Stone Spring Summer 24

Created with artist and friend Clara Champsaur

Our gift wrapping for the festive season was born under the Marseille sun. Created with artist and friend Clara Champsaur using the timeless ritual of Cyanotype—a celebration of light, creativity, and tradition.

A summer ritual steeped in history and bathed in sunlight, this poetic technique, born in 1842 by English scientist John Herschel, is a chemical alchemy that transforms sunlight into art, creating deep, celestial blues.

Anna Atkins, a close confidante of Herschel, embraced the cyanotype to capture the intricate beauty of algae in her groundbreaking work Photographs of British Algae (1843–1853), the first book ever printed photographically. With this, she etched her name into history as the first female photographer.

The process is as simple as it is meditative—a perfect harmony of science and creativity.

Begin by mixing two solutions: 20 grams of Ferric Ammonium Citrate with 100 milliliters of water, and 8 grams of Potassium Ferricyanide with another 100 milliliters of water. When combined, these liquids become photosensitive, requiring the delicate embrace of subdued light or the sanctuary of a darkroom.
With this golden elixir in hand, brush it onto your chosen medium—paper, fabric, or anything your imagination craves. Let it dry in darkness, absorbing the promise of transformation over 10 to 12 hours.

Cyanotype is an ode to the sun’s creative power—a dance between light and chemistry, art and nature, ancient practice and timeless beauty.

Then comes the moment of connection: expose your creation to the midday sun, allowing its UV rays to imprint objects or designs upon the surface.
Five to ten minutes is all it takes; the bronze hue that emerges signals the completion of this solar communion.
Rinse your masterpiece in water, fixing the image as the air deepens the blue to its iconic richness. For an even bolder finish, a final rinse with oxygenated water adds intensity, like the sun dipping into the horizon at day’s end.