Botanical Inks

I went to a short demonstration of making botanical inks from natural plant material with Ellie Beck from @petalplum . Then mixed with different natural thickening agents to make print paste or a thicker paint. Mixed with vinegar, soda ash , and an iron solution to watch and notice the colour change. Mixed turmeric ink with indigo ink to make green.

The birds were drawn in with charcoal ink following the story that evolved from the painting with ink play. I will send this postcard to The Little Bird Postcard Project organised by Karen Hurford in Mackay.
The inks made in the colour wheel are red clay mud, charcoal , eucalyptus,turmeric, avocado seed , indigo , and coreopsis. The middle card is all avocado seed ink and the colour changes due to the vinegar, soda ash and iron solution.
The paper experiments are on the same inks painted or drawn with brush or twigs onto linen.

Works on paper

Last week I spent two days at  a ‘Cook up’ with the paper and book group of Spinners Weavers and Fibre Artists. Lots of play and small demonstrations before our own experimentations or constructions.
This print is a very vibrant and fresh red hibiscus on watercolour paper after being boiled between pressure.

It is a beautiful soft blue. I will take photos of the other experiments and add here.

Dragonfly pouch

This started as a strip of three dragonflies that was printed by @merodybuglar and her sister when playing around with the technique. I stitched around the first one and then added to a piece of fabric that I had printed with flowers. The small green dragonfly on the inside flap was made by machine using free motion stitch.