Chat about the dyes in the paint

Thank you for the nice comments about this piece, everyone.
About the dyes added to the paint- I have found that adding Procion MX powdered dyes to fabric paint (and also to latex house paint and even to poster paint) makes for some interesting effects. I don't add any salt or soda ash; I just add the powder and it tints the paint. The best part (which could also be the worst part in some cases) is that when the paint is applied and another layer of any other color is put on top of that, the dyes bleed through. On this shell piece, that's what I wanted to have happen. It looks like dirty marks on the beige but it was really beautiful and even though I ened up having to cover up the beige as it wasn't working for me, it took quite a few coats of the gray to stop the dye from bleeding through. It's hard to see the sand added to the paint as the grains are very fine but it adds some interest.
This piece is growing on me. I was disappointed with it at first but am liking it more and more as I study it from about 6' back.
The purple door to my dye studio that you see at the top of the page was originally green so I got some beige latex house paint that I tinted with fuchsia and sky blue dye powder until it was the perfect color. I'm not one to leave things alone. I always think I can make it better by adding this or taking that away. Hard to stop the wheels from turning, if you know what I mean. One thing about my art making- if I don't have what I need I make it. Rarely do I buy supplies. A friend just introduced me to a spot out in the country that has bamboo growing by a soggy creek bank that are a good 20' high. He cut some poles down for the silk flags I made for him to take to Burning Man. Perfect for the rods I will need for some larger wall hangings and the price is right! More on that later.
Happy dyeing. Happy painting!