By Cathy Ledbetter
Coloring the World
A very long time ago, I would say at least 10 years, I bought a kit for dyeing fabric in a gradient of thirty colors. In the years since, I have bought a couple of other related kits, and they have been in a bin stashed away ever since. Occasionally, I would get them out and look at them, but I have been too…something… to actually use them. It may have been fear, or intimidation, or maybe just laziness that kept me from trying dyeing. Whatever it was, I finally got over it.
As it turns out, dyeing or otherwise coloring fabric can be quite involved. I had to assemble lots of tools and develop a plan for completing the gradient of 30 colors. It also took way longer than I expected. I think the time involved in this project was largely because of the 30 different colors. Now that I have made one run through the process and gathered the materials, I think a normal dyeing of one color would be much quicker. I definitely made mistakes, and I did not end up with exactly the gradient I was supposed to have produced - but I am very happy with the end result.
Now I am chomping at the bit for the next project.
All of the stirring, measuring, mixing, pouring, rinsing (and more rinsing) gave me lots of time to think. Watching all the color variations made from just three base colors really excited something in my brain. Years ago, I taught a class on color theory. At the time I was assigned this class, I thought, “why would anyone need a semester-long class on that?” I have since realized that color theory does not come naturally to many people. Also, when it does come naturally, people often do not trust their instincts.
Color theory involves learning how colors mix to form other colors, how light affects color, how to select color palettes to achieve different aims, and how color affects mood and perception. A color theory class involves lots of hands-on mixing of hues along with adding white to make tints and blacks to make shades. You may have heard of the color wheel, primary colors, and some of the basic color palettes such as complimentary, split complimentary, and monochromatic. It is a lot of fun to play with color theory and a lot easier to do these days with graphic programs on computers and tablets. Of course, it is also fun to make a mess with paints, too!
I heard a bit of advice years ago on choosing color palettes for those who struggle with it—choose a package design or piece of print fabric that really appeals to you and choose your color palette from that! Packaging and fabric prints are generally designed by professional graphic designers who know how to put color theory to use. Another method is to be inspired by nature, by God’s color palettes. I would not have thought to put pale orange and magenta together with small accents of lime green and mellow yellow, but I have seen tropical flowers with that exact color palette - and they are gorgeous!
Now that I have broken the ice on dyeing, there is no telling what will end up in my dye vats. Ice dyeing—something else I will be trying soon!
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