A new wave is sweeping over the hallowed grounds of the modern coffee shop. And it’s a green wave. This newfangled interloper is an organic Japanese ground green tea known as Matcha. It’s everywhere and it’s in everything. From Matcha Latte to Matcha Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage, “coffee” menus are now begrudgingly sharing the spotlight with tea. In the case of Matcha tea, however, this is more than a trendy beverage, it’s also a viable photographic emulsion. “WHAT?,” you blurt out, as you spit your Iced Matcha all over your computer screen.
Don’t be so shocked; it all started in 1842. While, technically speaking, Sir John F. W. Herschel didn’t partake in this delightful drink, he did set the stage for today’s experimentation in vegetable-based photographic emulsions.
It was inside his paper, “On the Action of the Rays of the Solar Spectrum on Vegetable Colours, and on Some New Photographic Processes,” presented to the Royal Society of London on June 16, 1842 that Sir Herschel methodically and painstakingly described his ability to meld flower petals into concoctions that he spread onto paper and exposed to the sun. The result was an image that faded over time, but his successes captivated his insatiable curiosity and contributed to his discovering other, more permanent, forms of photographic printing.
You can read all about his “flower power” photographic process published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, here. Please don’t scoff and demean this research as “boring oldie-timey stuff.” It’s as relevant today as it was in 1842. Just jump over to Alternative Photography and read about “Plants as Photographic Media.” The imagery made from this amazing “old” media are called Anthotypes.
A book about Anthotypes, written by Malin Fabbri serves as a recipe book for cooking up various plants, flowers, and fruits into viable photographic emulsions. Furthermore, an online plant emulsion database lists and describes all of the vegetable matter that has been tested for producing satisfactory prints. In fact, there is an entry for Matcha. We won’t be using this database entry for our printmaking activity, but please read it for learning some additional background information about making your Matcha photo printing results perfect.
In our activity, you’ll need only a handful of ingredients, err, parts for making a Matcha photogram photograph:
- 1. Yes, obviously, you’ll need some Matcha. After testing, the best brand is Jade Leaf Organic Japanese Matcha 7 packets box.
- 2. You need a high quality alternative photographic process paper for coating with your emulsion. Crane’s 90lb. Cover with Woven Finish in Natural White is ideal for this type of printmaking.
- 3. A 2-inch foam brush that can be purchased from any craft store.
- 4. Two glass jars that have been recycled from a food purchase at your local supermarket.
- 5. A paper coffee filter or a tightly woven piece of scrap fabric.
- 6. The reagent used for mixing the Matcha is a 60-70% solution of isopropyl alcohol from your local pharmacy.
Since you’re beginning with a Matcha powder, the creation of a high-quality photographic emulsion is very simple to achieve. Begin by pouring two 1g Matcha powder packets into your first glass jar. Slowly pour 2 ounces of isopropyl alcohol into your jar holding the Matcha powder. Let this solution steep for several minutes, until the liquid is a dark translucent green. You can reduce your waiting time by gently and carefully swirling the jar. When the dark green color fluid is ready, slowly decant the entire solution through the coffee filter or piece of scrap fabric into your second glass jar.
Your Coffee House Darkroom
Please note: It should go without saying, but this Matcha fluid is NOT edible and should NOT be consumed as a beverage. It’s your matcha photo printing concoction that you’ll throw away when you’re done with this creative venture.
This resulting liquid is your photographic emulsion. You can discard the filtered Matcha powder residue.
Lay your paper on a flat surface, dip the foam brush in the Matcha liquid, and “paint” the paper with the green fluid. Make long, even strokes, from end to end of the paper. It’s OK to overlap your strokes and touchup areas where your coverage missed the paper. This two ounce solution will enable you to coat two sheets of paper. The paper should be colored with a nice, even soft green pigment. Let the paper completely dry in a ventilated area with subdued lighting. You are now ready for some sun printing.
Place each sheet of coated paper in strong sunlight. Arrange your subject matter on top of these sheets and let everything sit for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. You’ll know when your print is finished, once the green pigment has been completely bleached white by the sunlight. Now return the paper indoors and keep it shielded from any direct sunlight. Your greenish photogram is now complete and ready for admiration, there is no need for any further development.
Once you’ve become a plant pigment photographer, consider entering the World Anthotype Day 2025 event. Don’t stop there, however. Take your best prints to your local coffee shop and share your art with the baristas. Let them know that now you’re a “Matcha, Matcha man; you gotta be a Matcha man.” Sir Herschel would be proud.
Enjoy your matcha photo printing!
