Project 5 Stage 4

A larger sample

For this piece of work I have decided to return to a piece of work that I felt was a little unfinished.

I've had some interesting results from using designs to create tiles so my  intention is to use this pattern four times and rotate it so that it becomes a whole and make a cushion cover.

I re drew the image accurately so that it was square and therefore more easily rotated.

Then I used the image four times rotating the photo through 90 degrees each time.

Then I wondered what it would look like as small, repeated images.

I find this totally amazing.  With the help of Paint.net in just a short time I've created a pattern from a simple start and it could go on for ever and is absolutely convincing.  It is  full of character.

When I printed this onto paper it looked dull; all the vibrancy of the red and yellow seemed to disappear.  When I looked closely at the photos (see above) to find the problem I found blue shadow and a small border (see picture 3) that as I increased the images became more pronounced.  I went back to Paint.net and with the help of a patient husband took out the shadow and the border and brightened the colours.

The world changed.

The effect of brightening the colours was marked enough but taking out the border gave me diamond shapes on a completely different axis.  It's a much more manufactured and intense looking piece; not better  or worse than the first one, just different.

I've put both designs onto fabric using T-Shirt Transfer sheets from Avery.  It transferred well but leaves quite a stiff image.  I also have some Dylon Image Maker so I had a go with that on an old tee shirt.  It was much more fuss to work with and still left a very stiff, plastic feel to the fabric.   I don't think this is something I'll do often but when I do I'll be using the Transfer sheets - they are quicker and less fuss.

Clearly this image can be used as a stand alone piece or as an everlasting repeat.  I can't imagine how the repeat can be achieved with my level of skill and expertise without the use of the chemicals that make the material stiff.

This is all getting away from where I should really be so back to the large sample.

I decided to use the computer adjusted image for my large sample.  On Paint.net I tried various colour combinations and found that the pattern demanded primary colours rather than secondary ones.  I think this is to do with the energy of the design and the corresponding colours.  As I didn't find anything better than the red and yellow I am happy to use it for my sample.

I looked at my fabrics and at first I thought a very pale yellow sheeting might work but I tried a sample and rejected it because it seemed to pull the yellow from the paint and seemed too lightweight for a possible cushion cover.  On the same sample I experimented with a stipple background.  I chose a light brown that showed through the yellow but not the red.  Whilst it was OK I felt there should be something better and less intrusive.

Pale yellow fabric with light brown stippling

I changed my fabric to a natural calico which is robust enough for a cushion cover and simple enough to carry a dramatic image.  I tried a gold paint for stippling.

Natural calico with gold stippling

This background looked much more subtle and it is what I will pursue.

My fabric measured 40cm x 40cm  and each quartile was 16cm x 16cm.

I cut a stencil out of sticky back plastic using the accurate drawing as a pattern.  It was essential to the design to have everything lined up properly. Having found myself in a mess by getting too complicated with a previous stencil I decided to do this in four sections just as the pattern indicates.  I planned to cut four separate stencils but as good luck would have it I managed to re use the same one each time.

Although I taped the fabric to my board to create tension by the time the plastic was stuck on in preparation for painting there was some fullness that took some time to ease out.

My printed design

After sleeping on it I thought this needed a bit of something else so I practiced with red and yellow thread and the machine.  I chose to go through the yellow part of the design with red stars using a glossy machine embroidery thread.  So far so good - except my machine had other ideas.  What should have taken an hour at most took me all day because the tension kept tightening and it was a case of stop, re-thread and start again.  It was so frustrating.  When the design is looked at quickly it doesn't really show but the stars are not uniform.

I am at a loss to know why this kept happening; I changed everything except the cotton which I was stuck with.  However, this is the result -

I hand stitched some French knots in the centre for texture but I didn't want to overdo it.



Playing around

In more idle moments I like to know what would happen if......

And this is what I found when I played with the image I'm currently working on -

Paint.net - Effects, Twist

And when I joined them together -

Rotating the image

Simple repetition of the image

In developing this design I have made both a stand alone image and one that can be repeated ad infinitum.

The stand alone is simple but quite dramatic and relies heavily on the accuracy of both the drawing and the positioning of the stencil.  The focus is contrast rather than harmony.

The two repeat patterns are unbelievably different.  The first has character and depth because of the shadows and the second has rhythm and movement.  They are  probably suited to furnishing fabric.

The notion of creating small samples to try things out is such a good idea.  It gives the opportunity to experiment without wasting too much time or material.  My selection of this drawing seemed to continue the ethnic theme I've been immersed in whilst introducing vibrant colour and modern technology.  It would have been quite possible for this design to remain in my sketchbook and feeling incomplete but I would have missed the chance to experiment and get such striking effects.  The use of the "tile" as a design platform is something I've found useful before and it works again here.  However, previously  there hasn't been the dependence on accuracy and this presented its own challenge.

I was happy with my final choice of fabric; it has an ethnic feel, is robust enough for a cushion cover and allows the design to speak for itself. I think the gold stipple gives the eye restful place to dwell and breaks the large expanse of pale fabric.

The design sits comfortably on this piece of fabric and I think I have managed to get the width of the coloured stripes right.  Although I printed the repeat pattern on a tee shirt it would have worked as a panel on a cushion cover.  It could even be part of a set of covers with some covers with the large pattern like I've done and some with repeat pattern on.

In the past I've got in a muddle with negative shapes but this time I managed to get it right first time probably because the pattern is relatively straightforward.

I like the way the pattern can be used in so many ways and all developed from one small drawing.   On the cushion cover four elements create a harmonious whole whilst the colours contrast vividly.  On the first of the repeat patterns there is very obviously a square tile effect but on subsequent ones there is a flow and rhythm and some complexity.

I'm happy to say that I've enjoyed doing this.  I was a bit worried after my dejection about the last exercise.  I just love the way one thing leads to another.

Project 5 Printing and painting Stage 2/3

Selecting design ideas

I've spent ages trying to decide what to select and the list has come down to these four.

1.

This was developed from bleach painted onto red tissue paper and in a previous exercise I created this tile.  It also comes in black.  I can imagine making a stencil for the more prominent lines and hand painting the dynamic lines which radiate from the centre.  A glance over at my fabric selection makes me panic because I can't see anything that fits the bill.  I could dye or I could reverse things and have the design coloured maybe on canvas.

Making my stencil

Previously I've thought that card stencils are prone to wear and tear and as I might want to use this several times I decided to cut it out of a plastic milk carton in the hope that it would be more robust.  I've chosen a piece of quite rough, rustic calico for this and imagine it might be sewn on to a shopping bag.

With the benefit of hindsight and as anyone with half an eye can see this was never going to work. I ended  up with two shapes and trying to hold them both was next door to impossible. I got in a real muddle with positive and negative to the point where I had to walk away from it.  There wasn't enough room for a suitable margin so when I printed I went over the edge. Phew!

The top left stencil was done with a brush and has lost some clarity.  For the others I used a sponge and it was much better. Although I'm far from happy with the outcome the plus is that the shape retained its dynamic feel.  I think I will leave this particular piece and try again maybe by carving a balsa block.

After several days....

Now that I'm over sulking because my red stencil idea didn't work I decided to return to it and see what I could do to make it better.  I hand painted the splashy marks that I couldn't get on a stencil and repaired some of the omisions.  I feel much more positive about it now.

My starting point

Living out in the sticks with lots of snow on the ground is not the best way to buy balsa and my husband came up with the idea of using something called wedi board that he had used when he installed our wet room.  To carve it I tried a knife but it crumbled so I used a soldering iron and it was better.

It looked like it might work but I'd already used my calico so I had to find an alternative.  I picked a white crinkle cotton simply because it offered a very different surface.  I was mindful that I'm encouraged to make one sample that doesn't rely too heavily on colour so I decided on black paint and I was hopeful.  The result disappointed me.  The print was very variable and there wasn't the clarity I'd wanted, probably because of the crinkle cloth.  I've usually been quite successful with getting a consistent print so maybe the surface of the block isn't right.  The first red attempt compares favourably.  I'm not really wanting to pursue this any more as I'm becoming disspirited with it.

Having met with some success in retrieving the red stencil sample I thought I'd better have another look at this.  I want to retain the smooth interior of the shape and try to accentuate the jagged outer.  I'll try hand painting again.

It feels a bit like cheating to paint things in but it does look so much better.  The crinkle cotton means that the black is rarely absolute.  I feel a bit better about these than I did a day or two ago.

2.

This is from an image that scribbled in felt tip then blurred on the computer and I think it may lend itself to silk painting. Whether I have that sort of skill I doubt but I'll have a go. 

The blurred image

My silk interpretation

This worked better than I hoped.  I used damp silk and ordered the colours deliberately leaving stripes of white fabric showing.  Slowly the colours merged but like the original some white remained.  I would like to get the diagonal variations more pronounced but I find the results very unpredictable.  The gutta held this time.  I think I can get finer nibs because this looks very clunky but I was anxious to make a proper resist.  The tension on the silk wasn't as good as that I got on my embroidery frame.  This shows in the distortion of the gutta on the top.  There's no way round it; I need lots more experience. 

I've had an idea that I could repeat this and use the same random movements that I applied in the original drawing on paper.  I'll prepare my frame and have a try.

Immediately after painting

I went from corner to corner in fast sweeping movements disregarding the order of the colours.   It doesn't fill the gutta frame because of the movement I used.  As time went on the colours muted and blended.  Whilst it doesn't look like the original drawing it feels like it.  It has more energy than the first silk one.

After a couple of hours

3

This image is an extract from a larger piece of work.  Looking at it now when the snow is on the ground and there are icicles makes me think how well this picture represents such weather.  There is a  haziness about the work and I think using my Markal paint sticks and blurring them might give me the same effect on fabric.  I only have 3 paint sticks so I'll have to improvise but really it's the effect I'm after.

I used some of the acrylic felt I bought to line my printing board because it's soft looking and it gave me the opportunity to leave the white untouched but encourage the blue to stray in.  I do wish I'd had more appropriate colours because this has real possibilities. The purple really needs the addition of some red and the brown detracts by looking far too heavy.  However there is the beginning of the mistiness I'd wanted and I'll try again if I get some more paint sticks but they are very expensive for only occasional use.

4

This was a reinterpretation of the piece I used for number 3 above.  I want to use it because I like it but at the moment I'm unsure quite what I'll do.

If I can I want to keep the sharpness of the picture and for me the silver makes this happen.  Unfortunately I haven't any silver paint so I'll need to re think.

I do have gold (although it is by no means a good substitute) and a grey which isn't sparkly.  I've looked at my fabrics and decided to go the gold route because a I have a piece of shiny, silky fabric which might make the sparkle with gold paint.

I masked areas off and sponged gold paint on.  Then I masked the edges of the circle.

I mixed some cerise and turquoise batik paint with some white fabric paint from another range and hoped it would work.  I've not used batik paint before and I wasn't sure how it would work on a synthetic fabric or how it would mix.


Oh dear!  My masking didn't make a good enough seal and there has been signifucant leakage.

Surprisingly though it seems to do wonders for the sponged on gold paint.  I'm not sure where I go from here.

Next day...

I've decided to leave this and try something else.  I've got some fabric a bit like J cloth in purple.  I've also found some elderly silver paint that I've previously used on cards.  I noticed that I can use it on fabric so I'll see if I can call it into service as well.

The fabric is quite see through so I've used different layers in the hope that varying densities will show.  Because the colours will not be well differentiated I'm going to try creating textures instead.

This piece feels a bit forced.  It wasn't driven by inspiration but by necessity. I''m not sure how I feel about it.

I'm pleased this is over; of all the work I've done so far I've enjoyed this exercise the least.  There are one or two reasons.  Firstly I haven't felt really happy with what I've been doing.  Trying to apply all that I've learnt has sometimes seemed a real burden.  Also the length of Part 2 has really started to tell and I'm ready for a change.  I'm sure there's a huge psychological impact of so long without tutor feedback and I feel as though I'm running out of steam.  One comfort is reading blogs where I see that other students experience similar feelings.

Project 5 Painting and printing Stage 1

Reviewing my fabric collection

It seems ages since I made my colour bags and I've found it  a really useful way to access my fabrics.  I have lots of "bits" but the most plentiful and interesting are the neutrals so I've decided to dwell on them.

I've spent some time looking critically at what I have and it's surprised me that I'm not always sure exactly what the fabric is.  The calico, scrim, poplin and so on are straightforward but I find myself very unsure when it comes to the synthetics (even to the point of being uncertain whether they are natural or synthetic).  I'm not sure how much this matters if the fabric is intended for stitching but I expect the way dye and paint is accepted will be affected.  I actually discovered this when I dyed fabric in the last project.

I certainly have many different surfaces I can work on; shiny and matt, rough and smooth and even some fur fabric (it didn't accept dye).  

When I've selected my designs I may have to delve into other colour bags but none of them give me the wide spectrum of my neutral bag.  For now I've made my selection of fabric and it is so diverse.  It goes from satin to crinkle cotton; things I feel sure will work well and things I've got real doubts about.

Project 4 Hand painting on silk Stage 2

Hand painting on silk

Yet another first.  I've bought a few basic paints, some silk and a clear gutta.  I've also bought Silk Painting - New Ideas and Textures by Jill Kennedy and Jane Varrall.  It's the 1993 edition but I think it will give me more than I need.  It's a lovely book with a very accessible feel for a beginner.  Even better I found that Jill has an online tutorial at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxaYX2i5s78 which is very good as well. 

I  prepared a piece of silk by stretching it into an embroidery frame and running a line of gutta round the edge.  Having watched the youtube clip I thought I might not have made a thick enough line.  I chose three colours to use unmixed just to see what happened.  My paints looked very, very bright.  I began by wetting my silk with a sponge then I painted lines of alternating colours.

Thankfully the paints were not as bright as I thought they might be. From blue, pink and white I got an amazing variation of tone and lots of texture.  The splodges on the right aren't breakthrough from the gutta but where my paintbrush overshot the edge.

The way the colours blended wasn't consistent and I don't know how much that was chance or whether I did something different.

I have only a limited amount of silk fabric at the moment so I have to make every bit count.  I put a piece into a large hoop and divided it into four sections.  This time I used the yellow and green.

The lower right section was scattered with sea salt; rather too much I think but opinions vary.  Moving anticlockwise I loaded a large brush and rolled it onto the fabric I then followed up with yellow.  Next I covered the section in green and towards the bottom (middle) I introduced yellow and the effect although unexpected is lovely. The blue section has had a more adventurous life.  At first I wanted to do wet stripes on wet but all I got was a very bland, plain surface.  When it was dry I dropped some yellow onto the blue and while my back was turned this happened:

It looked really unappealing.  So I set the colour and tried the drops again.

This photo is immediately after applying the paint.

After 25 minutes

After 2 days

I might just have to chalk this one up to experience but we'll see.


I decided that my control of the gutta left something to be desired so I made a design on paper and transferred it to the silk for some practice.  The basic design I used was a shape from a past piece of work.  The gutta went on more smoothly but although I started off well once the shake began I found it best to break off and re start.

I tried to blend the red with yellow but it's subtle to say the least.  There were no breaks in the gutta but once or twice my paint has gone onto it and stained it.  I thought I had a steady hand until I began silk painting.

I now have some more silk and it's finer than previously.  I also have different gutta and some additional paints of another brand so who knows what will happen.  The design idea came from a lovely book by Chant Avedissian called Patterns, Costumes and Stencils.  The book looks at textiles of the east which are the inspiration for Avedissian's work.

Chant Avedissian designs

I drew my design and I was aiming to get  more subtle colours than previously (even though Avedissian's aren't).

My gutta wobble seemed a bit less and I was pleased with the way it went on.  I allowed a couple of hours for the gutta to dry but it wasn't enough because the paint drifted into adjacent blocks.  I don't think there was any break in  the gutta.  I'm not sure whether this is retrievable.  I'm leaving it for today.

The gutta leakage continued throughout this piece and I'm pretty disappointed.  I think maybe I need to apply more of this particular brand of gutta.  I'll need to take advice.  Colour wise I managed to get something a bit less brash but I'm not at all sure whether this is what silk painting is meant to be like. Maybe the stained glass effect it has needs the colours I feel resistant to.  I'd wanted minimal "rose" shapes from the salt but the paint didn't spread in the same way as it had on my previous work.

As always when things don't seem to work well there's always lots of things to learn.  I find I'm still struggling with wanting things to be "right" and finding it hard to accept the failures.  I'm trying to re frame these efforts as  learning exercises.

I couldn't end the silk painting on such a negative note so I just had a play.  I have some birthday cards to make so I just did a practice piece that I intend to cut up.  Interestingly I used my original clear gutta, allowed plenty of drying time and there was no leakage.

I've tried putting a viewing frame on this work and it promises to offer some lovely effects for my cards.  It will probably make nine.

Mary's card

Avedissian C, 2009, Patterns, Costumes and Stencils, SAQI London

Kennedy J and Varrall J, 1993,  Silk Painting - New Ideas and Textures, Batsford, London

Project 4 Hand painting on fabric Stage 2

Hand painting on fabric

Having read Gwen Hedley's chapter about printing and looking at her wonderful results I want to try painting with bleach.

I put black poplin into a 26cm hoop and used a 3 parts bleach to 1 part water.  First I tried spraying from a toothbrush and got one or two splodges and a fine spray that covered most of the material.  I then dipped my stencil brush into the bleach and placed it at random on the fabric.  I followed up with a variety of brushes held both flat and end on, a feather and a fine brush with which I painted lines.  I finished by using an eye dropper.

As I write the bleach is still working: 

I've no idea what outcome to expect but it begins to look a bit like the view from Starship Enterprise.

It's making me think that using painted bleach shapes will be a good way to get colour introduced onto a dark fabric.  I've washed and dried the fabric and I have a wide variety of colours from almost white (the dropper) to vague beige marks made by the feather.  I think the variation is due to the amount of liquid that went on to the fabric because the solution didn't change.

I went on to use fabric paint in some of the light marks; others I left pale and faint.

I found the paint differed in density.  The blue and pink seemed quite watery and it was easy to make sure the shapes stayed splash like.  The yellow was thicker and less forgiving.


My course notes encourage me to consider making a background for printing or stencilling.  I think the same idea could be used to embroider on as well so I've taken a picture of my garden done by a friend on an i Pad and transferred the basic idea onto fabric with my paints.

This taught me a lot about the amount of water that can be mixed with the paint and the way it spreads (or not).  I wanted more of a wash effect but the paint was just too thin and there was much more resistance from the fabric than I'm used to on paper.

I think that once again I've attempted something too complicated for my skill level and I really wish my painting was better.

Hedley, Gwen, 2010, Drawn to Stitch, Batsford, London