A few After WORDS. We seven had a fabulous workshop this weekend at the Southwest School of Art and Craft. I, as usual, found it a challenge unmet to take photos while facilitating this workshop! I really must train myself to do so, as it would be a lot more interesting to show some photos after the fact.
Instead, I'll just share one or two images that I've been working with using the techniques that were covered in the workshop. I really love the painterly kind of images that using wet media polyester film allows -- whether in black ink only or with color copies. Sometimes the images completely disappear into lovely clouds of colors, and other times they come out incredibly clear -- its all a matter of the density of the ink and the wetness of the underlying fabric.
The quilt above, which I've shown here before, is one called "FAITH IS A LAW," and it uses several photos of my neighbors Century Plant in bloom. I'm beginning to think of this image as a true icon of the Hill Country summer.
Above: Injet print on tissue paper incorporated into paper cloth and fabric art quilt.
Below: Direct inkject transfer using polyester film (look for the wet media film called Dura-Lar for the best results.)
To make prints like these, put a thin, hardly wet layer of gel medium or a mixture of gel medium and water on a piece of flat weave fabric. Blot off extra moisture if you wish. Run a copy or print of your chosen image (the two above were text collages created for my online course Text on the Surface) onto the polyester wet medium film. Flop the image onto the damp fabric and use your hand or a roller to transfer the image. Careful not to move it. Peel off the film and immediated clean it off -- the film can be reused many times. When the image dries, it will be waterproof -- this does change the hand of the fabric since it uses the gel medium as a transfer medium. You can also transfer onto dry fabric and add water or medium on top to "melt" the pigment and make it permanent on the fabric. This gives a very painterly look to your transfer and also removes the size restriction for the fabric upon which you wish to print an image.
What's up next at the Southwest School of Art and Craft (downtown San Antonio)? I'll be teaching two offering this fall: Soy Wax Batik on Oct. 30-31
As one of the latest hot wax techniques to make beautiful multicolored fabrics, soy wax eliminates many of the environmental concerns of using a solvent-soluble wax. It can be washed out with hot soapy water! Special techniques allow the application of several dye colors at once. Discover your own vocabulary of marks and patterns. Bring 3 yards of natural fiber fabric (cotton, silk, rayon or linen), an assortment of brushes and stamping tools, and a lunch both days.
And a Monday morning course in October and November on preparing work, finding exhibits to enter, etc.-- a good course for those wishing to work on professional development, no matter what level of experience so far!
Have you ever wanted to enter a juried exhibition but felt intimidated by the requirements, the entry forms, the photography requirements? In this course, Monday will help you find an appropriate exhibit for your work, and your accomplishment level, critique your portfolio of work and help you prepare it for presentation, and guide you through the application procedure including photography, artist statement and biography requirements. You will also spend time working on specific assignments to produce work to fit requirements for a magazine submission appropriate to your media of choice. Acceptance can not be guaranteed, of course, but you'll have a much better understanding of the process. Please see SSAC website for a materials list.
