Eco-Print Trials, July

I’ve been searching for a good app on my phone to organize my eco-print results so that I have a database of the plants and images of print results to refer to. I haven’t yet nailed down the app I want to use (and if you have any suggestions, please let me know!) but I thought my blog would also be a good place to jot all this info down too. I figure it can serve as a more permanent record when I have the time to sit down and add in my finds.

This month I’ve printed a lot of new plants, and tried to identify them all as well. For each of the plant prints below, I have used a mixture of Canson and Bienfang mixed media papers, and soaked all the paper in a mordant bath for 15 minutes (My mordant is typically 4Tbsp alum powder to a gallon of water). Plants are added, along with sprinkling alum and iron sulfate powder onto them, and then steamed for approx 45 min. This seems to be a good sweet spot timing-wise, so it’s what I stick to now adays.

You’ll see some variations on some plants from browns/greys to yellowy-greens… this depends on how each plant reacts the alum and iron sulfate I sprinkle on top. It’s especially noticeable in the black walnut and mimosa tree samples. I hope you find these results helpful, or just beautiful!

BLACK WALNUT (OHIO) - This one is a favorite for ecoprinting and dye making. Rich, deep browns where this is iron powder, and some bright yellow-greens where you have alum present.

BLOODY CRANE'S BILL (OHIO) - A cool little weed I found at a campground… surprised me with these gorgeous deep brown prints. Nearly black! The leaf does wilt fast, so consider that when printing.

BOX ELDER (OHIO) - The leaves REALLY look like poison ivy, but it is a bush with five-leaf branches. Makes gorgeous silvery prints!

BUTTON BUSH (OHIO) - Beautiful silvery prints! This one seems to like to go more silver than brown, and the paper picked up a lot of great detail. Images show both sides of the leaf print well.

COMMON BLUE VIOLET (OHIO) - A common weed with lovely little blue flowers in spring. The flowers don’t give much, but I loved the detail in the leaf print. Interestingly, It was nearly transparent except for where the veins were!

GREATER PLANTAIN (OHIO) - Another common yard weed… I was so surprised at how lovely of a print it gives! Beautiful silvery tones and plenty of vein detail.

MIMOSA TREE (SOUTHERN OHIO) - I know these trees are more of a southern species, as I don’t see them in NE Ohio. They print interesting! Great texture and variation of color! I was surprised that all the feathery details of the blooms really get captured in the prints… unlike most flowers!

WILLOW (OHIO) - Maybe a new favorite of mine. It can range from more greenish to more grey in tone depending on the amount of alum or iron powder added. I love how windblown and feathery they look. The newer growth wilts FAST, so pick right before printing or immediately press to get the more straight-edged look.