For the larger sample I chose to combine two of the images I had been exploring, the typography and the airplant.
For the typography I replicated the overlaid pattern from the handpainted hessian sample. However, rather than hanpainting, for a more accurate repeat I made an acetate stencil and hand-stencilled the pattern with a thickened natural dye using green chlorophyllin extract. I repeated the stencilling along both edges of the fabric as a border.
For the centre of the sample I chose the star-flower motif from the airplant. I felt I had achieved good results working with the resist paste on the acetate stencil so I used the gram flour resist and spread it over the stencil with a school glue spreader. I found the process surprisingly straightforward yet the results were satisfyingly delicate.
The soft tones of the natural dye extracts were a good complement to the delicate star-flowers so I chose a natural dye as the background medium, using fustic extract to produce a warm, golden yellow background. Once the dye had been fixed by steaming the resist was washed off leaving the a random star pattern in the natural white fabric colour behind.
Although this fabric is a lengthwise repeat it would be possible to adapt the design to make the typography a border around all four sides to make a single unit pattern. With a larger piece of fabric it may also be possible to create a hexagonal or octagonal border around the central motif. The central star-flowers are printed at random intervals but could be placed in clusters to interpret the original airplant more closely. It would also be possible to use a single, centred cluster of star-flowers with the typography border round all sides for a more structured effect.
To develop the the design further it would be possible to extend the colours of the piece by overprinting with different colours using the star-flower stencil. With a wider fabric the green borders could be placed close together, overlapped along the length (base to base of the image) or left with a gap between. So many ideas, so little time!
