Magic Paint

Souk Sebbaghine - the Dyers Souk

Cotton, wool and silk yarn

A look in vats, the finished woven products,

mainly scarves - the silk is 'vegetarian' produced

from the cactus plant. Very light and airy cloth,

with a strange 'hand' akin to polyester.

Then the sales talk, Magic paints are used to dye

cloth, they are fast not fugitive like chemical dyes.

Sample scarf dampened, and, sure enough, the

water is coloured. Perhaps not rinsed enough?

This led me to thinking of experiences with 'magic

paint' in India. Powder is placed on paper - you

you have to guess the resulting colour when water

is applied. Result amazingly different and magic.

Sometimes the brain is the last thing out of the bag.

Plus there is always a fair bit of showmanship.

How could fabric be dyed with magic paint?

Last year I bought this simply lovely tray of mineral

pigment as used in Indian Miniature painting.

Magic paint - can you see what colour it will be?

The top left is a green metallic powder, top right dark green,

and the bottom very dark blue.

Indigo chunks and terracotta dish with cochineal - Burber lipstick

Ah, a chink of light - we are definitely dealing with mineral

pigments not only for painting, but also dyeing.

No time for in depth investigations right now, will have to

save that for a rainy day. So far, I believe the pigments are

mix with egg tempera, 'glues' and even acrylic paints, for

painting various surfaces. For painting fabric, use alum as

a mordant. Then there is the soy milk option described

by John Marshall - an excellent website for all things

Japanese.

The blue vases in Jardin Marjorelle were a bit of a clue.

My Indigo chunks are, of course, cobolt blue pigment.