The art of botanical eco-printing on paper

Hi everyone. I hope all is well with you and yours. Today's post is in response to a couple of enquiries about eco-printing. 

 The first time I tried the art of botanical eco-printing was at summer school workshop in January 2016 at the Stirling Street Art Centre with Jane Flower from Folios and Fibre. I loved it from the start, but in truth it took me about a year before I actually started to experiment at home. 

Since then I have done some more workshops including an eco-printing workshop in Albany with Penny Jewell but also making inks and paints with Helen Coleman in Mandurah - fascinating! 

I have also done some online workshops with India Flint from The School of Nomad Arts. She is the queen of eco-printing in Australia, and before Covid took over our lives, used to run workshops overseas as well. 

I have also learnt a lot from some on-line Facebook groups for eco-printers like Eco-dyeing with Friends based in Tasmania, Australia. There are lots of these groups on Facebook, if you are on Facebook, with people who generously give their hints. 

In some ways it has taken over my life. But I delve into other arts too! There are so many things I want to explore. 

I really love to eco-print on paper. The very act of laying the leaves on paper, bundling them, and unwrapping to see the result is very relaxing and absorbing. 

In March and May I displayed my work at a couple of art markets, and I was asked by a number of people if I ran workshops. They were disappointed when I said no. 

There are a few reasons for this. I would be "borrowing" the techniques I have learnt from other people - people much more skilled than I who have done hours of study and experiments. To me, borrowing their techniques to teach would be unethical. 

Also I really am still learning. I don't get consistent results. I know myself I have paid for workshops which don't deliver, and I don't want this to happen to any students who might come to a workshop of mine. 

I have a long way to go, and still lots to learn, however, I am happy to share a few simple steps towards printing on paper. If you want to learn more, I will give you some links. 

First of all, gather your leaves. In Australia it is illegal to pick up from the ground or pick leaves from a tree in the natural bush (forest). So really you must do this on private property where you have been given permission. You should also identify your plants, as some plants are poisonous.  

Leaves can be fresh or picked up from the ground. Both react differently in the process, as does the time of year, climate, and how dry the winter was. So many variables! Most of my printing is done with eucalyptus leaves and I have identified a few varieties in my area which print well... usually....but not always! 

Next choose your paper. I use Printmakers paper, though many people use Watercolour paper. Experiment with different papers, but I suggest not using anything too thin as it will just return to the pulp it came from. 

Tear your paper into the sizes you require. You also need something to bundle the papers between. You can use, as I usually do, household ceramic tiles - you know the sort they stick onto walls in bathrooms. Or you can also wrap the paper around rusty cans, or even old engine filters or old trampoline springs!

Next lay your leaves on the paper. I usually dip my paper first in tea water made with about 4 teabags and hot water. The tannin from the tea helps with the printing process.  If leaves are dry, they can be reconstituted by soaking in hot water. 

Lay down the leaves then put another piece of paper over the top. 

Then bundle the paper between the tiles, or around a can, and bind tightly. I do this with strips of cloth, which I reuse over and over. A bit of rust can help with the printing process, but do not use vinegar as this will make the paper brittle. Some people throw rusty nails in the pot. 

Next is to simmer the bundle in a pot of water. I use rain water so it is not affected by chemicals in household water. I believe creek water which has lots of tannins in it is great. The cooking must be done outside in a well ventilated area. DO NOT use pots you are going to cook food in!  Keep dedicated pots. I have a gas burner which I set on my patio. Please be aware of fire bans if you are cooking up a pot in summer. Throw some more leaves into the pot. 

This pot of water can be used again if you are going to use the next day or in a couple of days. The water will get darker, and the prints a little darker with each use. So it is up to you how many times you want to use it. 

Put the bundles in. Bring the pot to the boil, turn the heat down, and simmer for about 45 minutes. Then turn off the heat. I usually leave the bundles in the pot for a couple of hours. Then take out, stand to drain, and don't open until the next day. I then leave them for another couple of days on a bench with weights on top of them. Some people open their bundles straight away. 

In this bundle below which was around an old rusty car air filter, I have put some cloth between the paper and the metal. 

Once the paper is dry, I stack them between sheets of paper under a stack of heavy books for a few days or a week to flatten the papers. 

Each one is uniquely different and cannot be replicated. Leaves picked fresh from a tree will print differently to dry leaves picked up from the earth. Lack of rain will affect the printability. The underside of the leaves (they call it the moon side) will print better than the top side. You can see the difference in this print below. It is often difficult to tell with eucalypts which side is which. 

It is a good idea to take notes to refer back to later, especially when a print works well. 

I love the anticipation of unbundling, though there are often failures which I have no idea why. But you can try overprinting these. 

Prints can be framed, made into greeting cards, or used as covers of notebooks, or whatever you choose!

Doodling on the papers is also fun. Below I have used paint I have made from boiling bark, and an ink pen. 

A few links for further study: 

India Flint, the school of Nomad Arts

Eco-dyeing with friends group on Facebook

Mamies Schoolhouse on Faceboook

Natural Dye Education on Facebook

Eco-printing, dyeing and painting on paper on Facebook

Most important, experiment and have fun. I must stress I am not an expert, you need to do your own study and experiments. I encourage you to do a workshop if you see one in your area. However, be careful, as there is a lot of misinformation out there. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed this little introduction into botanical eco-printing on paper. Have you tried eco-printing. Perhaps you would like to tell us about it in your comments. 

I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
   
MosaicMonday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf
Sharon's Sovenirs 
Our World Tuesday
Pictorial Tuesday 
ThroughMy Lens 
Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity. 
       and Little bird - Pienilintu
Thankful Thursday 
Der-Natur-Thursday 
The Lovin' Life Team over at: Deep Fried Fruit
 Month end link up @ Live love craft me

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