BLOCK /RESIST/TEMPLATE AND WAX PRINTING

Today we tried some more styles of " fabric printing". This one was done with a homemade block of wood. If you look really closely you can see the wood print in the Orange Black blocks.
It was fun to do, and I am looking forward to trying out more of the different fabric printing techniques.

 Yesterday, we did fabric printing using a flour/water slurry which we painted on the fabric, we let it dry, and crunched up the fabric, to make cracks in it. Once we had the effect we wanted, we painted it with a choice color, which had an emulsion in it to make the colour permanent.We let dry overnight, and then this morning I washed the dried emulsion, and flour mixture off my fabric. Unfortunately mine didn't work out the first time, I either had added to much flour- water mix, and didn't let it dry properly, which didn't crunch, to give me a lot of the lines and cracks. So, I retried the whole process, so we will see tomorrow if it worked out. I will post pictures of it tomorrow.

So, in the picture above you will see the effect of the flour slurry. I was thrilled with the results. I liked it so much that you will notice the larger photocopied picture. I just photocopied my fabric and then blew it up to a larger size, and then with black marker drew lines on the copy. Presto you have a birch tree. This print is going to be used in a future project that you will come to see.

Today I tried Silk Screen Printing again. I tried to use two different colours this time.( they required two templates) in this technique I first made Red balls, and then used a template with the stem, and sponged on the template the black stems.

They turned out okay ( for my first attempt at this), but  I need to learn how to do this by rote, and I'm not there yet. I guess that is why they say " Practice, Practice, Practice".

                                                                     WAX PRINTING

 

 This week we finally started our Textile course. The pictures that I have posted earlier on my blog are things I made at the different " workshops" we have had for the past four weeks. These " workshops were meant for us to get to know the other courses that are being offered at our school. Also that we get to know the other teachers, and students.

Anyways, as I said this week we started Fabric Printing, and the different mediums that can be used in Fabric Printing. This is my first attempt at using Wax in our Silk Screen Printing. The wax was a bit tricky to work with, it dried up so quickly, and because there was no colour to the wax, you weren't sure if you got a proper coat of wax on the screen.

 I tried in this picture, to overlap the pictures over each other. That is why some darker area's show up.I'm not sure yet if i like the effect. It's kinds cool, but I wish I would have looked more carefully how I placed the darker area's. Next time I will be more careful. I guess that is what this school is all about. Learn from your mistakes.

 It will be so interesting to see how my work develops. 

 

TEXTILES

We also had a Sewing Workshop. There I made this tote bag, and then in the Textile Workshop I made the printed the Birch tree picture. To create this effect I used the bark side of a piece of wood. I started with the Black mixture, and then shaded with a paint brush,and then added a very little moss green. To give an effect of the moss that often grows on the birches.

This was a fun workshop, and I can to realize that the sky is the limit for printing on fabrics. So many many different tools could be used to create lovely designs. branches, fruit, vegetables, dishes etc.etc.

You will come to see that I just LOVE Birch trees. This type of design you will probably come to see alot of in my work.

WOOD SHOP

I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy working in the "Wood Shop" at school. I was very pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed working with wood. It's a wonderful living breathing material.
As you can see, I found many different things to make for our home. I always wanted a " egg holder" for my counter. ( Here in Finland the eggs you buy from the grocery store are not refrigerated so, they can be left on the counter).

I Also made the wooden couch coffee cup\drink holder was something that's super handy. Lastly I made the wooden tray for serving. Boy, I sure wish I could spend more time in that workshop, I have a list a mile long of things I could make for our place.

METAL SHOP

In these above pictures you can see the steps that are involved in making the monument. I first drew a plan, then cut all the metal rods, then welded them together.

I have never welded in my life. My dad was a welder, and my son has gone to Welding school, so when I had the chance to weld at the Artisan school I am attending, I jumped at the opportunity to try this craft.

We were given metal rods to design and to make into small easy wall hooks ( we were also given the option of either welding the rods together ourselves or get the teacher to weld for us). Well, I decided that I wanted to weld something a bit bigger.

Boy oh Boy...  the time I spent hand sawing and cutting all these rods, and then sanding them all down, the rest of the class had moved on with new projects. I truly did not think I would get this monument finished by the end of the week.

But, I did finish it. I even welded the whole piece "all by myself".

I have to admit, that even I am pleased with my first attempt at working with metal and welding.


Once at home, I put little mini lights in the tubes, to light up my "monument".