'Cohabitation' is an A4 original cyanotype on 250 gsm acid-free watercolour paper, featuring an image of a tree root encroaching on an old shuttered window. This is a common scene of nature being allowed to overgrow into human habitation, shedding light on the lives of the inhabitants inside. I find this state of arrested urban decay beautiful, if only in the fact that it is a snapshot of a moment of transformation. 
 
The cyanotype process fits right in with the theme. It is an early photographic process, in which a sheet of paper is brushed with a light-sensitive substance. A photographic negative is used on it and exposed to sunlight. In this case, I drew the negative on tracing paper using a variety of pastels and pencils, to achieve the lines and textures I wanted. After exposure, I use a weak vinegar bath to develop the midtones of the image and finally agitate the image in a water bath. I then dry the image flat and the beautiful Prussian blue (cyan means blue) develops over the next few hours. 
 
Cyanotypes can last a long time. Some of the photograms from the 1840s are still around. As long as they are not placed in direct sunlight, they will not fade. If there is any fading over time, just put it away in the dark for a short while until it gets the density in its details back.  
 
I hope you enjoy the work as much as I enjoyed making it. I will ship 'Cohabitation' with hard backing for protection and wrapped in acid-free tissue paper.