BOTANICAL PRINT ALCHEMIE

Wild chervil – and why your plant collection matters more than you think

One of the first plants to appear in abundance here in spring is Wild chervil - scientific name is Anthriscus sylvestris. It’s a plant with many qualities, but in an eco printing context it’s especially interesting because of its light, almost feathery form, which can add a unique texture to a print.

Wild chervil belongs to the category of light/non-printers, meaning it contains plant compounds - such as acids - that can react in a print, but without leaving much visible pigment.

But that doesn’t mean it’s of no use - quite the opposite.

The power of form in your composition

What often makes a print truly interesting is not just the color, but also the interplay of forms across the surface. Form contrasts -differences in size, direction, complexity, or character - are one of the most essential tools in creating a strong composition.

When working with very similar shapes, a print will often feel calm and cohesive. Repeating the same type of leaf across the surface can create a sense of harmony - but also a certain uniformity.

When you begin to combine different plant forms, however, a dynamic emerges. Rounded shapes set against elongated ones, large surfaces contrasted with fine structures, dense leaves alongside light, almost transparent silhouettes. It is in these encounters that tension arises, and the eye begins to explore the composition.

Wild chervil is a good example of this. Its light, almost feathery form can be set against more solid leaves with clearly defined shapes and colors. It can be layered over and under leaves that produce stronger color impressions, helping to build depth within the composition.

At the same time, non-printers add another dimension, as they work not through color, but through silhouette. When combined with plants that release pigment, a contrast emerges between the defined and the subtle - between density and lightness, and not least between light and dark. This is often where a print begins to gain depth.

Above, you can see a good example of diversity in a print composed of several different types of printers, as well as a wide variation in forms.

It includes both non- and light printers (some of which can also function as acid printers, depending on the background color they are printed with). Wild chervil, Queen Anne’s lace, Burdock, and Fennel all belong to this category.

You can clearly see how the feathery structure of wild chervil brings lightness and texture to the print, which is essential elements in any composition.

Linden is also a non/light printer, but differs in allowing the background color to penetrate, resulting in a lighter, grey-toned silhouette.

In contrast, there are color printers such as Maple and Thistle, which add a strong sense of depth to the print.

The piece is made on silk satin, and the background color includes logwood, which - together with the mordant - creates the deep, almost black tone.

Above you see a print showing another variation of Wild chervil. When printed with a specific type of mordant and in interaction with the background color, it can in fact release a subtle amount of pigment.

This print is also made with fresh wild chervil, and you can clearly see how the impression becomes more diffuse. In contrast, the first print on the dark background is much sharper, as it was made using a pressed dry chervil. So there is also a clear difference between working with fresh versus dried or pressed plant material.

The print is made on silk satin, with a background color based on madder.

From foraging to a rich plant archive

Right now, I’m gathering and pressing, among other plants, wild chervil.

One of the things that has truly shifted my work with botanical printing, is developing a dedicated gathering practice. From the very beginning of the season - when the first plants start to emerge - I continuously collect plant material, press it, and store it in my plant archive.

You probably already know this: many plants - or specific stages of plants - are fleeting. They’re only available for a short time, and then we have to wait an entire year to encounter them again. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

When you have a gathering practice, exploration becomes an integrated part of your work with plants and color. You begin to seek out both familiar and new plant materials, collect them, press them, and preserve them in your archive.

As you can imagine, the archive grows over time, gradually holding a wide diversity of plants with different qualities. This opens up far more possibilities for creating rich and interesting prints - and gives you a broader visual language to work with in your creative process.

And a small note: developing a gathering practice - collecting plant material at specific moments in the season - has become an essential part of my work. It’s both meditative, and it deepens my connection to the plants and the landscapes they grow in.

That’s why building and maintaining a gathering practice has become a foundational part of my course. If you’re looking for inspiration on what to gather, how to press it (so it doesn’t rot), and how to store it, You’re warmly invited to join the journey right here.

And if you are already on the course, you will find all the video guides and pdf files on gathering, pressing and storing in the first sections of the course.

Have a truly wonderful weekend, and enjoy the beautiful spring - which is certainly showing its best side here with us. We’re well underway with starting seeds for the kitchen garden, greenhouse, dye garden, and cutflower garden.

Mette

How I can support your Ecoprinting journey

1. ✷ Get my free UPDATED “Guide to moisture testing” ✷ One of the most important keys to achieving crisp, clear prints - Grab your guide here

2. ✧ Join my comprehensive online course “Ecoprint Next Level”✧ In the course I share my full process and approach to eco printing. Together, we’ll explore the art of botanical printing - starting with the fundamentals of creating clear, detailed plant prints, and gradually moving into more experimental and seasonal printing techniques Join us here