Untitled

The Magic of Natural Dyes and Cyanotype Printing
~ 2 online courses

Welcome to the beautiful world of Cyanotype printmaking on paper and fabric combined with plant pigments!
These courses share the steps, recipes, and techniques you need to confidently create unique and colourful works of art in an environmentally conscious way. You will learn how to combine foraged plants and bought botanical pigments with the simple and low impact photographic process of cyanotype and come away bursting with ideas for your creative practice.

There is a world of natural colour at your fingertips waiting to be discovered!

Read on for more details about cyanotype and both courses…

🌿The first course Wet Cyanotype
(starting May 7th 2026)
focuses on getting you set up and making beautiful unique prints with plant forms on paper and fabric with the playful techniques of wet cyanotype, incorporating natural dyes.

Link to Course: appleoakfibreworks.com/collections/academy-short-courses/products/wet-cyanotype-printing-on-paper-7th-of-may-2026

🌿The second course Cyanotype and Natural Dyes: on paper, fabric and other substrates
(starting September 3rd 2026)
takes a deep dive refining cyanotype printing techniques on paper, fabric and other substrates, how to print your own photographic images, and how to shift their colour and over-dye them with foraged plants and botanical pigments.

(Link for sign up for this course coming soon)

What Is Cyanotype Printing?

Cyanotype is an elemental process of printing an image on paper and fabric. It works with the energy of the sun, water, an object or photographic negative, and UV sensitive iron salts to create stunning blue prints.
Cyanotype printing is the most environmentally friendly way of creating a long lasting analogue photographic image, and no camera or darkroom is needed.
Photographic negatives, natural forms, objects and textures can be printed onto a huge range of surfaces, making it a highly versatile and creative medium.
Because of the nature of its chemistry, cyanotype combines beautifully with natural dyes - as if they were made for each other! The colours available from adding plant pigments are almost limitless. Not every plant has been worked with to date, so it is really exciting to see what we will discover in this emerging medium.

But what is “wet” cyanotype?

🌿Wet cyanotype is when we work quickly and directly with the emulsion before it dries and introduce additional ingredients—sometimes liquids, sometimes natural materials—in experimental and creative ways. These interventions create organic textures, breaking all the rules of traditional cyanotype and can shift the colour palette beyond the classic blue.

🌿The Wet Cyanotype Printing course is unique in bringing together these techniques with the added magic of natural dyes. I’ll guide you through the foundations of cyanotype printing on paper and fabric and show you how to prepare and use natural dyes as an added wet ingredient to create richly detailed, one-of-a-kind botanical prints.

A love affair has begun...

About the courses ~

Live ‘create-together’ practical sessions are at the center of these courses, with plenty of time for sharing with each other and asking questions. The nature of this means you can still work at your own pace, but have that studio vibe and creative connection with your peers during the course that helps you get started and stay motivated. And the beauty of these courses being hosted by
The Natural Dyers and Growers Academy
is that this creative flow and connection can be continued afterwards within the platform!

In Summary

Course 1 ~ Wet Cyanotype on paper and textiles ~ focuses on:

🌿printing on paper and textile
🌿working with plant forms
🌿using wet ingredients for effects, included natural dyes
🌿additional techniques for over painting
🌿suitable for art prints and wearable
🌿great for beginners

Course Link: appleoakfibreworks.com/collections/academy-short-courses/products/wet-cyanotype-printing-on-paper-7th-of-may-2026

Course Opens May 4th
Live 1 Thursday 7th May 4 - 6pm ~ Setting Up Your Work Space & Preparing Materials
Live 2 Thursday 21st May 12 - 2pm ~ Wet Techniques, Create Together
Live 3 Thursday 28th May 12 - 2pm ~ Additional Techniques, Create Together
Live 4 Thursday 4th June 4 - 6pm - Wrap up and Share Together
Course Finishes May 14th.

Course 2 ~ Cyanotype and Natural Dyes: on paper, fabric and other substrates ~ focuses on:

🌿printing on paper, textiles, and other surfaces
🌿working with plant forms and your own negatives for photographic prints
🌿prepping your paper and textiles for dyeing (mordanting)
🌿dyeing your prints with plant dyes - bought and foraged
🌿shifting the colour with additional techniques
🌿suitable for art prints and wearables
🌿for beginners, and experienced creatives wanting to develop their cyanotype practice

Course starts Sept 3rd 2026, Sign up link Coming Soon!

What past students have to say~

This course was brilliant . I was glued my seat! It is very compelling when you realise what can be done. Everything was so clear, Thanks for a lovely , easy sweet entry to creative mayhem . ~ Helen L B (Wet Cyanotype course student 2025)

Ashleigh is an excellent teacher and facilitator in all things related to natural colour and cyanotype. I have had the pleasure attending her courses out in the field, in workshops and online. I would highly recommend Ashleigh’s courses, her passion and commitment to sharing her knowledge and skills is phenomenal and I always go away with beautiful pieces and so many ideas to try out at home afterwards. ~ Kathy K.

FAQ

These courses can be taken as stand alone courses, or taken one after another.

Do I have to be a photographer already to take this course? - No! You will need to be able to take photos on your phone, to download an app, and have access to a printer.

Do I have to know textiles or natural dye already to take this course? - No, these courses are suitable for beginners.

Wearing one of my cyanotype printing silk scarves, made with wet techniques.

Why I made these courses ~

As artists, when we start to really look at our art materials ~ at what they are made of and how they negatively affect our health and the environment ~ it can feel like going down a murky rabbit hole with no end in sight.

Like many artists, for a long time I was completely unaware that most of our synthetic pigments are fossil fuel based and really not great for the environment or our health. Once I found out, it was completely overwhelming and difficult to know where to start. After much trial and error, and learning with many amazing experts and teachers, I began to settle into my environmentally reverent creative practice.

For the past 11 years now I have taught fine art, sustainable textiles, nature connection and eco art, all intertwined with a focus on wellbeing. And for the last 6 years I have been teaching skills to empower artists and creatives to create freely with environmentally conscious processes.

Who This Is For~
• Beginners and experienced creatives and artists
• Artists wanting to introduce natural colour to cyanotype printing
• Creatives and artists interested in environmentally conscious practices
• Anyone curious about alternative photography, plants, textures, and natural dyes

I’m so excited to welcome you into this creative, joy-filled space—come discover the magic of cyanotype and natural dyes with me!

YOUR CART