Acidea Cyanotype Kit, 40 Sheets A5 Sun Print Paper with Templates, High Sensitivity Nature Printing Paper for DIY Crafts

PROS-very easy to use (esp with the included templates)-final results look gorgeous (if a bit pale)-the butterfly and plant templates are a really nice touch (they produce better results than do natural plants)-lots of sheets for the price, I think this is pretty good valueCONS-the paper doesn’t turn as dark a blue as the listing shows-not very happy with photo number 6 in the listing, that’s an A4 piece of paper she is holding, but these are only A5 (some people make decisions based on the photos)NOTES-I can see why the seller included the butterfly and plant templates: using real plants is a lot more challenging (they can get the paper damp, and they don’t lay flat and therefore light can leak underneath)MY STAR RATINGS:1* substandard, mostly cons2** barely acceptable, cons outweigh the pros3*** meets the basic requirements, cons balance the pros4**** good product, pros outweigh the cons5***** exceptional, all (or almost all) pros

I found the instructions were inaccurate or maybe its written for a sunnier country than the UK. It definitely needs a lot longer in the sun than specified but apart from that, it does an ok job

It's years since I did any cyanotype printing, but I think the prints can be beautiful. I ordered this kit with a specific project in mind: to create a set of prints of herbs.This kit arrived carefully packed in an opaque black plastic resealable bag. It includes the paper, some plastic holders open down one side, clear instructions, and a little pack of stencils. Although the stencils might seem to be a contradiction to the 'nature printing' idea, they are a great way to learn how the process works without introducing the complications that come from printing from actual plants or insects.The paper itself has quite a thin wash of the solution that produces the Prussian blue print, and the prints come out a pale blue and nothing as dark as the illustrations in the listings (see pictures). I quite like the softer blue, but it produces quite a different effect.The plastic envelopes are OK for beginners or when using stencils, but a cover with more weight, such as a sheet of glass, helps hold the item being printed against the paper and reduce light spillage. I remember using a clamped glass frame for this before, and will improvise something before doing more. When using real plant matter, the transpiration from the leaves causes a build-up of condensation that interferes with the printing process and causes blurring (see pictures) I tried a repeat with drying the envelope, but it didn't help much; so it may be best to semi-press the plant material in absorbant paper to get it as dry as possible before printing.My pictures show the stages of printing for a flat tomato leaf and a slightly less flat flowering sprig of oregano. As can be seen, the thickness of the oregano stem and the condensation it produced led to substantial loss of definition. The instructions say to leave in the sun for five to ten minutes, and I trien both extremes - it made no difference to the print colour, but it did increase the amount of condensation produced by the plant. So I'd guess less is better!Tips:1) Be very careful handling the undeveloped paper: make sure your hands (and the envelope) are dry as any moisture will start the developing process and give you white spots on the print.2) make sure you rinse the print really thoroughly or you'll get dirty brown tide marks3) keep lint-free paper towels handy to blot the print on after rinsingI'm docking two stars for misrepresentation in the listing: the paper is only A5, and some of the pictures suggest it's considerably larger and the strength of the colour. Nonetheless, knowing this, I would buy again, perhaps as a gift for a child. Recommended with these reservations.

The Acidea Cyanotype Paper Sun Print Paper Kit comes as a complete kit to get started for beginners. The vegetation and butterfly stencils are all excellent designs.I found it to be lacking in the included instructions. I have never done a cyanotype, so I had no idea. I wasn’t sure what to do with the clear plastic sheets. I ended up placing on on top of my stencil to keep the wind from blowing it. Didn’t realize I was supposed to put it inside the plastic envelope.The FULL instructions are on the listing, but a person should not have to log onto the computer and go to a site to read how to use something they’ve purchased. What if the listing goes away in the future? No matter what the product is, a person may have to refer back to it and won’t be able to if the listing is gone or changed. Many sellers do this these days and it is wrong. There were things on one set of instructions that weren’t on the other, and vice versa.We left ours for 15 minutes. Then when we brought it in the rise, I never saw the water running blue as the instructions on the box indicated. In the end, I think we rinsed too long. At one point the paper was a darker blue but as I rinsed more, it went back to being more light. It was ever as dark as it shows in the listing.I’m giving this 4-stars rather than 3-stars, only because I’ve never done cyanotype prints before and wonder if it’s my inexperience that resulted in a less than favourable print. Your mileage may vary.

I had this when I was a kid and was eager to show it to my daughter. Half the fun is looking for things (leaves, flowers, etc...) that will leave a cool pattern. Simple but the kids enjoyed it.