Celebrate World Cyanotype Day by creating your own unique sun print using one of photography's oldest processes
Join artist Marina Longo (Marina Cyanotypes) for a relaxed drop-in workshop and create your own unique cyanotype print to take home. Designed for complete beginners and anyone curious about alternative photography, this hands-on experience offers a simple introduction to the beautiful art of printing with light.
Using pre-coated A6 cyanotype paper, you'll create a composition from a selection of botanicals and other objects before exposing it to sunlight or UV light. Your print will then be developed in water, revealing the characteristic deep blue image that makes cyanotype so distinctive. Every print is unique, making each one a personal record of a single moment.
Each session lasts approximately 10–15 minutes, making it easy to drop in and enjoy the process at your own pace. No previous experience is needed, and all materials are provided.
Throughout the workshop, Marina will be on hand to guide you through each step, answer your questions, and share the fascinating story behind cyanotype. Invented in 1842 by Sir John Herschel, cyanotype is one of the earliest photographic printing techniques and is still celebrated today for its simplicity, accessibility and striking Prussian blue colour. Visitors will also discover how artists continue to use this historic process in contemporary practice.
Whether you're discovering cyanotype for the first time or simply looking to celebrate World Cyanotype Day with a creative activity, this drop-in workshop is an opportunity to slow down, experiment with light, and experience the quiet magic of watching a photograph appear before your eyes.
Leave with your own handmade cyanotype print and a new appreciation for this remarkable photographic process.
“I enjoyed every second. The hands-on part where I got to experiment with a variety of materials and media felt very exciting to me. The patience and organisation skills of Marina made the workshop very informative and fun at the same time. - Marina was warm, welcoming, patient, and present. I felt at home in the space, able to experiment freely and not afraid to ask questions along the way. The guidance was perfect and I enjoyed learning a short history of cyanotype as a medium – from practical use to artistic interpretation. Thanks for a new learning experience, and a beautiful series of work to take home and proudly display.”
About Marina: Marina is a self-taught artist based in East London. Using cyanotype, she transforms her analogue photographs, often of travels, brutalist buildings and industrial structures, into original blue-toned prints. She's passionate about alternative photographic processes and loves experimenting with materials like paper, fabric, ceramics and more. You’ll often catch her at local art markets showing her latest blueprints, or running a workshop and getting others hooked on the magic of cyanotype.
She's always exploring new projects and ideas, and she cares deeply about making art accessible — through affordable workshops, DIY kits and hands-on events that invite people to slow down and create something unique.
Contact: If you have any questions regarding this event, please email programming@stmargaretshouse.org.uk
Venue:The Mulberry Hall at St Margaret's House, 21 Old Ford Road, London, E2 9PL
Date: Sunday 27th September
Times: Doors 12noon - 4pm
Tickets: £6
Timed slots available via the link below. Just drop in, make your print, and celebrate with us!