Mordant Printing and Painting with Natural Dyes

Mordants are substances, generally metallic salts that are used in combina4on with natural dyes to create las4ng colors on cloth. Mordants can shift the tone and saturation of natural dyes such that, with the use of different mordant combinations, a wide range of colors can be created in a single dye vat, and even on a single piece of cloth! In this class, we will create thickened mordant pastes to paint and print designs on cotton yardage. Inspired by tradi4onal surface design techniques, we will make three dye vats with locally grown and foraged plants (madder, weld, and sumac) to create a wide range of shades and patterns on cloth. We will cover fabric prepara4on, making a prin4ng surface, simple stamp-making, natural dye chemistry and history, as well as post dyeing fabric care. Students will create a color reference chart on cloth to use in future dyeing endeavors, as well as their own uniquely patterned pieces.

Skills and Techniques:

• Natural dyeing best practices and mordanting basics
• Understanding natural dye and mordant chemistry on cellulose fibers
• Simple stamp-making from various accessible materials
• Fabric preparation and post dyeing treatment
• Gain familiarity with traditional dye plants
• Making a printing board

Materials Fee: $20 covers all materials used in class and paid directly to the instructor.

Special Tools or Equipment: Notebook and Pen.

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