For my first project of second year, I wanted to do something really hands on. I remember back in my A levels when I created cyanotypes.

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Cyanotypes are created by mixing Potassium Ferricyanide and Ferric Ammmonium Citrate. You apply the mixed chemical to some paper and allow to dry for a couple of hours. While this is drying, you prepare you images. You want your images to be on a form of transparent paper and I found acetate to be the best kind. When your paper is dry, you put your image on it and expose it to UV light. The times may vary depending on the strength of the UV light.

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When I was doing this project, I had a lot of problems creating them due to lack of access to UV light. In the end, I used a light box and exposed the prints for 6 - 8 hours. Once your prints have turned a dark green, you rinse them under water to get rid of any remaining chemicals. The oxygen in the air will react with the chemicals and turn the prints blue. Then, you leave them to dry.

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The reason I did family portraits was to show that many different generations of my family have created me. This could be due to blood line or the influences they've had on me when I was younger.

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I wanted to distort the face to make it unobvious of how their relation is to me. I wanted to keep that identity hidden so when viewers look at them, they have to think of ways in which they've inspired me.