exposure
• Quick development with a water rinse
• Economical, a small amount produces a large volume of working solution
• Safe to handle with basic precautions, suitable for educational environments

What's in the Box

• 1 × 450g (16oz) Potassium Ferricyanide

Ideal For

• Schools, colleges, and art workshops
• Photographers exploring alternative and historical processes
• Artists working with natural objects and mixed media
• Anyone wanting a simple, darkroom-free printing method

How to make basic cyanotype sensitizer formula and instructions:

Dissolve 40g (approximately 2 tablespoons) Potassium Ferricyanide in 400ml (1.7 cups) water to create stock solution A. Dissolve 100g (approximately .5 cup) Ferric Ammonium Citrate in 400ml (1.7 cups) water to create stock solution B. Mix stock solutions A & B in equal parts to create the cyanotype sensitizer. Coat paper or fabric with the sensitizer and allow to dry in the dark. Once dry, make exposures in sunlight or under a UV light source (3-15 minutes, depending on conditions), placing objects or a film negative* on the coated surface to create an image. After exposure, prints are processed in a tray of cool water and allowed to air dry.