http://www.ockpoptok.com/index.php/home

http://www.indiaflint.com/

About Natural Dyes:

Natural Dyes come from three main sources: plants, animals and fungi. All of these sources provide a wealth of colour which from early human existence has enriched our world. There are two main fibre types which are used, animal fibres: silk and wool, and vegetable fibres: cotton, linen and more recently hemp and bamboo.

Before dyeing, fabric must be prepared with a mordant, this is a process which ensures the fabric will be colour fast. The type of mordant depends on the fabric and dye stuff used, typical mordants include: alum, copper, woodash, vinegar, sorrel roots, Oak galls and many more.

There is a wealth of colour to be found in nature, a dyer could find an abundance of dye stuff locally and internationally. There is an awareness of what is foraged or brought for these purposes, never taking too much from one plant or taking dye matter from rare species.

In the last two decades scientists have realised that products from the petrochemicals industry would have to be replaced with renewable resources which may see a revival of small scale dyers and natural dye industry.

Teaching Natural Dyeing

Teaching and experimenting with natural dyes is a wonderful practice as dyeing fabrics with natural dyes varies so much. The dyes we are using include: Indigo, Madder, Weld, Onion Skins, Red Cabbage, Dock and many more.

First discovering natural dyes at a residency programme in Laos fuelled my fascination with natural colour and took me on another path to compliment my painting practices.

It is a real pleasure to be working with Newlyn Art Gallery and Newlyn school on this project, to be promoting the use of natural dyes and the awareness of the environment in The Colour Garden, as part of my MA studies in Art & Environment at University College Falmouth.

Francesca Owen

Madder Workshop

Madder is called Rubia tinctoria. It creates one of the strongest colour fast red dyes and in this workshop we learned how to us Madder to dye fabric.

First of all, the Madder extract is mixed into a paste with warm water and t is then added to the dye bath and for 40-45 minutes. If the water gets too hot it will dull the colour so it must simmer not boil.

Whilst waiting for the dye bath to be ready we were busy preparing our fabric using the tie and dye method by wrapping stones collected from the sea front with bands around. Then the fabric is immersed into the water and left to soak for 10 minutes or until a desired colour change is reached.

We discussed how the plant was used historically and how it is currently used today. We looked at images of the plant and went through colour changes and modification methods which dyer’s achieve by adjusting pH levels of the water.

Paper Making and Paper Dyes

Paper made today by Year 4 children at Newlyn School.

keep a record of all experiments.

Still wet and in need of ironing!

On yellow egg box paper/card with daffodil petals.

Dyed with black food colouring and Mimosa petals added.

No dye added -pulp with Hydrangea petals.





Making Paper & Dying Paper

Making paper is a process involving recycling old paper (enevelopes, letters and non shiny papers) into a pulp. The pulp is usually a plain white/pale blue colour so adding dyes can change this and jazz up your finished design. I am experimenting with beetroot, red cabbage, white onion skins and marigolds which can all be made into a dye which is then added to the pulp. Other natural products can be added to the paper too, for effective designs and texture, but also to help bind the paper together. These can include petals, grains, seeds, seaweeds, recycled threads, dried onion skins and many more. If you use a herb or scented flower such as Lavender and Rosemary the paper does have a lovely smell for a while at least.

Once the pulp has been squeezed through the mesh and has been 'couched' to remove as much moisture as possible, the paper needs to be kept flat and ironed whilst still damp.

TIP: Using the home made dyes can have a very subtle effect if the dye is quite diluted, so have a rich dye solution and a lot of it to stain the pulp. Also, if you have time, leave the dye in the pulp overnight before squeezing through the mesh-this will ensure a brighter, bolder more vibrant effect from the dyes.

Onion Skin Workshop

In this session we are looking into the art of natural dyeing using a water vat and heat system method.

We use 2 stoves for the heat source with 2 groups of 4 sharing the stoves. We use yellow dyes from onion skins and tannin from gall apples. The cotton fabric has previously had a mordant applied to ensure the strongest colour possible is obtained from the dyes.

Once the vats have been set up and the onion skins are boiling, a colour change can be observed when the water turns from clear to a brown or darker colour. This tells us the fabric is ready to be put in.

We then immerse the fabric under the water, all the fabric must go in to soak up the dye. Leave in for 15 minutes or until the required shade is reached.

In the mean time we are discussing dyes, the onion skins, why they yield dye and where else they have used or seen onions being used.

http://www.wildcolours.co.uk/index.html

All about woad

http://www.woad.org.uk/

The Colour Garden is a new project beginning in spring 2011 in a garden space at Newlyn Art Gallery.

It is  a project that combines art and nature. The overall aim is for the local community to get involved - to work together to create a green and inviting space, to learn more about natural materials and our environment, and to also learn about creative processes using pigments and dyes in a series of related workshops throughout the growing season.

If you would like to learn more or get involved please contact:

Kirsty Lowry, Education Manager:

kirsty.lowry@newlynartgallery.co.uk, 01736 363715

Follow the colour garden...

Follow the colour garden on our journey to learn about how to grow, nuture and use dye plants..

We are looking for any help, plant donations and advice, so please contact us to get involved: kirsty.lowry@newlynartgallery.co.uk