Botanical imprinted leather purses 植物印染皮包包

Proud to show more of the recent experiments of botanical imprinted leather purses. Even my fluffy Mogi appreciates it.

This is one of the “before & After”.  2019 is drawing to end. Wish you another fabulous year filled with happiness.

Eco prints master inspiration 遠道而來的植物印染啟發

 

A bag full of plants and inspiration as well friendship from master Irit Dulman who stopped over Hong Kong early this month after workshops in Australia. Irit is my most respectful master whom we know for years.  Her visit just in good time of the year in term of weather and season of plants.  Though only a few days stay we spent some time in rural and urban.  While we're in suburb she spotted some weeds which I didn't take note even found on the slope of my urban apartment.  She has marvelous expertise in botanical printing. We got some weeds and played around on fabrics and leather.  She taught me more ideas of eco printing and done a few experiments.  It's fun to discover in our region those plants I almost ignored give such pretty prints.  Now my mind opened and tried to work more with the weeds.  Good combination on different fabrics or leather with appropriate mordant. 

我的以色列啟蒙大師 Irit Dulman 最近來港，我們相聚之餘，一起硏究天然植物印染，她慧眼在郊野發

現的野草，近在我家居山坡上的植物原來可以不同的媒染處理做出不一樣的效果。尤其狗尾草的形態印染及牡荊的強烈色素使我不斷試驗，如今更多點子了。

Our first stop in the village water front

Up to the hill for a close look of China boundary.  The high rises are in China while the agricultural lands are Hong Kong part.

We spared sometime to do experiment with Mogi around.

on fabrics

then leather

The weeds wonderful prints on leather and silk.....

Layout and outcome

   

Even the tiny flowers of the weeds printed so delicate. 

A piece of leather prints made into a purse.

  

Other printed panels I sewed into small tote bags.  Just like the fine prints on rayon.

With Irit's generous hints I printed other silk panels with shades.

Irit's discovery of weeds, one of it is this pretty Pennisetum I found growing in the ditches while doing biking.

Can't resist the experiment, such strong prints and discharge of leaves on rayon, linen and silk with different mordant.

Pennisetum is one of my fav. weed.  I like the shape. It prints unique on leather too.

Glad to know it and found it.

Botanical imprints workshop 鄉郊植物印染工作坊

 I wanted to show is not only a bunch of plants I collected today for next experiment.  It's the botanical printed silk scarf  I just done.

 This Sunday was a fine and cool day but warm with participants from afar for the botanical imprints workshop.  Event was taken place in Lai Chi Wo, a 400 years old village in north Hong Kong. 

 這日應機構安排的其中一項文化活動，慶祝十年一度的沙頭角慶春約

打醮盛事，在茘枝窩村舉辦植物印染工作坊，20多位遠道而來的參加者在我簡短介紹及示範後，以不同的葉子鋪排型態擺在𢇁巾上捲扎，個多小時的煮熱便完成獨一無二小圍巾。
今次的葉子主要是石榴葉、牡荊、咖啡豆葉、檸檬葉、馬藍及少許花店剩餘的桉樹葉。𢇁巾我已預先做媒染處理，泡明礬水6小時，稀釋鐵水混少許白醋水中。由於有些葉單寧豐富一點，例如石榴葉遇上鐵質印出葉形更顯著。

 Before the workshop I introduced brief process of printing.

 

 Brief intro of layout and steps of bundling.

 

 We used parchment paper for the resist.

 After an hour boiling bundles are ready to unwrap, always an exciting moment.  As usual I told them not to expect too much as botanical printing sometimes not as wished but prints are unique whatever mother nature gives.

  

Shapes and shades of prints - bold color from guava and clear shape from vitex

  

 

 Guava is always right for beginners.

 Some of the participants with their printed scarfs.

 

Are they happy? I hope so.  It's fun as most of them just found such craft printing direct  from plants.

 After the session of botanical printing, I was able to see around other village art works.  

Artists painting on the abandoned house walls and installation arts are very impressive.
工作坊完結，我往梅子林村一逛，差不多被遺忘的村子房屋破落，有

些獲保育復修或由藝術家粉飾繪畫壁畫，生氣活現，待至黃昏我也歸航了。

 

Some exhibits in the village historic and cultural corner.

 

 In the abandoned kitchen a pot still looks good.

 Stribilantes are common in the village.

 

My day ended with beautiful sunset.

 

I'm home with some leftover of plants from the village workshop and immediately I bundled two pieces. 

回家後，我用剩餘的葉子再作實驗，以格水蒸的煮熱45分鐘，效果

更清晰。

  

As usual I do steaming over a tray in cooker.

 

 The main part with guava and strobilantes.

 

Prints look

 

 Mogi finds his canopy again.

 This bunch of plants will be my experiment on different fabrics.

 Stay tuned for the outcome of the prints with weeds next.