The Inside Scoop
-about color and the origins of
tie-dyeVarying
forms of tie-dye have been in use since the time before time when the
Mesopotamians inhabited the verdant crescent many millennia ago. The art of
dying is, in layman's terms, the application and bonding process of bright
colors to to fabric. The ability to create aesthetically appealing works of
art has, for eons, been a fascination for human kind. Colors people wear
have been considered an expression of their own souls for the longest time.
If you feel black, you wear black. The clothes we wear are in no means
a
colorless endeavor.
The dying of
fabric has been used in several well known ritualistic aspects of ancient
history. In ancient Egypt several different archeological digs have
discovered that the bandages wrapped around various specimens of mummies
were dyed in intricate color combinations, the purpose of this is not
conclusive, but it is apparent that the ancient Egyptians considered colors
to be an important aspect in the representation of deceased Pharaohs and
other important members of their society.
Evidence of the
use of dyes has also been discovered far down the Silk Road in places as far
off as India and even as far off as China. The Indian culture has been long
considered, by people who've traveled there and by historians who've studied
it extensively, a colorful culture. Brightly colored dresses and the native
'Sarong', have all been known to boast bright colors and even vague traces
of what we consider to be the art of modern tie-dye; complete with
brave color mixtures and picturesque blends of color. Even people of the
lower castes wore colorful clothes; which helped attribute them as one of
the most colorful civilizations in history.
Although black
sometimes symbolizes death, evil, and darkness, it isn't always an ominous
color. Black also represents the night and the unknown, which is portrayed
quite nicely in our Moons of Jupiter and Stained Glass designs.
In Medieval
times, Lords often designed crests to represent themselves on important
occasions. Heraldry has also been considered a way to represent one's self
through color. Colors also had their own significances in the middle ages.
When looking at
art, or any aspect of life involving color, it is always fun to project
different aspects of yourself into everything you do, artistically and
personally, or into what you wear. When taking that into consideration, it
is fun, and often educational to imagine the colors that represent you fold
out in front of you on your favorite designs and use the vibrant colors the
same way ancient people of the earth have done; as an expression of
yourself.
