The Books I have been Waiting for on Cyanotype and Shibori

Here are two terrific books that I wish had been available years ago, each on a subject of turning things blue. One is on cyanotype and one is on shibori.

Before each of these books came out, the books that existed were at the opposite ends of the spectrum: there were literal college textbooks on the subject, and short, very beginner books that left me hungry for much more detail.

The shibori book is called Discover Shibori, by the amazing Debbie Maddy. If you don’t know her work, check it out. She teaches, dyes fabric, and has a line of commercial fabric based on her dyes.

As you expect for art how-to books today, this book is full color, and has so many photos. As you might not expect, it covers working with natural indigo.

This is the one book on shibori that I now recommend to my students. It’s all you need to learn to fold and dye. If you want to learn more about the history and context in Japan and in many countries in Africa, there are some wonderful tomes you can get from the library.

I can’t remember if Discover Shibori also covers dyeing with fiber reactive dyes (aka tie-dye dyes). If you don’t know how to work with those, Dharma Trading Company has all the information that you need, on their website, for free.

Dharma has also developed a special color of fiber reactive dye, called Indigo, color 168, to more accurately mimic the color and undertones of natural indigo.

Of course, any shibori folds you dye with fiber reactive dye are going to look different than those you dye with natural indigo – I can tell by looking at my dyed fabric what I used. One big difference is that the fiber reactive dyes penetrate the folds much more easily.

I use both and I teach both. They’re both great!

Discover Shibori, by Debbie Maddy, was published in 2025 and is available at your favorite independent book store.

If you also want to see Debbie actually mix up an indigo vat, she sells a short video course, which is quite affordable, on her website. I bought it, it’s helpful. Sometimes, you just want to watch the expert do the thing.

Next up is Cyanotype. This brand-new book came out this year, 2026. It’s called Printing with the Sun:Capturing the Beauty of Nature with Cyanotypes, by Madge Evers.

Once again, this is the book that I wish existed a few years ago. I put off buying the expensive textbook on the subject, and then didn’t really need it by that time. I learned cyanotypes by reading lots of tutorials online, and taking a short course on Domestika.

The thing with cyanotypes is that they’re actually quite simple. I sort of couldn’t believe how simple, surely I was missing something? But nope! It’s that simple!

Sometimes the professional-photographer focused websites make it more complicated, because it *can* be, if you want it to. But you can also make really great prints and keep it simple, and this book is your perfect guide. I’m about to ask my library to buy a copy.

Printing with the Sun covers all the basics, lots of things I’ve already done, and many, many more variations that you may have seen videos of on Instagram, but here you get the step by steps. The author covers multiple exposures, wet cyanotypes, and more.

The challenge with cyanotype is that – from artist to artist – it can look similar. A little too similar. Folks will see some cyanotype prints online and ask me, “Was that yours?” I love it when folks think of my art! But nope, that time, it wasn’t my work. One of my goals with cyanotype is to keep working toward a personal style, something that will be recognizably mine.

Leslie Riley, whose work is featured in the book, has such a personal style. I knew the work was hers before I read the caption.

The book covers printing on paper, on fabric, how to mix the chemicals and treat your paper or fabric, how to expose, how to develop, choosing paper, and a terrific chapter on experimentation. That’s where I’ll be spending most of my time!

If you want to learn cyanotypes, this is the only book you need. It’s comprehensive and it’s also beautiful, inspiring and has very clear photographs and instructions.

P.S. I had forgotten that I reviewed Discover Shibori the year it came out, which was 2024. You can read that here.