Capturing Moments

detail

Capturing Moments is a mixed media work using a 
combination of hand dyed silk organza, string and paper.

Dying silk organza allows it to retain it's transparency and makes a great layering mechanism. Each layer combines in color and texture to present differently than simply layered alone. This is a great advantage when creating collage. 

A string grid was placed between the layers of silk organza, added paint, oil stick and specialty mediums and allowed to dry. 

Several holes were cut and black and white inkjet prints of grasses were adhered in those places, to peek through to the front. 
This was mounted on wooden stretcher bars with a white interfacing backing. The silk retains it's transparent quality so that when light strikes this work, it almost glows.

More ideas in my book- http://tinyurl.com/z7jcb2e. 
Work may be available on UpLIFTMeNTs. 
follow me on Instagram- Wen Redmond (@wenredmond) • Instagram photos and videos  

Website- http://www.wenredmond.com/

Idea for Segmented Fiber Photo

original image

printed on silk noil & ready to cut

choose a pattern for interior cutting 

 each section of the image is painted differently

sections are fused to felt background or batting & ready to quilt

dried & ready for backing

or another idea for mounting

More ideas in my book- http://tinyurl.com/z7jcb2e. 

Work may be available on UpLIFTMeNTs. 

follow me on Instagram- Wen Redmond (@wenredmond) • Instagram photos and videos  

Website- http://www.wenredmond.com/

The Bigger Picture- Dividing Photos

Sometimes you just want a bigger final size for your project than what your printer can print. 

Divide and Conqueror!  

You can divide your photograph into sections, copy and paste into smaller files that can be printed. After printing they can be sewn, glued or collaged together to create a larger image.

Duplicate your photo and open in your desired photo editing program. Resize your image to match the size you want your final image to be. Make the window larger so image floats on a gray or neutral background. This aids when selecting the photo sections.

After deciding how many sections you need and how large each section would be to achieve your final project size. You will need to select each section, copy and paste into a new file. Label each new file to keep the printing and piecing order clear.  For instance, I label the top right of a 9 sectioned photo, TR1, the middle of the top, MT2 etc. Continue to copy and paste to new files, label, until you have each section in a new file.

section

another selection

Print each section or file onto the prepared substrate. As you print each section, label with the file name, making it easier to set up for assembling together when finished. Allow ink to dry, sometimes overnight, before proceeding with you project.

Tip- There is some websites that will tile a photo for you. An example is ww.blockposters.com. You would download one of your images. Choose your size and the number of prints you want for your finished photograph size and hit enter. The image is converted into PDF files, creating very large versions of your image!  You can print immediately or download the files onto your computer.

Tip- Change the color of each section and print.

Playing with Layering in PhotoShop Blend app

            A simple way to layer is to select both your photograph and another photo for use with layering and open them in Photoshop. Copy the texture or collage layer by going to the Select in the Menu Bar along the top of the screen and choose Select All and hit copy.

Paste this photo onto your other photo, hit edit and paste. Depending on the size of your texture, it may be completely cover the photo or it could be smaller.

            If needed, resize the layering photo on top so it fits the image. One way is to use the Free Transform tool. Go to Edit > Free Transform, and small handles or little squares will appear around the image. Click and drag any of the handles to resize the photo. When finished, hit enter or return, to commit to the new size.

Tip- you can also make the image larger and use your mover tool to just use a section of your layering photo.

original image rendered in pencil sketch mode

simple overlay in photoshop blend

layering image

difference

hardlight blend

More ideas in my book- http://tinyurl.com/z7jcb2e. 
Work may be available on UpLIFTMeNTs. 
follow me on Instagram- Wen Redmond (@wenredmond) • Instagram photos and videos  
Website- http://www.wenredmond.com/

Media Mix Creative Photo Transfer on Painted Collage

Donation for SAQA Spotlight Auction 

photo transfer on a simple collage 

cotton duck is used as a base, apply fusible, collage and transfer a inkjet black and white photograph.  

2019 Benefit Auction

My work for the upcoming 2019 Benefit Auction 

digital processes- printed image on digitally prepared canvas and molding paste. Molding paste was textured to hint at writing while the quilting is the text of the muse. Brads attached the molding paste insert, paint seals the edges and provides an accent. The entire piece is protected with satin varnish.

Painting Thread

A easy way to get colored string or pearl cotton is to simply paint it.










Arrange the white or light colored thread in a shallow dish. I use recycled veggie trays. Perfect!

Drop diluted highly pigmented liquid paint like Golden Fluid acrylics in spots on loosely arranged threads. I also use the very liquid paints like Seta Silk or Dye-na-flow. If you use a lightly colored thread, the color of the unpainted thread will affect the final color.

For example, you can find these on Dharma Trading Company- https://www.dharmatrading.com/paints/kits/dye-na-flow-starter-set.html  

or

https://www.dharmatrading.com/paints/discontinued-setasilk-silk-paint-2.html

but there are plenty of other sources. 

As well as pearl cotton, I use a spool of extremely strong string I found in an antique store. 

Wind into a ball of the dried thread so it doesn't tangle or wind onto stick.







Allow the string to set as to dry. Once it's been dry for a couple days, it is permanent. I always test to be sure before using in a project.










I love the variegated results at a faction of the cost of commercial brands! Plus you can mix you own custom colors. Satisfying!
More ideas in my book- http://tinyurl.com/z7jcb2e. 
Work may be available on UpLIFTMeNTs. 
follow me on Instagram- Wen Redmond (@wenredmond) • Instagram photos and videos  
Website- http://www.wenredmond.com/

Photoshop Play

Medium Lifts

One of the MOST exciting things about printing is creating one's own unique surface. No more simply printing on fabric or shiny photo paper! Make it your OWN!

This is the content of my Digital Explorations Workshop- see workshop tab at the top of the blog for more info. 

Here's a clipped video of creating a medium lift.

last sentence was- " It just peels up all that leftover paint making unique marks on the surface you placed on the gel medium surface." And yes- It's FUN and uses up the leftover paint making the plastic clean again for additional use!

Photo Filter Experiments

so much fun

original image, desaturated 

changing to blackand white

stained glass filter

plastic wrap filter

I love to play around with PhotoShop and the myriad of cellphone app's available!

charcoal filter

black and white image printed on painted surface

charcoal filter on pierced watercolor paper            

print the images on surfaces you can create  

plastic wrap filter printed on paper, torn, painted and stitched together

more ideas in my book- see side bar for link

and



then changing the surface too!

Looking Beyond the Edge- journal pages

time rolls back, cutting a river deep in my memories of you.




available in my Etsy shop- here

Collaging the surface

My last piece, Layers of Meaning, was made from a very large collage with a photo printed overlay of silk organza and hand sewed on to the top.

I am creating another collage background with gesso overpainted photographs from an advertisement. 

I’m debating whether to print on directly on top or do another silk organza overlay. What do you think?

Seasonal Treats!

a special Christmas gift is when a gallery calls me to tell me a work has been sold!   YES!  

Refracted Memories

A photograph of frozen water reached into my memories of long ago nostalgia.

original photo

Manipulated photo

Manipulated original digital photograph, divided into 6 different size images, printed on an Epson 2400 onto unbleached Fuji silk. Stitched with thread. 15x23

silk organza free overlay with cut designs