Fabric Painting- On A Roll! Brayer Printing

I use inexpensive brayers, found at any hardware or dollar store, to create textured printing. Use inexpensive sponge, foam and textured brayers. 

Paint a sponge brayer with a textured medium to create unique textural mark. Do you still have your old glue gun? Fire it up and decorate a cheap sponge brayer for a very personal mark-making tool.

You can also use any recycled cardboard tubes, toilet paper, corks, even old thread spools to make your own brayers.
Add designs using foam stickies, string, elastic, cloth scraps and you’re on a roll! Try carving an old candle!

Print on a padded surface for the best detail. I have a print/ironing table in my studio. It can be made with firm batting or acrylic wool covered with duck or some sturdy fabric. I staple it directly to the underside of the table. It can be removed when it starts to turn multicolored and re0worked into delightful painted fabric for your art projects.

Hint- I keep my paints upside down when stored. This way I can see the colors readily, the paint is ready to squirt out of the container and it helps seal the paint container for less evaporation.

 simple thread tangled on a brayer

Earthy Easy Mono-printing

 finish T's

using plastic as my mono print surface

first layer outlined in gold

shaped mono-print plate

 mono-printed, outlined with painted background

Workshops Coming Up and New Gallery Blog

UpLIFTMeNTs!

My new gallery for small works blog!

http://wenredmond.blogspot.com 

AND

Join Wen in her own studio in Rollinsford, NH, for 

In Studio Workshops in Surface Design  APRIL 2012                

Spring in on Saturdays

4-week series covers a variety of surface design methods…

APRIL 7     Fab Fabric Painting- just featured at Pro Chem

APRIL 14   Basic Silk-screening

APRIL 28   Creating Thermal Fax Silkscreens

MAY 5        Stalking the Wild Print –published in Cloth Paper Scissors 2011

           

You'll learn new techniques or be inspired by new ideas.

            Wen Redmond, a fabric artist for over 30 years, will offer the workshops at her studio, #336, at Salmon Falls Mills, 1 Front St. Rollinsford, NH. (Directions www.millartists.com or GPS)

            The workshops run from 10-4. The first day will start at 9:30 for registration and payment. The cost is $295.00 for entire series or $80.00 per individual class. There is a small materials fee for each workshop.

            There is only room for 6 students so register early. There will be a registration fee of ½ total cost to hold your place in the workshop. For example, if you take all four workshops a total registration fee of $147.50 is due one month aheadof workshop. Workshops will be cancelled 2 weeks in advance if it is a no go. I will return your checks if this is the case.

            When filled, I will post workshop as closed on my tab on my blog. http://fiberartgoddess.blogspot.com.

           

To Register 

EMAIL Wen at wenredmond@yahoo.com for enrollment information and workshop supply list. Please indicate “surface design class”.

 To insure maximum individual attention to each person’s artistic interests, there will be only 6 participants in each of the 2012 classes.

Registration OPENS for all workshops January 10, 2012.

Registration CLOSES for all workshops March 15, 2012. 

I appreciate your support!

Workshop at PRO Chemical & Dye, Fall River, Massachusetts Aug 26-28, 2011

I do not want exactness in my painted cloth but spontaneous colors. To be open for the unexpected-like the clouds.

http://t.co/JbxdKWi

using bits for the back of a piece

Fantasic Fab Painting Fabric Fun

fiberartgoddess.blogspot.com

Workshop: Using a wide variety of tools and tricks, you’ll have lots of fun as you explore the exciting prospect of painting on fabric. Learn lots of techniques to create completely incredible fabric! Each day will focus on surface design techniques, building your fabric with each consecutive skill....

Fantasic Fab Painting Fabric Fun

I'm having no time for any lull after attending the QN opening. I'm packing for my Media Mix! Mixed Media Collage Class! I leave for the SDA conference on the 8th.

Dance detail
AND just a reminder- I will be teaching locally, in MA,in August 26-28, at Pro Chem. Fantasic Fab Painting Fabric Fun!

http://www.prochemicalanddye.com/home.php?cat=293

This class teaches the basic's and use of a variety of paints and techniques. It should be a relaxing and yet strangely invigorating workshop.

Workshop: Using a wide variety of tools and tricks, you’ll have lots of fun as you explore the exciting prospect of painting on fabric. Learn lots of techniques to create completely incredible fabric! Each day will focus on surface design techniques, building your fabric with each consecutive skill. The emphasis will be on encouraging creative responses to instruction, cheering serendipity and happy accidents.
“ I do not want exactness in my painted cloth but spontaneous colors- mix and allow development! To be open for the unexpected-changeable like the clouds.”

Notes detail
Something for everyone!

Shine

 I was inspired to create a holographic image, one of my trade mark processes, from this photograph. It captures the early morning salmon rays on every crystalline covered branch.

.

I divided the image, top bottom, right and left in PhotoShop. On each piece I increased the size of the canvas to create a border for sewing as well as the increasing the size of actual photos.  I wanted it to mirror the holographic section in the center. I printed these on cotton broadcloth.

Next I painted cotton duck in colors that would accent the original photo. 

Shine finished

Shine side

This piece was exhibited for the first time at League of New Hampshire Crafts Sunappe Fair last year in Living with Crafts. It sold! 
more on post WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2010

a Commission

I was contacted by a friend, Joni, in a gallery I have been with for years, Art 3, Manchester, NH.  here They took me on as a newbie when I first starting pushing my artwork out of my studio.
Last week she phoned me with a commission for the Elliot at Rivers Edge which is part of the Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH. Great! But it needs to be done before March. OK I can do this!
After looking at some of my previous art, she decided that the piece is to be a combination of digital fiber, holographic imagery and painted/silkscreened fabric with a water theme.
I sent a variety of pix to her to choose from, my artists price and got the approval to go forward.

original image

image simulation 

Next, I worked on the photo to enhance the colors, change the hue to meet a slightly different color scheme and divided the photo into parts that will be sewn together. I needed to figure out the size of each piece and the painted borders to fit her size requirement of 30x40.
     Next to the printer! I use inkjet prepared fabrics. This coating gives the best colors, makes it permanent and are UV protected. My Epson printer Ultrachrome inks are guaranteed for 200 years, light fast and water resistant. I feel confident in the durability of the finished work.
I choose a durable canvas for this project. I ran a couple tests to see which setting gave me what I wanted, then cut and printed the fabrics.

printed canvas and organza ready to sew

I like to allow this to dry at least over night before sewing or ironing. I feel it has a chance to set and won't smear when I iron it. These fabrics are practically water proof then.

     While I wait. I paint the fabric I will use for the border. I choose a hearty cotton duck and got the color palette out that Joni sent me. I want the colors to work with the image, playing off the contrast of blue and orange, while enhancing the room it will be displayed in. This is the fun part. I really enjoyed painting on fabric. 

     While these dry, I go back to production work for Craft Boston which will be coming up in March. here

In addition to my art which is now hanging at my solo show at the Lincoln Levy Gallery (see previous post), I did a line of silk chiffon kimono and scarves. They are in various stages of dyeing, painting, ironing, labeling. Plenty of work. 

But this allows my mind to gestate on the commission piece... more later!