Photo : © Brenda Hoffman
Family Practice Workshop: Pattern & Sewing — Cyanotype with Brenda Hoffman
Forget your camera and discover the hypnotic beauty of Prussian blue by playing with light and tailoring objects. This creative session is a brilliant way to introduce the kids to early photography techniques while crafting your own personal masterpieces.
Maison Européenne de la Photographie (Paris 4th)
About
The Maison Européenne de la Photographie hosts a cyanotype family workshop on Saturday, November 7, 2026. Guided by artist Brenda Hoffman, participants aged 6 and up explore early photographic processes by creating unique patterns using sewing accessories. During this three-hour session, from 14:30 to 17:30, you will learn the principles of light sensitivity to produce characteristic cyan-blue images without a camera. This hands-on experience is limited to 10 participants, and booking in advance is mandatory. After the session, attendees are invited to explore the current exhibitions at the MEP in the 4th arrondissement.
On the occasion of the PENN & FASHION exhibition, this workshop offers the chance to create patterns from sewing accessories by experimenting with ancient photographic techniques. It is an opportunity to understand the principle of photosensitivity, which is the foundation of photography's invention, and to discover how light can leave an impression on a surface.
Invented by the English scientist John Herschel in 1842, the cyanotype is a photographic process that uses the photosensitive properties of certain iron salts. It allows for the creation of monochrome images in a characteristic blue, known as cyan blue.
A photogram is a photographic image made without a camera. Objects are placed directly onto a photosensitive surface and then exposed to light. The parts shielded from the light stand out from the rest of the image, revealing the contours and shapes of the objects.
Contact printing involves placing a negative directly onto a photosensitive surface to create a reproduction. The contact between the two surfaces allows the image to be transferred onto paper or fabric.
During the workshop, each participant discovers the various stages of creating a cyanotype: sensitizing the paper or fabric, composing the pattern, exposing it to light, and rinsing it in a tray. Everyone will be able to create their own images using sewing accessories and discover the transformations produced by light.
Guided by Brenda Hoffman, a photographic artist, participants will experiment, create, and develop their eye for images.
At the end of the workshop, participants are invited to explore the MEP exhibitions.
____________________
Brenda Hoffman is a photographer and visual artist. After studying audiovisual arts in Argentina, she trained in black and white printing with Georges Fèvre in Paris. Her work focuses primarily on landscapes and botanical studies, chemical experimentation in the lab, and the photosensitive qualities of various surfaces. Her series are accompanied by artist books, two of which, La promenade de Rilke and Absence, were published in standard editions by Arnaud Bizalion Éditeur. Represented in Uruguay by Espaciofotoarte and in London by Jaggedart, she divides her time between creating art and teaching.
Our take on this event
Timed with the PENN & FASHION exhibition, this practical workshop provides a deep dive into the cyanotype process. Developed in 1842, this technique uses light-sensitive iron salts to create photograms—images captured by placing objects directly onto paper or fabric before exposing them to light. Through the steps of preparation, composition, exposure, and rinsing, participants learn how light creates lasting impressions.
Photographer and visual artist Brenda Hoffman leads the session, sharing her expertise in chemical experimentation and imagery. Attendees will use sewing accessories to compose their own designs, observing how light transforms objects into monochrome blue prints. The workshop takes place on November 7, 2026, from 14:30 to 17:30.
Tickets are 30€ for adults and 10€ for children, with a strict limit of 10 participants per session. Booking is mandatory. If you are bringing more than three children, please ensure a second adult accompanies the group. Following the workshop, attendees are welcome to explore the museum's ongoing exhibitions.
