Tannin: Adventures into the dark - oak gall ink and mindful painting

Create a range of paintings and experiment with mark making using oak gall ink – including making your own ink to take home. Tannin is present in many natural dyes (some of these colour sources are coloured whilst others are light in colour) and is also frequently used on its own as a mordant especially for cellulosic fibres, when tannins are combined with iron (such as rust or iron sulphate) these materials react strongly and shift the colour into deep greys and blacks. It is this adventure into these darker shades available for fabric and paper which form the base for this series of workshops. Join me during 2027 on a journey into understanding how tannin can be used in combination with iron to create a range of dark and leaden shades. We will investigate, experiment and explore the wide range of uses for tannin including dyeing fabrics and clothing, different styles of printing and also using it to create ink to draw and print. Participants can join for just one, several or even all of our workshops to find out the range of diverse uses for tannin as a means of creating colour and, dyed textiles and art. Each of the workshop sessions will investigate a different use and aspect of tannin; from eco printing to immersion dyeing and even using tannin from food waste and foraged items for making artists media such as inks. Participants will also have the opportunity to forage for their own tannin rich materials to use in these workshops. Oak gall ink and mindful painting, in this workshop you will have chance to create a range of paintings and experiment with mark making using oak gall ink – including making your own ink to take home. The workshop will include: - Making ink from oak galls - Finding out about the history, chemistry and method of making oak gall ink - Mark making using oak gall ink - Discovering methods and techniques for mindful painting and art - Health and safety requirements when using and making oak gall ink.