What is Wet Cyanotype? A Beginner's Guide to Experimental Techniques

Wet cyanotype is a wonderfully unpredictable twist on the classic cyanotype process. Instead of exposing a fully dry, sensitised surface, you deliberately introduce moisture during exposure or development. That extra water shifts how the chemistry moves through the fibres, creating blooms, soft halos, marbling, and painterly marks that feel more like watercolour than a crisp photographic print.

If you love cyanotype for its deep Prussian blues but feel boxed in by “perfect” results, wet cyanotype is often the moment it starts to feel like art again - expressive, atmospheric, and full of surprise.

Wet cyanotype (in plain English)

In a standard cyanotype you coat paper (or fabric), let it dry, place objects/negatives on top, expose to UV light, then rinse in water to develop.

In wet cyanotype, you break those rules on purpose:

· You expose while the coating is still damp

· Or you re-wet the coated surface before/during exposure

· Or you add water (or other gentle modifiers) to encourage movement and texture

That moisture changes the way the iron salts react and travel. The result: less sharp edges, more organic transitions, and those gorgeous “tide marks” and blooms that make each print one-of-a-kind.

Why try wet cyanotype?

Wet cyanotype is brilliant for beginners because it rewards curiosity more than precision.

· It’s forgiving: happy accidents are part of the point.

· It’s expressive: you can create depth, atmosphere, and movement.

· It’s fast to explore: small changes can create dramatically different results.

· It expands your style: especially if you’re drawn to painterly, semi-abstract work.

The 3 Secrets (free download)

If you want your wet cyanotypes to feel intentional (not random), my free “3 Secrets to Create Stunning Cyanotypes” download will help. Here are the three secrets, in headline form:

· Secret 1: The Ratio Revolution that unlocks hidden colours

· Secret 2: The Timing Secret that creates impossible effects

· Secret 3: The Material Magic that might be hiding in your home

Get your free download 3 Secrets to Create Stunning Cyanotypes.

Final thought

Wet cyanotype is an invitation to loosen your grip. It’s chemistry, yes - but it’s also weather, water, fibre, and timing. If you approach it like play (with a few smart guardrails), you’ll start making prints that feel less like “a process you followed” and more like your own visual language.