Now, my friends, we were prepared to dive into the large, full-body cyanotype mural!
The kids and I had scrounged more materials from the kitchen, the beach, and elsewhere around the area. We laid down a painter's drop cloth to keep the fabric dry while it was exposed by the sun.
And then, with a bit of giddy trepidation, we opened the light-safe bag.
Over the course of the photographs here, you can see the fabric turn from a greenish turquoise to a pale blue--that's the magic of UV light at work.
Once the time was up, everyone jumped and grabbed on to bring the sheet through the wind and down to the water as fast as they could.
With many hands, we made light work of it--it only took a few minutes for the final image to emerge.
By far the most challenging step with a mural this size was finding an acceptably large and drip-friendly place for it to dry away from more UV light exposure.
When I got the mural home, I spent some time wondering what to do with it. Without wall space to hang it, I wondered at how I might be able to showcase the project without dismantling the image.
Luckily, our futon needed some beautification! Now, whenever someone visits, we can invite them to take a nap on a photograph!
Watch the whole thing unfold yet again--
Read about making sun prints with children here.