Week 8 - Iron Water Experiments Revisited

Iron Water Stencil Dye Experiments
This week, I went back to my iron water stencil dye experiments, which I first explored in Week 6. One of the main challenges I noticed back then was that the iron water tended to bleed and spread too much, making it hard to create crisp, clean patterns.

I began to suspect that the stencil paste might be too concentrated with iron water, which could be causing the spreading. So, I tested three variations of the mixture, each starting with 1 tsp of flour:

• Mixture 1: 1 tsp iron water 
• Mixture 2: ½ tsp iron water + ½ tsp water 
• Mixture 3: ¼ tsp iron water + ¾ tsp water
  

I applied each paste onto a piece of onion-dyed fabric and observed the results. As expected, all mixtures spread — but the spreading reduced as the iron water was diluted. Unfortunately, this also led to less noticeable color changes. 

I decided to explore a new direction by applying the iron water directly with a paintbrush. Although it still spread a bit, I found it gave me more control and allowed for more intentional mark-making. It’s not perfect yet, but it’s a step closer to the balance I’m aiming for.

Last Week’s Fabric Rework
Last week, I wasn’t happy with how I initially arranged the fabric circles in my project. The composition felt off, so I decided to take it apart and start fresh.

This time, I sorted the circles by color to create a gradient. I then sewed them in neat, evenly spaced rows, leaving small gaps between each one. The result was a textured surface that almost resembles scales.

That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading, and I’ll be back with an update next week!