Kaji Mundo Ceriops Powder

Character~ tannin rich, and the color tends to deepen with exposure to oxygen and light.

Orgin ~ Indonesia

Suitable for various non washable surfaces. To use on fabric you will need to create a pigment lake. (Instructions below)


HOW TO USE FOR PAINTING & PRINTING (Non-Textile)

  1. Decide how much paint/ink you want to make, and note this down. (i.e how much medium will you mix the pigment with?)

  2. Measure out your ceriops powder by following the guide below.

How much ceriops to use?

Starting amount: add approx 8% pigment to medium/binder.

EG/ 30G paint use 2.5 grams of ceriops.

Add or lessen the amount of ceriops until you reach your desired result. Don’t exceed 12% pigment to binding medium. Quantities will cary depending on the medium you are mixing the pigment with.

I recommend making a small test batch see the color result before making larger quantities of your paint/ink.

2. Wet the pigment with a few drops of water and mix into a paste. Add your chosen binding medium/printing ink to the pigment a little at time, mixing until well blended. A glass muller for this process will ensure the pigment will be well dispersed in the binder.

I’ve also used a shallow ceramic bowl and glass pestle for small amounts, and an old ceramic tile and glass jar in lieu of a glass muller. You want to make sure the pigment is well suspended in the binder.

3. Paint or print!


HOW TO USE FOR PAINTING & PRINTING (Textile)

The steps for painting and printing with ceriops on fabrics are the same, except that you will first need to create a pigment lake.

How to make a lake using ceriops:

Ratios:

  1. Dissolve your dye powder in hot water, adjusting the concentration based on desired color intensity.

  2. Make the laking solution:

    Create the laking reaction by dissolving your acid (alum/tawas powder) in the warm dye liquid and adding in an alkali (soda ash)

    How much to add?

    For every 1000ML of dye liquid add 10G of alum powder and 5 Grams of soda ash.

  • Some recipes use chalk as the alkali, if you are using Kaji Mundo Natural Fabric Binder to paint or print on textiles, do not use chalk as it will react and clump the binding medium.

  • If you notice that a lot of color remains on the top of your solution, repeat the laking process above, adding again alum and soda ash in the appropriate quantities to the warm dye liquid.

3. Filter the laked solution into another container using a coffee filter paper or cheesecloth.

4. Rinse the pigment three times with distilled water to remove excess dye and salts. (tap water is fine if your tap water is not hardwater.) If a lot of color still remains in the water, you may want to repeat the laking process. The reaction is complete if the color of the filtered water is clear/weak.

5. Once you have a rinsed, colorful sludge in the filter, spread the filter a flat surface to dry completely.

5. Once dry, grind the pigment with a mortar and pestle. It’s now ready to use or store or use for future use.

PLAY WITH THE COLOR

  • You can add a little alkali or acidic solution like soda ash or alum powder to your paint mixture to shift the shade of the ceriops, bringing out reds, oranges and chocolate browns.

  • Add a white clay or eggshell white to create pastels, or mix with indigo to create purples-blacks.

Notes:

  • To thin paint or ink, add a few drops of water until you reach your desired paint consistency.

  • Let the ink/paint rest for a 5 minutes before using to ensure thourough dispersion of the pigment.

  • If you’re Kaji Mundo’s natural fabric medium, I usually used a small ceramic bowl to mix the ink, as the latex in the medium dries quickly.

FAQ/

Can I also dye with the ceriops powder?

Yes, you can follow thread’s of life's ceriops dye recipe. However we have finely milled this powder especially for painting and printing.

How long can I keep my mixed paint?

Ceriops is a living color. Mixed ceriops paints will keep anywhere between a week to two months depending on the climate where you live and what medium you have mixed it with. A bit of experimentation is needed, but I usually only mix what I need. If I end up with extra I store it in the fridge and try to use it within a few days.

Can I use the ceriops to paint on fabric?

Yes, you can use the powder on fabric provided but I recommend that have laked it first. Unlaked, the powder is still soluble in water and will have a greater risk of bleeding depending on the medium you are blending the powder with. To use on non-mordanted fabric, mix your laked ceriops pigment with Kaji Mundo’s natural fabric medium or your own favourite fabric medium.

When using with Kaji Mundo’s fabric medium make sure your fabric is scoured, no mordant needed. Cure for 2 days or heat set before washing.

How to wash fabrics painted with ceriops?

Gentle hand wash with a PH neutral soap, line dry in shade

 How long can I keep my ceriops powder?

Keep it dry and keep it forever! Best to store sealed in cool dark place. (on a shelf away will be fine.)