Mixed Media Experiment: Combining Acrylic Skin with Colored Cyanotype

I was amazed by the works of Anders Peter Schildt. For a long time, it seemed impossible to get anywhere close to his style using pure cyanotype prints. That was until I learned about acrylic skin…

Let me introduce you to Bartolini – one of the best Polish clowns. I saw him at Cyrk Zalewski. Whenever he appeared under the big top, I couldn’t help but watch his facial expressions. They were so over-the-top and exaggerated, yet incredibly unique. I started taking pictures of his face; he was crying, shouting, and smiling – all within the span of a few seconds.

How do you show such a rapid change of emotions in a single image? Only through multiple exposure. That was my approach to Bartolini. But then, another challenge arose: how to add colors and make the piece truly mine?

Some time ago, I discovered cyanotype transfer on acrylic skin through Corinne Héraud social media. Later, I became fascinated by fluid art. It captivated me, but I soon realized it requires way too much paint. However, I found I could still flow some white paint to create a background, much like Anders Peter Schildt does in some of his remarkable prints.

This is how I created this mixed-media piece. It is a 42×27.9 cm image on a canvas board – a colored cyanotype on an acrylic skin.