Dyeing - 2nd layer

!st layer - 2 blues










2nd layer - with complements addes

Left - 2 layers, right - 1st layer

2nd layers of 2 blues + complements

left - 1st layer, 2 blues     right - 2nd layer, complements added

pure colours                                                                                     pure colours + lower intensity colours 

These are the samples I am using in class where the students are learning tray dyeing.

We are all looking forward to see the students results.

VCA Students' Tray Dyeing

Each of the students filled a tray with folded fabrics....

...in the colour palettes they had chosen.

We are exploring analogous colour schemes.

The students took their trays home to put in a warm place for 24 hours to batch.

Then they will rinse, dry and iron...

...before bringing their beautiful fabrics back to class to add another layer of colour.

Results From Tray Dyeing

here are the results from the tray dyeing I did to make samples for the next Mark Making With Machine session

i torn up a single bed sheet so all of the samples are on the same fabric

some samples were wet, some were dry

some were folded in a rough pattern, others folded randomly

6 different effects from one small tray - its a great technique Leslie Morgan and Claire Benn have developed

Mark Making With Machine Course

Mark Making With Machine started at the Victoria College of Art this week. The students spent the day getting to know their sewing machines better and settled on a colour palette they want to work with.
Today I am preparing tray-dyed fabric samples for next week's session. We will use Leslie Morgan and Claire Benn's method because it is simple, an easy way to dye a lot of fabric, and a hands-on method for learning how to develop a colour scheme.

This tray has fabric folded in 6 different ways which will produce 6 different line and textural effects.

The 1st colour, a middle blue, was flooded on the bottom of the tray.

The 2nd colour, a warm blue, was poured over the top.
As well as the different folding producing different marks, we will also be working to produce a full gradation of values.

Dyeing the Tree Cloths

I like the distinctive individual stained patterns on each of the Tree Cloths but I don't like the overall greyness. They don't look attractive.
Perhaps dyeing will help.
I torn off a sample from each Tree Cloth and scrumpled it in a tray, a la Claire Benn-Leslie Morgan dyeing technique.

Using Procion MX, I put in a layer of green brights.

2nd layer was green neutrals. Looking more interesting but not yet full of life.

I have also added to the dye batch 2 table cloths and some napkins to be able to compare results on a white base.
This is 1 of the table cloths with 2 layers.
I think they all now need an over dye. But what colour would tie all of that texture together?

Banff March 4

While in the paper/dying studio, Ingrid gave us a demo on making a deconstructed screen for printing on fabric with thickened dye.

The screen needs to be left to dry before being used to push dye through onto cloth.

I soaked fabric in soda ash and hung it to dry in preparation for printing on. This is the view to the back of the studio where the bedrock has been left exposed. This studio is in the basement of the Glyde building which sits on the side of a mountain. You have to know where you are going to find this studio because it is isolated from the others. It is a great place to work.

Wendy made felt using fleece she had dyed and hand carded. The equipment behind her is used in paper making.