Very pretty results. If you want some more leaf definition you can dip the paper in a tannin before the Alum. When printing Cellulose fibre it is good to mordant in a tannin first, then Alum. (PAS works but AA is better for Cellulose)... Also you could try an iron acetate blanket as another interesting process. Soak some fabric in a rusty solution made from soaking rusty nails in vinegar for a week to ten days…(till it looks rusty) Strain it and use this to make an iron blanket. I find old flannel sheets work well. Wring out really well and lay over your leaves… damp not wet…do not soak your leaves in Alum. The Alum is why your leaves are very yellow, if you don’t do that the mordant in your paper will help give enough yellow. You will also get the reaction of the tannins in your leaves and the iron in the blanket.. some people dip their paper in the iron water instead of Alum. Also some people dip their leaves in iron water to get the deeper tannin/iron reaction; there is also a copper mordant that you can make as well. So many variables. Have fun!
I have tried the boiled method with rusty items added and loved the outcome. I will certainly try this as well. Thank you for taking the time to share this. It all turned out lovely!
I'm guessing lettuce? But, lovely prints. I really like those where you laid the strips and it gave the line impressions. Pretty cool looking. Thanks for all that work. 💓
Thank you for sharing this. They are beautiful, I tried a different method a couple of years ago , the boiling method, they were not as clear as your steaming method. Red onion skin gave me a blue colour! I will try this. Thank you from England.
You should try for sure. So existing to see the results that nature can make. You can frame your favourite ones, rip certain sections out and use in your junk journals, make greeting cards, book marks for just a few ideas.
It’s on my list to do a video for eco prints on fabric. Just need to prepare the fabric differently with an iron solution and different roll and barriers used for steaming.
I have not tried doing eco prints on wood. If the wood is porous enough to absorb the colours perhaps. You would want to use clips to really squeeze it together. You will have to experiment. Let me know how it goes.
I’ve watched a few videos with various methods for eco printing and feel this one may have the best results. I’m in the process of gathering my materials and look forward to trying this out. Have you done this method with kids, say above the age of 7? I read that alum can be toxic, and then elsewhere that it is commonly used and safe. I’m curious if you’ve experienced any concerns when adding the alum powder or during the steaming process. Thanks so much!
Alum is safe to use. You can buy Alum in your grocery store. People use it for pickling. The only thing I have found it can be a little drying to the hands so you can use gloves if desired. The only other concern is that some plants can be beautiful but they can also be poisonous so open up your windows and doors while steaming. There are lots of articles on the internet which ones are poisonous. I used foxglove and hydrangeas to name a couple which are both poisonous if eaten! As long as you work in a well ventilated area you should be fine.
Thank you for your thorough response. I couldn’t find alum at the grocery store today so ordered it from Amazon. Next stop is the thrift store for a pot! Thanks again!
How do you keep those gorgeous colors from fading? Should I use a spray? I also have a few kinds of acrylic mediums.. Would matt gel medium work or gloss?
@@CraftyPattiArtsCrafts Yes, I did but I must confess that I am very new at eco-printing and am just in the process of acquiring the tools and supplies to begin my first printing session. I have since learned that the mordants used do help prevent fading on paper but also cause different chemical reactions to take place in the process that will effect the colors depending on the plants used. I intend to use Alum, iron as well as a copper solution that I'll be making myself w/ scrap copper pipe pieces. I will try each solution separately of course on 3 prints using the same plant to see what differences are observed. It is eco-printing on fabric that I am concerned about as all color fades in our world when in light for longer amounts of time therefore any item may fade that would be for daily use... Pillow covers for example, quilt squares, etc. I think might fade so some protective coating might slow the process. I will research further to find perhaps a more natural solution.
@@CraftyPattiArtsCrafts Pure aluminum cookware is made entirely of aluminum, while aluminum alloy cookware is made from a combination of aluminum and other metals, such as copper or stainless steel
You got me there. There is quite a science to how tannins react to different substances like iron, aluminum etc. The pot I used I believe is aluminum as it dents easily. But can’t be 100 % as I bought it from a second hand store. It is true that you can get different results depending on the pot you are using. It really is an experiment and I don’t have all the answers for you.
I’m sorry to hear that as you saw the results I got. The imprints were sharp and the colour was good. No Alum is added to the water as that is just for steaming. Maybe go over the steps again in case something was missed.
@@CraftyPattiArtsCrafts oohhh well that helps explain some of this. I just picked leaves around my apartment and many were glossy. How tight does the "sandwich" need to be squished? Its another variable I'm unsure of. I didn't have clips so I tied the sandwich together as tight as I could but I can only get it so tight.
