Learning how to mix dyes is an important part of print making as it enables you to colour fabrics and experiment to get the shade you want. To mix a dye, a recipe is needed, which we were shown in a demonstration by one of the technicians. The two types of dyes we were using were Procion and Acid. Through experimenting with colour samples and different fabrics we found that silk always came out a darker shade than the cotton. Procion dyes are better on silk or linen and acid dyes are best on silk or wool. Once the dye was mixed it was poured into a cold dye bath, and then the fabric which had been soaked in water was added into the dye bath and left for around 20 minutes. It was then washed until all the excess dye had came out. I really enjoyed mixing up the dyes as it is a very hands on process and needs specific measuring and weighing to ensure the amount of each ingredient was correct. The end results were used as samples in my technical file.
Cold water dye bath
Using a spinner to drain excess water
Finished samples
Sample sheet
No comments:
Post a Comment