# Sovereignty Module: Color the World

## Complete Dyeing and Color Production: From Plant to Pigment

Color transforms raw materials into identity, beauty, and communication. This campaign covers natural dye sources, mordanting, dyeing techniques, pigment production, and paint making.

### Chapter 1: Natural Dye Sources

| Color | Plant Source | Part Used | Mordant | Lightfastness | Washfastness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | Indigo (Indigofera) | Leaves | None needed | Excellent | Excellent |
| Blue | Woad (Isatis tinctoria) | Leaves | None needed | Good | Good |
| Red | Madder (Rubia tinctorum) | Root | Alum | Very good | Very good |
| Red-purple | Cochineal (insect) | Whole insect | Alum + tin | Excellent | Excellent |
| Yellow | Weld (Reseda luteola) | Whole plant | Alum | Very good | Good |
| Yellow | Onion skins | Outer skins | Alum | Moderate | Moderate |
| Yellow-orange | Turmeric | Root | None/alum | Poor | Poor |
| Brown | Walnut hulls | Green hulls | None needed | Good | Good |
| Black | Oak galls + iron | Galls | Iron mordant | Good | Good |
| Green | Indigo + weld (overdye) | — | Alum (for weld) | Good | Good |
| Purple | Indigo + madder (overdye) | — | Alum (for madder) | Good | Good |

### Chapter 2: Mordanting

| Mordant | Source | Color Effect | Toxicity | Cost | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alum (potassium aluminum sulfate) | Mineral deposits, pharmacy | Brightens colors | Low | Low | Pre-mordant soak |
| Iron (ferrous sulfate) | Rusty nails in vinegar | Darkens/saddens colors | Low | Very low | Modifier (after dye) |
| Copper (copper sulfate) | Mineral, hardware store | Greens/shifts colors | Moderate | Low | Modifier |
| Tin (stannous chloride) | Chemical supply | Brightens dramatically | Moderate | Moderate | Modifier (use sparingly) |
| Tannin (tannic acid) | Oak bark, tea, sumac | Helps protein fibers | None | Very low | Pre-mordant for cellulose |
| Chrome (potassium dichromate) | Chemical supply | Deepens colors | HIGH (toxic, carcinogenic) | Moderate | AVOID — use alternatives |

Alum mordanting procedure: 1) Weigh dry fiber/fabric. 2) Dissolve alum in hot water (15-20% of fiber weight — e.g., 15-20g alum per 100g fiber). 3) Add cream of tartar (6% of fiber weight — softens fiber, brightens color). 4) Submerge wetted fiber in mordant bath. 5) Heat slowly to 180°F (not boiling). 6) Hold at temperature for 1 hour. 7) Let cool in bath (overnight is fine). 8) Remove, gently squeeze (don't rinse — mordant stays in fiber). 9) Dye immediately or dry for later use.

### Chapter 3: Dyeing Techniques

| Technique | Method | Complexity | Results | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immersion (vat) | Submerge fiber in dye bath | Low | Even, solid color | Basic dyeing |
| Resist (tie-dye) | Tie/bind areas before dyeing | Low | Patterns (white where bound) | Decorative |
| Resist (wax/batik) | Apply wax before dyeing | Moderate | Detailed patterns | Art textiles |
| Discharge | Remove color from dyed fabric | Moderate | Light patterns on dark | Decorative |
| Overdyeing | Dye over existing color | Low | New colors (blue + yellow = green) | Color mixing |
| Printing (block) | Apply dye/mordant with carved block | Moderate-high | Repeated patterns | Production |

Indigo vat dyeing (most important dye process): 1) Prepare indigo vat: dissolve indigo in alkaline solution (lye water). 2) Add reducing agent (historically: fermented fruit, urine; modernly: sodium hydrosulfite). 3) Solution turns yellow-green (reduced indigo is soluble). 4) Submerge wetted fabric in vat (1-15 minutes). 5) Remove — fabric is yellow-green. 6) Expose to air — oxidation turns fabric blue before your eyes. 7) Repeat dips for deeper blue (3-5 dips for medium, 10+ for dark navy). 8) Rinse thoroughly after final dip. 9) Indigo is the most lightfast and washfast natural dye — jeans are indigo-dyed.

### Chapter 4: Pigment Production

| Pigment | Color | Source | Processing | Use | Permanence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charcoal/lampblack | Black | Soot from burning | Collect, grind fine | Ink, paint | Excellent |
| Red ochre | Red-brown | Iron oxide clay | Grind, wash, dry | Paint, cosmetics | Excellent |
| Yellow ochre | Yellow-brown | Iron oxide clay | Grind, wash, dry | Paint | Excellent |
| White (chalk) | White | Calcium carbonate | Grind, wash | Paint, whitewash | Good |
| White (lead) | White | Lead + vinegar + heat | Chemical process | Paint (TOXIC) | Excellent |
| Green earth | Muted green | Celadonite/glauconite | Grind, wash | Paint | Good |
| Ultramarine | Brilliant blue | Lapis lazuli | Grind, extract, purify | Paint (precious) | Excellent |
| Verdigris | Blue-green | Copper + vinegar | Chemical process | Paint | Moderate |
| Vermillion | Brilliant red | Mercury sulfide | Grind (TOXIC) | Paint | Excellent |
| Burnt sienna | Red-brown | Yellow ochre + heat | Calcine (roast) | Paint | Excellent |

Paint making: 1) Grind pigment extremely fine (mortar and pestle, then glass muller on slab). 2) Finer = more intense color and better coverage. 3) Add binder: egg yolk (tempera), linseed oil (oil paint), gum arabic (watercolor), lime water (fresco). 4) Mix thoroughly on grinding slab. 5) Adjust consistency with medium (water for tempera/watercolor, turpentine for oil). 6) Store in sealed containers (oil paint in tubes or jars, tempera use same day).

### Chapter 5: Practical Applications

| Application | Materials | Method | Durability | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitewash (walls) | Lime + water | Brush on (multiple coats) | 1-3 years exterior | Very low |
| Milk paint (furniture) | Milk + lime + pigment | Brush on | Good (interior) | Low |
| Linseed oil paint (exterior) | Pigment + linseed oil | Brush on | 5-10 years | Low-moderate |
| Fabric dyeing | Dye + mordant + fiber | Immersion | Varies by dye | Moderate |
| Leather staining | Dye or pigment + oil | Rub/brush on | Good | Low |
| Ink (writing) | Lampblack + gum arabic | Grind, mix | Permanent | Low |

### Reference Card

1. Mordant first (without mordant, most dyes wash right out — alum is the universal mordant). 2. Indigo needs no mordant (the king of dyes bonds chemically without help — and lasts forever). 3. Iron saddens, tin brightens (iron darkens any dye; tin makes it vivid — use as modifiers). 4. Ochre is everywhere (iron oxide clay in red and yellow — the oldest and most reliable pigments on Earth). 5. Grind finer (the finer the pigment, the more intense the color — keep grinding). 6. Overdye for green (blue + yellow = green; there are almost no natural green dyes — combine). 7. Test first (always dye a sample before committing your best fabric — colors vary with water, heat, time). 8. Boiled linseed oil binds pigment (raw oil stays wet forever — boiled oil dries hard in days).