What is Eco-Printing?

Simply put, eco-printing is a method of using plant material to create prints on paper and/or cloth.

Fibers (in my case, papers) are first treated in a mordant, which is a chemical compound used to set and bind color to the fibers. There are several different kinds of mordants — including alum, iron, and vinegar.

The best plants to use are rich in tannins or pigments — this makes for a bolder print. Leaves like maple, oak, and walnut are great options (and often found in backyards). Flowers that create strong prints and colors include coreopsis, goldenrod, cosmos and marigolds.

Plant materials are arranged onto sheets of mordanted paper, which are then stacked in a “sandwich” that can be bound tightly together. The sandwich bundle is then steamed for a period of time (usually 1-2 hours) so that the dyes from the leaves and flowers are pulled from the plants and transferred onto the paper. The mordant fixes the dyes so they become a permanent part of the paper.

MY PROCESS

I use a sturdy paper, such as watercolor or heavier mixed media, so it can withstand the steaming process.

For my mordant, I usually use a mixture of alum, vinegar and some iron. Higher concentrations of iron can “sadden” the prints — making a print darker (or moodier). I also sometimes soak my paper first in water dyed with black tea or onion skin. It’s fun to experiment!

I usually gather flora from my backyard. Therefore I have a lot of access to maples, walnuts, goldenrods, berries, and morning glories. But exploration is part of the fun — you can “test” a plant by rubbing it onto a piece of paper and adding a drop of iron water to it. If the plant rubbing turns very black, it’s likely a good candidate for printing.

For my sandwich bundle, I stack papers between two tiles with felt sheets to act as buffers between each print. Then I steam the sandwiched bundle (bound using large binder clips) in a turkey steamer for about an hour. Once done steaming, I either hang the papers or lay them flat so they can dry.

I love that you don’t always know what you’re going to get. Each print is entirely unique!