3.4 Printing Flashcards
Printing:
The application of colour patterns to the surface of fabric
3.4.1 Hand printing
Resist printing is considered to be the oldest form of printing. Areas of the fabric are pro- tected so that the dye cannot penetrate them. Tie-dye, batik, stencil printing and screen printing are all considered to be forms of resist printing.
Tie-dye
The fabric is tied with yarn, thread or cloth to form an interesting pattern. The fabric can be folded in specific ways before tying. Sometimes a knot is made in the fabric itself, or a small area of the fabric is folded over a small stone before it is tied. The dye cannot penetrate the areas that have been tightly bound. When the threads or knots are removed after dyeing, the light undyed pattern can be seen. Tie-dyed cloths are extremely popular for African shirts or dresses, often embroidered with chain stitch. Tie-dyed patterned cloth is also frequently printed commercially by roller printing methods.
Tie-dyeing is practised extensively in a number of West African countries such as Senegal, the Cameroon and Liberia. The Yoruba people of Nigeria have perfected the technique. The Bamun of Cameroon produce highly intricate patterns by oversewing the fabric with raffia before dyeing. When the raffia is removed, the white pattern remains. Most of these textiles are dyed indigo, a natural denim-blue dye that has been used since prehistoric times. The Yoruba people call these indigo-dyed cloths adire.
Batik and starch paste resist printing
Batik is also a type of resist printing. Melted wax is applied to certain areas of the fabric. The fabric is then dipped in dye. The waxed areas cannot absorb the dye and remain the original colour. The fabric is then boiled to remove the wax. The most intricate batik work is done in Java and Malaysia. In West Africa, not only wax is used, but also starch paste made from the cassava root. The Yoruba people of Nigeria, well known for their expertise in the paste resist technique, call this adireeleko.The pattern is painted on the cloth with starch paste. Once the paste is dry, it is dyed, usually in indigo. The paste is then scraped off, leaving the design on the original white of the cloth. Sometimes a metal stencil is used. The paste is forced through the stencil openings on to the fabric.
