COCHINEAL LAKE SUCCESS


I GOT FIZZ!! 
COCHINEAL SUCCESS!!
By Lady Symonne de la Croix 
23.3.20



 I finally got a reaction with my lake experiments. Super happy. 
Unfortunately the cochineal went purple instead of red but I can live with that.
I am wondering if I used too much alum?
Now to wait for the pigment to settle and start the washing process. 



I started with 30gm of cochineal bugs



Then I  ground the cochineal in a mortar and pestle.



Its interesting how the bugs go from a silvery colour to a deep red (bottom right)



I added the ground cochineal to 800mls hot water and simmered for an hour



Then filter out the bug mush. I have been told this can be reused.


Next I mixed 20gm alum with 500ml hot demineralised water. The alum/water mix   was pH1.5
(The water started out at pH7.5)


Then I mixed 12.5gm soda with about a cup of hot water. pH 12.5


Add the alum water to the filtered dye bath and stir.

Next the fizz:
Add the soda/water mix slowly to the dye bath.
There is a chemical reaction with the soda and alum which causes fizz/froth to happen.
This is the precipitation of the pigment.
(Which wasnt happening for me in previous experiments.)


The cochineal became purple when I added the alum, instead of red which isnt the outcome I was after but I am happy with it.
Next time I will try less alum.

But all in all I am happy because 

I GOT FIZZ!!!!


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