This handbook provides the basic principles and processes of dying and lake pigment making (using the term 'lake pigment' in its original, historical, sense indicating a naturally occurring dye precipitated onto a conventional usually white substrate, frequently a form of hydrated alumina). The wide range of natural colorants and their plant and animal sources are outlined as is the basic chemistry of the dyes and mordants
A large part of this book is devoted to practical dyeing recipes that were developed following a study of some of the historical recipes. Their common features were then drawn together to enable readers to make their own lake pigments or dye their own textiles using dyes from naturally occurring raw materials in a simple way - under relatively controlled conditions and using recipes optimised for easy use in the laboratory or indeed the classroom. The reader can try modifying the conditions or the amount of raw material, for example, to obtain different results. Suggestions for simple modifications are given.
Contents:
Introduction
Natural dyes and their sources - plants, insect reds and shellfish purple
The techniques of dyeing and pigment making - the basic chemistry behind the processes
Recipes for dyeing
Recipes for pigment making
Bibliography