Petal power

My laptop developed a fault so this is a back blip for 1st September. 

I've been trying to make my own photosensitive emulsions from flower petals. This is a photographic printing process called anthotype that was developed by Mary Somerville in the 1840s. Take a handful of fresh petals and crush them, with a little water, in a mortar and pestle (in my case end of rolling pin and a cereal bowl). Then strain the juice through a muslin bag to remove any debris. I tried hollyhocks first but they just produced a sticky mass of cellulose. I had more success with the petals of a scarlet pelargonium - although the juice turned out to be mauve. Then I tried various dahlia petals. The emulsion is then painted onto paper.  When its dried, the subject matter to be printed is laid on top and then clamped in place with a glass sheet. It will be exposed to UV light for a few weeks until the light breaks down the exposed pigment leaving the unexposed areas as a positive print. If it works I will blip the result.