Madder, Weld & Woad: The Three Primaries

From the three primaries a whole spectrum of colour emerges…During this two-day workshop, Lucy and Edward of Old Mill Arts will guide you through the botanical inks by focusing on three plants that have been the source of colour for thousands of years.

From the madder plant root comes vibrant red, a luminous yellow from weld, and a green tinged blue from the leaves of woad.During these workshops we cover many aspects of these plants, placing them in historical context and their individual botanical characteristics.This is followed by a demonstration of dyeing and guidance on how to achieve pigments and ink from the plants.

There will also time to experiment with some pre made inks, mixing them to see how to extend the range of colour possibilities.This workshop is suitable for beginners who want to try making botanical dyes, and for those who have already begun their journey with natural dyes, but would like to refine their skills, or learn further skills.