TWELVE SESSION COURSE
with John Marshall
Class WebPage
This is our class web page. Be sure to bookmark it!
This is where you'll find all necessary links to join in Zoom sessions, links to various reference sources and supplies.
ZOOM PASSWORD
IndigoX-1
Segment ONE – developing a clear foundation of knowledge from which to build
Saturday, August 24, 2024, 11:00 a.m. PST
1 – A Just What is Japanese Indigo?
A thorough exploration of how indigo functions along with how to achieve the broadest range of colors possible through various extraction techniques and pH manipulation – including yellow, green, cinnabar, and purple.
Vimeo Recordings
Zoom is a great tool, but occasion it can be a bit choppy or the system may go down. So much is in the hands of the internet gods! I really want you to be able to view the video clips I've prepared for you in detail. With that in mind, I've uploaded them separately to Vimeo. You won't be able to download them, and because they were prepared for me to speak over, they won't have any sound. However, they will allow you to view the graphics in greater detail and clarity.
Simply click on the links below, and enter the password IndigoX-1 if asked to do so.
Saturday, August 24, 2024, 2:00 p.m. PST
1 – B Fresh Leaf Direct Application
Applying the fresh leaves directly to the fiber may seem simple enough but in reality, it can be a tricky procedure. Over the past fifty years, I’ve developed a great many tricks and tips to allow you the greatest artistic expression with this simplest of materials.
ZOOM PASSWORD
IndigoX-1
Vimeo Recordings
Zoom is a great tool, but occasion it can be a bit choppy or the system may go down. So much is in the hands of the internet gods! I really want you to be able to view the video clips I've prepared for you in detail. With that in mind, I've uploaded them separately to Vimeo. You won't be able to download them, and because they were prepared for me to speak over, they won't have any sound. However, they will allow you to view the graphics in greater detail and clarity.
Simply click on the links below, and enter the password IndigoX-1 if asked to do so.
EX1b 1 from leaf to dye testing for malucosa 4.47
EX1b 2 leaf pound misc fibers 7.74
EX1b 3 embosser leaves 6.03
EX1b 4 block print mum 7.48
EX1b 6 tree block shadings 7.35
EX1b 8 salt tie dye 11.57
EX1b 8 salt plus baking soda 23.23
Tuesday, August 27, 2024, 11:00 a.m. PST
1 – C Fresh Leaf pH Neutral Cold Baths
One of the joys of working with Persicaria is the ability to achieve so many effects with so little. The basic fresh-leaf bath is easy to prepare, and, in this segment, we’ll be covering a myriad of approaches to take advantage of the quirky nature in which the dye stains the fiber.
ZOOM PASSWORD
IndigoX-1
Vimeo Recordings
Zoom is a great tool, but occasion it can be a bit choppy or the system may go down. So much is in the hands of the internet gods! I really want you to be able to view the video clips I've prepared for you in detail. With that in mind, I've uploaded them separately to Vimeo. You won't be able to download them, and because they were prepared for me to speak over, they won't have any sound. However, they will allow you to view the graphics in greater detail and clarity.
Simply click on the links below, and enter the password IndigoX-1 if asked to do so.
ZOOM PASSWORD
IndigoX-1
Segment TWO – extracting pigments and developing reduction vats
Saturday, August 31, 2024, 11:00 a.m. PST
2 – A Reduction Vats Starting with Fresh Leaves
Just what is a reduction vat? Starting with the most basic approaches to extracting indigo pigment from fresh and dried leaves, we’ll explore the differences between high-pH reduction vats and pH-neutral dye baths – along with the hows and whys of their basic operations.
Vimeo Recordings
Zoom is a great tool, but occasion it can be a bit choppy or the system may go down. So much is in the hands of the internet gods! I really want you to be able to view the video clips I've prepared for you in detail. With that in mind, I've uploaded them separately to Vimeo. You won't be able to download them, and because they were prepared for me to speak over, they won't have any sound. However, they will allow you to view the graphics in greater detail and clarity.
Simply click on the links below, and enter the password IndigoX-1 if asked to do so.
EX2a 1 fermentation fresh leaf indoxyl
EX2a 3 aquarium heater indoxyl
EX2a 6 seascape w/ fresh leaves and pigment
Kimchi glass jar
Borosilicate glass beaker
Third hand (sewing bird)
Extra large coffee filters
Aquarium heater
Indigo pigment
Sous vide heater
Saturday, August 31, 2024, 2:00 p.m. PST
2 – B Reduction Vats Starting with Pigments
Pigments come in many forms. We’ll discuss the best sources for natural indigo pigment and which states are the easiest to employ. We’ll use the pigments we produced in the earlier session, 2–A, as well as commercially available pigments, to develop a variety of reduction vats while exploring the pros and cons of each.
ZOOM PASSWORD
IndigoX-1
Vimeo Recordings
Zoom is a great tool, but occasion it can be a bit choppy or the system may go down. So much is in the hands of the internet gods! I really want you to be able to view the video clips I've prepared for you in detail. With that in mind, I've uploaded them separately to Vimeo. You won't be able to download them, and because they were prepared for me to speak over, they won't have any sound. However, they will allow you to view the graphics in greater detail and clarity.
Simply click on the links below, and enter the password IndigoX-1 if asked to do so.
Composter
Leaf blower/mulcher
Brewer's kettle
Fructose
Pickling lime (calx)
Elasticator
Finger cots
Wooden peg doll
Tuesday, September 3, 2024, 11:00 a.m. PST
2 – C Reduction Vats Starting with Mystery Sources
In this session we’ll delve into accessing the inner child of several mystery indigo sources – including John’s Cow Pie Indigo vat (also known as Cry Baby Indigo). In essence, these will all be vats made from left over bits of this and that, including what may be considered the orphan children of the deep recesses of your studio refrigerator–sources for which we may not easily determine the volume of indigotin present in calculating the other ingredients crucial to a successful reduction vat.
ZOOM PASSWORD
IndigoX-1
Vimeo Recordings
Zoom is a great tool, but occasion it can be a bit choppy or the system may go down. So much is in the hands of the internet gods! I really want you to be able to view the video clips I've prepared for you in detail. With that in mind, I've uploaded them separately to Vimeo. You won't be able to download them, and because they were prepared for me to speak over, they won't have any sound. However, they will allow you to view the graphics in greater detail and clarity.
Simply click on the links below, and enter the password IndigoX-1 if asked to do so.
ZOOM PASSWORD
Segment THREE – working with resists to enhance designs
Saturday, September 14, 2024, 11:00 a.m. PST
3 – A Rice Paste Resist and Indigo
Rice paste is my resist of choice. I use it in almost all my work. It’s water soluble and totally non-polluting, and ideally suited to using with indigo. In this section, I’ll share with you a myriad of ways to make use of its properties in your artistic endeavors.
IndigoX-1
Vimeo Recordings
Zoom is a great tool, but occasion it can be a bit choppy or the system may go down. So much is in the hands of the internet gods! I really want you to be able to view the video clips I've prepared for you in detail. With that in mind, I've uploaded them separately to Vimeo. You won't be able to download them, and because they were prepared for me to speak over, they won't have any sound. However, they will allow you to view the graphics in greater detail and clarity.
Simply click on the links below, and enter the password IndigoX-1 if asked to do so.
ZOOM PASSWORD
IndigoX-1
Saturday, September 14, 2024, 2:00 p.m. PST
3 – B Clamp Resist and Indigo
Clamp resist is one of the several classic techniques used in association with indigo. It’s low-tech and yet allows for complex and nuanced designs.
Vimeo Recordings
Zoom is a great tool, but occasion it can be a bit choppy or the system may go down. So much is in the hands of the internet gods! I really want you to be able to view the video clips I've prepared for you in detail. With that in mind, I've uploaded them separately to Vimeo. You won't be able to download them, and because they were prepared for me to speak over, they won't have any sound. However, they will allow you to view the graphics in greater detail and clarity.
Simply click on the links below, and enter the password IndigoX-1 if asked to do so.
tung oil for preserving blocks
cotton handkerchiefs (these are great for quick projects and testing ideas)
Tuesday, September 17, 2024, 11:00 a.m. PST
3 – C Tsujigahana and Sarasa – Combining Shibori Techniques, Stencils, and Direct Painting
Tsujigahana combines the soft edges of shibori with the refreshing clarity of sharply painted details and softened blushes of color applied through stencils. Made famous in the West by the artist Itchiku Kubota, John will share with you all of the carefully guarded secrets of this ancient process.
Segment FOUR – combining skills to create dynamic works of art
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 11:00 a.m. PST
4 – A Indigo on Paper and Non-Fiber Materials
I’m often asked about using indigo to dye paper. In this session, I’ll be covering vat dyeing on paper as well as block printing and raised, embossed printing techniques. This will include dyeing paper yarns with a woven project. We'll also be dyeing on ceramic tiles and wood, just to prove how far we can go!
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 2:00 p.m. PST
4 – B Landscapes and Direct Painting with Indigo
A great many folks limit their vision to dyeing solid colors, and perhaps stretch a bit into patterns and textures. But have you ever considered it as an expressive art medium? I’ll be sharing several unique methods I’ve developed for creating painterly artwork. I’ll be focusing on landscapes with the understanding that the processes covered may be applied to whatever your imagination conjures up.
Tuesday, September 24, 2024, 11:00 a.m. PST
4 – C Designing Garments with Fresh Leaf and Reduced Indigo
My career has been based on my passion for textiles and the garments created from them. For the grande finale in this series, I’ll be walking you through the steps I employ to create my one-of-a-kind fashions, making use of all the forms of indigo we’ve covered over the past few weeks, and at the same time, presenting how to incorporate modest amounts of other natural dyes for added interest.
Segment FIVE – Tying Things Together
Saturday, October 5, 2024, 11:00 a.m. PST
5 – A Review Session
We've covered a lot in this course! In this final review session, I will bring it all together to leave you with a deeper understanding of how indigo works and hopefully inspire you to think creatively in exploring all the potential this amazing plant holds.