Botaniocal printing in Spain 西班牙植物印染

How I like the Andalusia region of Spain, especially in spring with flowers blooming everywhere. That led me travel to south Spain and spent some time earlier with like-minded people in Montilla, Cordoba and Malaga for botanical printing as well explore the beauty of Spain. This post is about the eco printing with native plants on leather, fabric and papers. Next will be the stunning views of the region.

 

 In south Spain, lands with olive groves, vineyards as well blooming cherry blossoms or almond is common.  For me it's eye opening for the stunning views no matter strolling on foot or in a train passing by.

 

 More gorgeous photos followed in the next post.

 

 The Moorish old quarter in one of the beautiful villages

What made me happy on arrival was the yellow marguerite daisy all over the rural.  I am glad to share experiments of my way of working on eco printing. We tried different substrates mainly with the yellow wild daisy,

 Both Carmen and Ana printed on leather, linen silk and papers but with different mordant. They are pleased with their experiments particularly the yellow daisy is amazing.

 

For mordant we used dried husks of pomegrante for tannin extract plus alum and ferrous sulphate.  Blankets of iron and tannin vice versa for different outcome.

 

Simple natural dyes prepared for the fabulous results. 

 

Printing on leather in low heat is fine.

Printing on fabric in high heat for an hour.
 

Layout on paper with sandwich stacks of plants and blankets

Tannin from pomegranate with iron contact gets olive color background on this linen silk

Color shades of assorted species of flowers printed on leather

Bold prints of coreopsis, even dried ones are effective on any substrates

I like such vivid flower prints on linen silk

On paper wild marguerite daisy also looks outstanding

Carmen's piece of linen silk with alum mordant,  thus the yellow flowers tended more yellowish

Purple from begonia leaf

Printing on soft and thin lamb skin.  

Ana's skirt of her own way of mordant, covered by iron blanket.  Dainty yellow flower printing on lower part.

I have a memorable good time in Andalusia thanks to Carmen, Ana and their families'  warm hospitality.

DIY eco printed art journal 植物印染小本子

 

I want to jot down what's in my mind for the next creation.  

The art journal with pages of botanical prints and printed leather cover as well embellished with dainty finds is a keepsake.

  

Journal cover with printed flowers picked on bike ride, twigs from hiking,  sea shell and stone from beach walk. Before opening it I want to say a big thanks to my mentor master Irit Dulman who inspires my botanical printing world.  The first year I stepped into her promising land I was so delighted to see the wild yellow flowers all over the country Israel.  I almost felt in love of the pretty prints with such flowers.  Two years ago Irit gave me the seeds for planting.  It grown so well and I used some for the printing. Flowers gone and I didn't grow in seed bed this year but to my surprise the seeds from last blooming became thriving and blooming again in my rural studio field.  Can't resist to do some more yellow prints with the flowers.

 

 Just picked a few home after biking.......

 

Made stack of paper prints with sorts of leaves then boiled for an hour.

 

Yellow flowers are the outstanding prints among other leaves.

 

 

With Mogi's paw stamp my prints approved.

 Is it nice to make the all-purpose card?

  This brat says hi to you.

Bind with other papers to make an art journal with eco printed leather cover is another good idea.

 By the sea to read my story of creation while listening to the wave.

  

Jot down ideas of inspiration after a day or write my diary.

 

Holding a physical art book is contented that memories are not easily wash away. Bond in the art book and enclosed with leather cover, knotted with a broken procelain scrap.

Making art journal is part of my journey of eco printing.

 

As to steps of making botanical paper prints and fabric prints you may like to view my instant download pdf tutorial ,for leather prints pdf tutorial in my ETSY.

記憶....從製作小本子開始.....

把弄花葉烙印在紙張上、皮革上

繫以小貝榖、石子、羽毛、樹枝、破瓷

小黃花尤是所思所念

那年以色列之旅

從此愛上了野生小黃菊

啟蒙大師贈予花籽洒在田野

每年春日盛放

That year walked the dog Anna with host Betty, such a leisure walk in the suburb of Israel.

This is how I made the little journal.

Week of eco printing 一周豐盛的植物印染

  

This is a week of eco printing we got inspired.  Two students came for private tutelage.  We done from basic to advanced.  From silk to cellulose fabrics as well paper prints. As usual I got some plants and flowers on my bike rides.  Now is summer for some kinds of flowers.  I grasped the blooming and done some experiments.  Indeed there're lots of weeds around are printable with the mordant techniques learnt from Irit Dulman.  

又是一周的忙著私人個別教學, 兩位不同日子到來學習不一樣技巧的學生, 從基本簡易的絲綢而至不同纖維布料媒染處理的植物印染, 花卉草葉烙印在紙張上呈現的天然美. 就是這幾天製作成果..

 Student May who has artistic visual on delicate placement.

Photos below speak themselves.......

May has lots of plants in her rural house so she brought lots to try.

 

Anticipating unwrapping..... no matter what comes is surprising.

Open it and shake off the leaves...... here comes after dry....

  

This is knitted jersey drapes well.

Placement of plants like flowing movement.

 

  

All come from natural pigments of leaves, weeds and flowers.  Even the weeds without pigment the white resist prints are just icing on the cake.

We've done different fabrics like cotton, linen, rayon, canvas......all works,

 

This piece with all kinds of plants mostly from May's house. 

 Such a nice sample prints for future reference.  

  

 Video of fabric prints done

   Pile of assorted cellulose fabrics of different prints done in two days.

Not only fabric prints I shared but also eco paper printing.
Before playing prints I showed my samples.

Flowers got on biking and tested on different sorts of papers. 

  

Mogi's paw stamp approved then we started the paper prints.

 

Stack of assorted papers sandwiched with plants boiled for an hour.   

Yellow, blue, red or even shapes are that natural.

 

This is handmade paper from reed grass May done and printed.

Prints on different kinds of papers

 

 

 

Touch of love of the all purposes greeting cards.

This is video of paper prints making

The other day tutelage for student Christine who's new to eco printing.  The basic printing skill of making shades and shapes is interesting.

A piece of silk scarf of assorted leaves and flowers done in 3 hours.  Christine is pleased with the scarf and quite interested to move on to explore more. 

I'm happy that now we have more local students want to explore the bounty of nature.