Continuing the adventure into color exploration, the students of ART 414/614 Color Seminar conducted multiple pigment and dye experiments over the course of a couple weeks. The first experiment involved daisies and blue food coloring. Picked daisies were soaked in various concentrations of blue dye and observed over different time periods. While the overall health of the daisies declined rather quickly, color absorption did occur. Most obvious was wicking in the stem but under closer observation, faint traces of blue appeared in the tips of petals.
A much larger experiment was then conducted in multiple stages. The first stage involved soaking strips of cotton in hot water and the following: coffee, tea, beet juice, crushed berries, turmeric, saffron and green food coloring. The fabric was soaked for a few minutes and then the samples hung to dry.
The second stage involved only using beet juice as the dye of choice. Leather, silk, felt, feathers and a large variety of synthetic textiles and fabrics were soaked for equal time and then hung to dry. Varying degrees of absorption occurred with a few surprises.
The final stage was conducted after all samples were completely dry. Using cold water only, a color fastness test was performed. This was done for all dye samples. While some of the dyes bonded to the fabrics well, others dissolved leaving only trace amounts of color. Without the use of a mordant, the color intensity and longevity would be compromised if industry relied on the above choices for dyes and pigments. Overall, the students learned a few things and had fun with the experiment.
Design Denizens 