dyeing paper with natural dyes & katazome 植物染料で和紙を染める試し

Recently I had been itching to try dyeing Japanese paper (washi) with some natural dyes so I went and bought some natural dyes already in a concentrated liquid form from my favourite dye shop in Kyoto, Tanaka Nao (http://www.tanaka-nao.co.jp/).

最近の制作には化学薬品が多いと感じて、植物染料を使ってみたいと思ってきました。大好きな染料店の「田中直」で液体の状態の植物染料を幾つか買って、和紙を染めて見ました。

Although you can use these dyes as is, they apparently have poor fastness when used without a mordant or some kind of fixative. I found that using alum as a mordant made fixed the dyes well but I have also read that these dyes can be cured over a period of time when mixed with soy milk. This is something I want to try in the future (when I'm not working to such a tight deadline!)

一般は滲まないように、この染料を媒染剤（アルミや鉄など）と混ぜて使うのですが、豆乳と混ぜて染色して何週間も置いたら固定することもできるらしいです。もうちょっと時間がある時豆乳の方を使ってみたいですね！

To make things simple, I only made small postcard sized pieces, applying a binder to the paper first to give it strength before stenciling on the resist paste and dyeing with natural dyes.

今回サイズの和紙を使いました。和紙の耐水性を上げるために、コーティング剤を塗ってから糊を置きます。乾いたら、植物染料で染めました。

Japanese paper with resist paste applied (brown areas), just starting to brush on dyes
糊が乾いた状態の和紙。これから植物染料を色差しします。

染めた後、乾燥させた和紙を洗って糊を落とします。
Once the dye is dry, I just wash the paper to remove the resist paste.

The dyes I tried out this time were Walnut (dark greyish brown), Persimmon (a greenish yellow), Lac (strong pinkish red) and "Gardenia Blue" (an indigo-esque blue). I mixed these 4 together to get a surprisingly wide colour range. By watering them down, I could also achieve more subtle gradations.
今回使った植物染料はクルミ（グレーっぽい茶色）、ザクロ（黄色）、ラック(赤）とクチナシブルー（藍に似ている青）でした。この四つを混ぜたら、幅広い色が作れます。水で薄めたら、暈しもできます。

Here's some of the finished postcards. I'm really happy with how they turned out and have had very good feedback from people I have shown them too. Hopefully in the near future I can start selling these online and in Kyoto. 
完成したハガキはこの感じです。見せた人はまだ少ないけれども、反応がよくて、近いうちに京都やインタネットで販売ができればいいだろうと思っています。

Musk Lorikeet and Eucalypts ユーカリとジャコウインコ

Eucalyptus blossoms and gumnuts ユーカリの実と花

Superb Fairy Wren &　Royal Bluebell ルリオーストラリアムシクイとブルーベル
On this one I attempted to use colours true to the real thing
ここで現物の色を使って見ました。

Superb Fairy Wren &Royal Bluebell ルリオーストラリアムシクイとブルーベル
Here I used simpler colours which aren't true colours but it gives it a more designy feel perhaps
今回はシンプルな色を使って、もっとデザイン的になったのだろう？

This is just the start of my experimentation with natural dyes and Japanese paper and I'm hoping to try much more in the coming year. Stay tuned for the next adventure!

このハガキはただ植物染料と和紙を使う出発点だと思っています。これからも色々を試していきたいと思いますので、また載せますね！

床の間 An Installation - Tokonoma

I'm currently showing some of my work as part of an installation at Kyoto Seika University. 6 of us Research students and Phd Students hailing from England, the United States, Denmark, Germany and Australia are utilising cupboards and wall spaces here and there in the Administration building on campus.
今週の土曜日まで、京都精華大学で勉強している研究生や博士課程の学生と一緒に展覧会をやっています。私たち六人が「独英米豪丁」のように、ドイツ、イギリス、アメリカ、オーストラリアとデンマーク出身です。京都精華大学内の本館を使って、３階から５階にある壁や倉庫を生かして展示しています。

International Postgraduate Students Exhibition. 独英米豪丁

I was allocated the 3rd floor storage cupboard beside the elevator. It's a narrow and airless room but it's in a location that has a lot of students and staff walk by. At first I wasn't sure how I could use this unusual space to display my work. I decided to create a relaxing space, in the style of a tokonoma.
私は３階の倉庫を使うことに決められました。エレベーターの側にある倉庫は狭くて、空気のない部屋なんですけど、たくさんの学生やスタッフが通る場所です。初めは、こんなスペースにどのように私の作品を展示すればいいか迷っていましたが、結局床の間のような空間を作ることにしました。

床の間って？
In a traditional Japanese home, one tatami room is reserved for entertaining guests which will have a set-in alcove on one side of the room called the tokonoma. This space is used to display artistic objects for quiet contemplation including hanging scrolls, calligraphy, decorative incense burners and flower arrangements. When observing the items in the tokonoma, you sit in seiza position; on your knees.
Here's a picture of my own 'Tokonoma'
これは私が作った「床の間」

My Tokonoma, open to visitors. 床の間ができた！

Peek inside to see my work and a nice place to sit. 覗き見るとこんな感じです。

Noren (split curtain) dyed on linen. I used silhouettes of eucalyptus leaves for this design. 麻で作ったのれん。デザインはユーカリの葉っぱのシルエットです。

A kind of logo I made last semester that I was able to print in the corner. It says "So-meru"
染めた「印鑑」染める・染Meru・染メル

I "wallpapered" the space and built a small raised tatami platform. One of my scrolls hung on the back wall and I arranged some flowers in front too. I was able to display some of the washi paper fans I made last semester on a side wall too. As an entrance to the cupboard and to empashize the tranquility of the space I dyed a noren hanging curtain on linen for the doorway. A zabuton cushion is on the floor in front of the work so that the viewer can sit quietly and enjoy the work.
壁に落ち着いている色を張って、畳の台を作っておきました。掛軸を奥の壁に掛けて、その前に花を生けました。（ちなみに精華の華道部に入っているんですけど、まだまだ初心者なので間違っているかもしれない！）左側の壁に和紙の団扇も展示しています。事務所からくっきり分けるために、のれんを倉庫の入り口に掛けました。見る人が座布団に座って、ゆっくり作品を眺めれるように工夫しました。


Just how I pictured the space being enjoyed. 友達が見に来た時の写真



Detail of the scroll. 掛軸



3 of the fans I made using Japanese paper. 染めた和紙で作った団扇。今回は３枚組

It was an interesting experience to make an installation for a change. I had a lot of fun putting together the look and feel of the room and am really excited to read comments left in the notebook in the room saying that people have enjoyed the feel of the space and spending time there. If you have time and happen to be in Kyoto, be sure to check out the exhibition until this Saturday.
ただの作品展示ではなく、全体的な空間を創造するのがとても面白かったです。部屋に置いたノートにたくさんの親切なコメントや感想をいただいてうれしいです。この土曜日までに見えるので、もし時間があれば立ち寄って、コメントを残してくださいね！

dyeing paper 型染めで和紙を染めて見た～

During the spring break I planned out a little project to keep myself busy and also so I could spend my days in the warmth of the classroom and not the chilly box that has been my loungeroom.

I decided to have a go at dyeing paper. I had seen and admired work by Serizawa Keisuke (one of my Katazome heroes), where he dyed calendars on washi (japanese paper) so I knew it could be done.

I chose to make an all-over design, based on silhouetted gumnuts and eucalyptus blossoms. Because the stencil is quite detailed, I chose to attach a fine mesh called 'sha-bari' to help keep the stencil strong. The mesh is applied with a nasty smelling black lacquer, hence the black colour of this stencil.


This is the stencil I designed and cut to print resist paste onto my washi. It it made to be repeated lengthways.

This is the washi I bought to dye. Its a particular sort suited for dyeing.

At first, the thought of dyeing paper is a bit daunting because it seems so fragile but actually I found it easier than the same process onto fabric! It is recommended you apply a solution of a kind of binder to the washi before hand to increase its strength and to stop it getting all fibrous. After that dries you just go ahead as normal and apply the print paste. Then dye as normal, see below in progress


this piece of washi is about 35cm x 35cm. Here the resist paste has been applied and I have finished dyeing.

Ta-da! after a layer of clear fixative is applied and let dry, you just wash it out in warm water.

a close up of the finished piece of washi

this was a bigger piece, about 35cm x 50cm that I dyed in a different colourway.

It was a sastisfying experiment dyeing paper and was surprised to find it quite simple. I'll be interested to make more prints onto washi, perhaps inspired by Japanese scrolls. As always, many possibilities, its just taking initiative and actually doing it!!