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Why Cyanotypes Might Be the Most Magical Art Workshop You'll Ever Try
Learn the fascinating history behind this historic blue printing process and discover why cyanotype workshops at Studio Agnew are helping beginners slow down, explore nature, and create something unforgettable.
7/8/20264 min read
Yesterday morning, before anyone had even made their first print, everyone was already creating.
As participants arrived at Nehrling Gardens in Gotha, Florida, the curiosity began immediately. The workspace was set with trays, brushes, acrylic frames, and paper. Since this isn't a traditional drawing or painting class, it naturally sparked questions: What are we creating? How does this process work? What will our final prints look like?
Before long, participants—both individually and in small groups—wandered through the beautiful gardens searching for interesting leaves and flowers, comparing shapes and textures as they gathered botanicals for their prints. By the time we returned to our tables, strangers had become collaborators, and the creative process had already begun.
The workshop becomes about much more than the process of making a print. It becomes about slowing down, observing the world around us, and discovering beauty in places we might otherwise overlook. Long before the paper is placed in the sun, participants are already exploring, asking questions, and seeing nature through a more creative lens.
Then comes the moment everyone remembers—watching their prints transform into brilliant shades of indigo blue. It's a process people find fascinating, fun, and often can't wait to experience again.
That's what I love most about teaching cyanotypes. Every workshop begins with curiosity, grows through exploration, and ends with participants leaving not only with beautiful handmade prints, but with a renewed appreciation for slowing down and creating something with their own hands.
A Little History
Cyanotypes are one of the earliest forms of photographic printmaking, invented in 1842 by Sir John Herschel. Rather than using ink or paint, paper is exposed to sunlight. Wherever light reaches the paper, it transforms into a rich Prussian blue, while objects placed on the paper block the light and leave behind beautiful white silhouettes.
One of the most well-known artists to embrace this process was botanist Anna Atkins, who used cyanotypes to document plants and algae. Her work is considered one of the earliest photographically illustrated books ever published and proved that art and science could beautifully work together.
Nearly 200 years later, the process still creates that same sense of wonder.
Why I Teach It
As Studio Agnew continues to grow, I want it to become a place where people can experience traditional art-making techniques that encourage patience, curiosity, and creativity. We spend so much of our lives looking at screens and expecting instant results. Cyanotypes invite us to do the exact opposite.
You carefully arrange your composition, carry it into the sunlight, wait for nature to do its work, and then rinse the paper in water. Slowly, the beautiful indigo blue begins to appear before your eyes. Every single workshop, people are amazed watching their prints develop. It never gets old—for them or for me.
This philosophy is at the heart of Studio Agnew. While I teach a variety of artistic mediums, you'll notice a strong focus on traditional processes like printmaking. These slower, hands-on experiences encourage people to disconnect from technology, learn something new, and enjoy making art with their hands. They remind us that creativity isn't about perfection—it's about discovery.
Designed for Complete Beginners
One of the biggest misconceptions about cyanotypes is that you have to be artistic.
You don't.
You don't need drawing skills, painting experience, or any previous art background. This workshop is designed for complete beginners and for anyone who simply wants to try something new.
To help everyone build confidence, each participant begins with a small bookmark to learn the process. From there, we move on to creating a greeting card before finishing with a beautiful 8×10 botanical print. Each project builds on the last, allowing participants to become comfortable with the process while creating pieces they're proud to take home.
By the end of every workshop, people are amazed by what they've created—and most are already asking when they can do it again.
More Than Printmaking
Teaching cyanotypes outdoors adds another layer to the experience.
Participants explore gardens, gather leaves and flowers, compare textures, and learn about the plants surrounding them. The garden becomes part of the classroom, turning the workshop into more than a printmaking lesson. It becomes an opportunity to slow down, connect with nature, and appreciate the incredible designs that already exist around us.
I love watching conversations naturally unfold as people discover new plants, share stories, and inspire one another. Creativity has a wonderful way of bringing people together.
Why the Blue Matters
Almost everyone says the same thing after rinsing their first print:
"I didn't know it was going to be THAT blue!"
The rich indigo color is unlike anything you can achieve with paint or ink. Every print develops a little differently, making each piece completely unique. That beautiful blue is what first captures people's attention, but it's the experience of making it that keeps them coming back.
Join Me for the Next Workshop
If you've been curious about trying cyanotypes, I'd love to have you experience this workshop. Studio Agnew offers cyanotype workshops both at my studio in Howey-in-the-Hills and at off-site locations throughout Central Florida. Whether you're looking for a creative afternoon, a unique group activity, or a workshop for your organization, cyanotypes are an experience that anyone can enjoy—no artistic background required.
Studio Agnew – Weekly Cyanotype Workshop
July 30, August 6, 13, 20 & 27
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
$55 per person
Perfect for beginners, these small-group studio sessions introduce the cyanotype process step-by-step as you create a bookmark, greeting card, and a beautiful 8×10 botanical print to take home.
Blue Botanicals: Cyanotype Workshop
SOBO Art Gallery & Studio
Sunday, August 9, 2026
1:00–3:00 PM
$55 Members | $60 Non-Members
Participants will create a series of botanical prints while learning one of photography's oldest and most fascinating printmaking techniques in a fun, relaxed environment.
If you can't make this workshop, be sure to check out the Studio Agnew class schedule for upcoming studio sessions and future community workshops. And if you're part of a garden club, library, museum, senior living community, homeschool group, or another organization that would enjoy this unique experience, I'd love to bring a cyanotype workshop to your location.
Sometimes all it takes is a little sunshine, a few beautiful botanicals, and a sheet of blue paper to remind us that creativity doesn't have to be complicated.
It simply has to be experienced.
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