While photography is a widely favoured practice in today’s picture-centric world, there is another unconventional form of photography that deserves more recognition, and that’s sun printing or in its technical term: cyanotype photography. It is a recognisable art form known for its distinctive Prussian blue colour, and it captures shadows of an image rather than light.
The concept was pioneered in the UK by photographer and botanist Anna Atkins in the 1800s. An opposite of photography, it became a popular activity among naturalists and curious minds.
In Malaysia, Balqis Tajalli is one of the few artists who has mastered the art of sun printing and she’s been working on spreading its magic to a larger crowd. Since 2019, she’s run her own business called Sunprint Studio which hosts workshops to share the beauty and science behind sun printing.
Born into a family of art educators, Balqis was exposed to the world of art and creativity from a young age. Despite coming from an artistic background, she chose to pursue an education in architecture and interior design. It was something technical yet closely related to art, according to the sun printing artist.
“I did well in school, and I didn’t want to waste the knowledge that I had honed in science stream,” she said. “But the journey to become an experienced and respectable architect can take up to ten years. It was a bumpy ride. I had to retake my course too. I soon accepted that the course wasn’t meant for me.”
Despite going through a rough career path, it didn’t take long for Balqis to discover her newfound interest in sun printing. “It was on a random day. I was still freelancing at the time as an architect. I participated in this workshop at Kongsi KL. There, I was introduced to the process of cyanotype photography. From picking the plants for the prints to mixing the solutions, it was clear to me that sun printing was a therapeutic process. It was something I wanted to continue doing.”
What started out as a hobby quickly turned into a passion for sun printing and teaching. Balqis left her geometry-driven career and embraced her natural talent for educating others in art, just like her parents once did.
Initially based within the Klang Valley, Balqis moved to Langkawi to be with her retired parents a few years ago. Along with her, she brought her craft to the little island; and that’s how the idea for Sunprint Studio slowly came to fruition.
“My parents own a cafe on the island, and I’d help out from time to time. One day, I was practising my sun printing skills at the cafe and a few visitors showed interest. From there, I thought it would be a great idea to run workshops for people to learn more about sun printing.”
Balqis uses a UV nail box to speed up the sunprinting process.
For the past few years, Balqis has been teaching this art through her workshops. She doesn’t do it on a large scale. In fact, most of her workshops are intimate, with a maximum of ten students.
“I like to be comfortable in my element,” she said. “A smaller group allows me to interact with my students and walk them through the process of sun printing without me feeling overwhelmed.
“The largest workshop I’ve conducted was at a primary school with a headcount of 60. I was invited to teach the science behind sun printing. It was lots of fun! It took some time to get the kids to listen but after a while, they expressed their fascination with the process.”
As a one-man show, Balqis runs her sun printing business with thought and care. Through all the learning curves she’s encountered, she stressed that marketing is a key ingredient in spreading the knowledge of sun printing.
Unlike many businesses that emphasise growing their business, Balqis’ focus is on educating. With her love for science and nature, sun printing seems to present the best of both worlds, allowing her to fulfil her dreams as an artist, chemist, and educator.
With Sunprint Studio’s growing popularity, Balqis hopes to collaborate with fashion brands one day with the idea of spreading awareness of fashion sustainability as well as the beauty of sun printing.
WORDS Alison Loh PHOTOS Raja Mokhzairi
