Monday, July 1, 2013
Doing the Happy Dance!!!
I have really been busy with the prints on paper, but I have discovered the wonders of using copper scrap in the dye bath, and this latest batch of prints are spectacular! I left them in the dye bath overnight to cool, and when I opened them in the morning, I was overjoyed with the results. There are many kinds of leaves used, Bauhinia (Orchid Tree) Callistemon (Red Bottlebrush), Eucalyptus, Liquidambar (Sweet Gum), Red Passion Flower, Hibiscus acetifolia, Boston Fern, yellow onion skins, Tabebuia, Trident maple (Acer, variety unknown), and in addition, I used a few wire threads from old steel belted radial tires I found on the highway. I used 90 lb. watercolor paper by Strathmore, 12 sheets in a stack between 2 ceramic tiles. All bound together with natural rubber bands and boiled in a 30 qt. aluminum tamale steamer with 3 copper roof tiles from my daughter's house for one hour and then left to cool overnight. I am attaching some photos, but with this new system, I hope the prints are large enough for you to see the beautiful pastel subtleties in the prints. I would encourage everyone to try printing on paper, if nothing else, you will learn something about what colors individual plants can give, fresh or dried.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Good job! Printing is such fun, isn't it. I'll have to try the copper variety.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Printing is great in any form, but I love surprises. This is a suite of 28 prints and some of them are just unbelievable. I have placed all of them in my FB Album EcoPrints on Paper. You can roll these on copper pipe like you wuld a fabric bundle also, but I add another sheet of paper to avoid tie marks on the outside print and also the excess color pickup across the page.
DeleteVery inspiring..... am going to have to give paper printing a go I already bundle cloth and clothing. :)
ReplyDeleteYou have to know up front that it can get addictive. Sometimes you can re-use the leaves from cloth bundles for printing on paper also. Mix them with some fresh leaves in the batch.
ReplyDeleteI stumbled across your blog by accident and I am so happy that I did. Absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of ideas and knowledge. I was so taken with the ecoprints on paper that I now have two mini prints waiting to be unravelled :) I don't think we have the range of dyestuffs in England that produce the wonderful colourways that you are achieving but I'm going to give it a go anyway!!!
ReplyDeleteYou have Oaks of several types, willows, probably Cotinus. Alone or with scrap metals in the bath will give you quite a color range. Be fearless. If you stack your papers between ceramic tiles, you can create double faced prints and see the difference in how the front and backs of the leaves print in the same bath. Go for it.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend, Elizabeth Adams-Marks whose husbands family lives in Cornwall. She just spent her vacation there. I will ask her what dye or print plants she found.
DeleteLaughing...I went for it with a random selection of things I found on the way back from the city library! And I'm still giddy from the results!!! Beginners luck I think and I haven't a clue what the plants are. I got some clear prints with lots of random, very intense colour blotches, especially at the end of the stalks. I will definitely be trying oak prints however it would be wonderful to hear if your friend made any discoveries. Cornwall...I'm jealous!
DeleteI'm so glad to hear this. It is a good way to learn. You can look at books on trees at the library or visit an arboretum or Botanical Gardens and learn much more about plants. Talk to your florist or friends who garden about plants and weeds. I just learned today that Gerber daisies can print beautiful colors even if the blossoms are spent. Keep up the good work!
DeleteDon't forget your florist's scrap bin, flowers you receive as gifts often print well after fading. There are many weeds that also print well and give colors.
ReplyDeleteAwesome prints on papers. Just saw the prints of Bauhinia are so pretty and clear veins. We have some in Hong Kong, the city flower. I'd have a go. Your punched onion skin prints are inspiring too.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Terriea. There are several varieties of Bauhinia, and I am going to try all of them The copper scrap really brought out some lovely pastel sades from them. The punched onion skins were just a whim, but I love how they turned out.
ReplyDelete