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.