Inspiration From Chinese Painting: A Feasibility Study of Using Chinese Ink as Pigment Colorant for a Wearable Art Collection

Pigments are the most commonly used colorations, due to their ease of accessibility, and have been used for textile printing and pad-dyeing processes for many decades. This research on pigment dyeing was conducted as part of a wearable art design project inspired by the techniques and aesthetics of traditional Chinese painting. To preserve the spirit of the Chinese paintings, silk and cotton fabrics were used in submersion pigment dyeing and direct painting experiments with Chinese ink to determine their color strength, colorfastness, and fabric properties. Due to the results, the researchers were confident in the viability of using Chinese ink as the pigment colorant for dip dyeing and direct silk painting in the wearable arts. This research was also intended for students and designers as an example of how to use practical concepts of textile testing in innovative apparel design projects