Eco Printing with Leaves #2

Recently, I've been obsessed with trying to get the leaf prints (aka botanical prints) to just print well and clearly. Most of the time it's either been a bit of a blur or the unexpected happens. It's all part of the process, but we do sometimes want to have a good print especially when it's going to be on some clothing. 

Just last month, I printed eucalyptus leaves onto cotton. The leaves naturally had tannin but the ones that were placed on iron soaked fabric gave a distinct dark colour. On the other hand, I achieved an ethereal look for those soaked in alum and soy milk. Very different effects!

I found the iron soak method gave more defined prints as shown above with eucalyptus, neem and rambutan.  It really depends on what effect you would like so take your pick, and remember, each unroll is like opening a present.  Read more about Tips on Creating Botanical Prints

Eco Printing - Leaves in the Rain

Being an artist means observing things that others don't notice.
The small shoots growing on the kerbside, the tufts of grass struggling for sunlight between the tiles, and the flowers scattered all across the pavement from a tree in full bloom. I begin to see how our natural and humans are "living together" maybe not in perfect harmony, but perhaps trying?

Finding My Inner Tortoise

I recently wrote about how slowing down allows me to draw my attention to these tiny details. Taking a walk through the park or even just deliberately looking at things that I wouldn't normally look at has drawn me to sketching and translating them into stitch. I think I can now say that I am no longer tree blind! (pssst - put down that phone!)

The Wet Season

It's been really wet in the last part of the year in Singapore. If you walk past a eucalyptus tree, you'll notice how the leaves make marks on the pavement after a heavy downpour.  It's nature way of communicating with us. After another period of rain, the tannin marks get washed away and new marks get made in their place - different patterns reflecting different moods of the weather!

I wanted to translate and communicate this interaction of nature's marking on our lives through an eco-printed and embroidered piece. I had experimented with ecoprinting but wanted to produce a more subtle and grey look on the piece.  This involved using more diluted iron solution to give a gentler washed out look.  Once the eco-printing was complete, the piece was then layered with hand and freemotion embroidery - this alludes to the complexity behind nature's interaction with us.

The final piece is 100 x 50cm. Fear had held me back for a while before I could complete this, but once I let go and just (as my friend told me) "do it because there's nothing to lose", everything fell into place. Even if it doesn't become something I like, I can always put it away for later or use it for something else. There's always a way!

🌱Leaves in the Rain🌱
100x40cm
Eucalyptus leaves ecoprinted on fabric offcuts.
Handstitch and free motion embroidery