Illumination

– Posted in: Discharge, Workshops

The creative possibilities of removing color from cloth continue to excite me. Illumination is one of the techniques I teach in my class called Dyeing to Discharge, which I mentioned in my last post. Simply put, it is the technique of replacing color — removing color and adding another at the same time.

Above, Cindy has just done a test sample of illumination discharge in the Dyeing to Discharge class I taught a few years ago at Maiwa Handprints in Vancouver. Below are some lovely examples of student work using the technique.Tests of Illumination Discharge

The above images were done with Thiox illumination.

A new product called deColourant came on the market a couple years ago, including a range of products with a color removal agent, and some with pigments added to replace the discharged color.

More recently I learned that there is a product called deColourant Plus Clear Mixer, to which Procion MX dye powder could be added (not pigment). The idea is that there is something in the Clear Mixer which would keep the fresh dye from being discharged with the dye already in the cloth.

I couldn’t find that anyone had done much testing with this product, and the manufacturers did not give directions for this technique, so I thought I would try it out, and compare it to Thiox paste, which is my usual go-to discharge agent.

Note: All discharge is done with very good ventilation and wearing a respirator while heating the chemicals.

I ran the Illumination tests on a bright yellow and on a grayed dark blue cloth, both hand-dyed. Test288W

First, I made sure that these fabrics were dischargeable with deColourant Plus and with Thiox paste.Then (while wearing a dust mask, of course) I mixed dye powder into the deColourant Plus Clear Mixer and also into the Thiox paste. I used all the Procion MX pure colors to test the illumination. I used 1 to 4 ratio for dye powder to discharge paste. In other words, in 1 teaspoon of discharge paste, I mixed 1/4 teaspoon of dye powder.

I used deColourant Plus Clear Mixer as it came out of the jar. Thiox comes as a powder than you mix into a discharge paste yourself. This allows you to control the strength of the discharge paste. So I made two Thiox pastes, one stronger and one my usual strength.Illumination Discharge Test

As you can see in the above photo, the deColourant discharged really well, better than the weaker of the Thiox pastes I made.

However, the dye added to the Thiox pastes illuminated better. So I decided to try the test again, using twice as much dye powder, to see if the deColourant would illuminate better if I used more dye.Illumination Test 2-640W

When I ran the test again, doubling the dye powder, I felt the amount of dye powder I used was really quite a lot, at one part powder to two parts paste, and the resulting paste was very thick. I didn’t thin it with water, but I might do that if I try it again. This time, though, I got quite a lot of discharge and illumination from the deColourant, as well as from the Thiox paste.

All in all, it was a fun test to try, and and I have a better idea of how to use the products going forward.

18 comments… add one
cynthia stentz April 17, 2013, 8:23 pm

this test is so helpful carol!
i have just begun trying the illumination again. fun to see the maiwa picture! thanks for all you do.
cindy

carol April 17, 2013, 8:26 pm

That’s great Cindy. It has been fun to see what you are up to lately.

Jayne L April 17, 2013, 9:59 pm

Love the experiments!

Karen April 17, 2013, 11:05 pm

Great experiment Carol, thanks for sharing the results.

Heather P April 19, 2013, 3:44 pm

Carol, you continue to amaze me! Thank you for sharing!

Sarah Ann Smith April 20, 2013, 1:49 pm

Cool! I have some of the deColourant and deC Plus. Will see about getting some of the mixer to use with Procion. As always, fun to see you take the scientific method to things! I’m not a fan of discharge because of the chemicals (and yes, I KNOW you are ULTRA safe about using the darth vader mask, etc), but I may just have to try this! You know my only quilty vacations over the past 8 years have been to classes with you!

Russ Little April 22, 2013, 3:14 pm

Wonderfully thorough as usual. Thanks for sharing both the process and the results. I learn as much from how you do it as I do from the results.
So, I’m still left with the feeling of “Why bother?”. Yes, deColourant has the advantage of being pre-mixed and with a longer shelf life than activated Thiox paste, but the results just aren’t all that compelling. My takeaway from your experiment is that I’m going to consider increasing the strength of my Thiox paste, perhaps for both regular discharge and illumination. I’m assuming that you increased both the Thiox and the soda ash proportionally?

Married to my blender... April 22, 2013, 7:41 pm

Thank you for including me on your mailing list! I read about illumination with great interest. I mixed dye and print paste up yesterday and have an ombre shirt soaking…yummy! You taught our guild a lot in 2.5 days:-) So many great ideas to play with…! Now I know how to use Thiox/DeCoulorant AND can try adding color back in one step. How cool is that! Thanks again for sharing your talents.

Lisa White Reber April 23, 2013, 1:54 am

Thanks for doing the work for me! I love the student work pictures, and your picture of Cindy is ab.so.lute.ly perfect for a class illustration!

Mary Valerie Richter April 23, 2013, 5:23 pm

Thanks for sharing.

Love your new website!

Marti Plager April 25, 2013, 6:44 pm

Carol, Your website looks great and it is good to hear from you.

Are you wiling to share your recipe for extra strength thiox? The idea of adding the dye powder to the thiox sounds like fun.

Diana April 28, 2013, 1:41 am

Love the fresh bright new site, Carol! And, oh man, would I love to come to your discharge class. I can’t do it this year, but it’s most definitely on my list. And… great article of course, it’s interesting to see the difference between the dC and thiox. Thank you!

carol April 29, 2013, 3:29 pm

Patience my be required, as the class probably won’t be offered again on the East Coast until 2015. Bu in the meantime you can have lots of fun exploring….

carol April 29, 2013, 3:30 pm

Thanks everybody, for the great comments on the new website. My morning routine is changing…..

Judi Hurwitt April 29, 2013, 3:45 pm

Cool test, thank you for sharing the results. All in all, I think I like the results you got with the thiox better… crisper, more uniform color, it seems.

Wendy Rosen May 3, 2013, 3:35 am

Hi Carol- Considering that I have very little experience w/ discharge, this post has inspired me to try something new!! Thanks.

coco April 7, 2014, 3:27 pm

i’m not sure if this comments board is still checked, it’s almost a year old!
but i want to ask, what do you mix with the Thiox powder to make a paste consistency for discharge printing? thanks so much!

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