India, June 13 -- The heat may be relentless, but artists and hobbyists are finding a creative use for it. Cyanotypes are having a major moment this summer, with reels racking up millions of views and creators like Komal (@jellywithcream) and (@showmetheblue) building dedicated followings around the craft. Using nothing but sunlight, people are turning everyday objects-from flowers and foliage to treasured photographs-into dreamy blueprints.

Invented in 1842 by astronomer and scientist Sir John Herschel, cyanotype is one of the oldest photographic printing techniques. Instead of using a camera, it relies on UV light from the sun and light-sensitive iron salts to create dreamy, monochrome Prussian-blue prints. Think of it as photography m...