I always come home ravenous after my printmaking class on Monday nights. It must be the stress of having to plan ahead to make those prints. Last week's assignment was to glue leaves and twigs to a plate and print. After crawling around on the ground outside the studio and picking up some things I hoped were not poisonous, I trudged upstairs and tried to glue them to a piece of board and slathered gel medium over everything. Have you ever attempted to glue dried leaves and twigs down flat? All I can say is "don't." After going through all that work, I'm not sure the results were worth it. I think I like the immediacy of monoprinting better - but I'm keeping an open mind. These two were not too bad, but the first two ended up in the trash. All I could think was this: "if this were fabric, I could wash it out." But when I tried to wash out the first ugly print, it didn't work. I wonder why.
I am washing some chiffon scarves I batik'd this morning at the studio after dyeing them the other night at home. I ask myself why I do this - it is so much work. At least, the way I do scarves, because there are so many layers. Am I nuts?
Anyway, here is one I was working on today. Since I hate pink, I can't imagine how it ended up that color. I think the scarf gods were trying to challenge me. Eeewwwww
After dye-painting what seemed like several thousand layers till I was happy, here is what it looks like now.
And then another pink one that I batik'd, dyed, discharged, and overdyed. I think it's done.
Same deal as in my previous post - pre-Thanksgiving sale $60 -postage included. Silk chiffon - machine wash, hang to dry. And now, it is an ungodly hour so I am going to bed.
I always come home ravenous after my printmaking class on Monday nights. It must be the stress of having to plan ahead to make those prints. Last week's assignment was to glue leaves and twigs to a plate and print. After crawling around on the ground outside the studio and picking up some things I hoped were not poisonous, I trudged upstairs and tried to glue them to a piece of board and slathered gel medium over everything. Have you ever attempted to glue dried leaves and twigs down flat? All I can say is "don't." After going through all that work, I'm not sure the results were worth it. I think I like the immediacy of monoprinting better - but I'm keeping an open mind. These two were not too bad, but the first two ended up in the trash. All I could think was this: "if this were fabric, I could wash it out." But when I tried to wash out the first ugly print, it didn't work. I wonder why.
I am washing some chiffon scarves I batik'd this morning at the studio after dyeing them the other night at home. I ask myself why I do this - it is so much work. At least, the way I do scarves, because there are so many layers. Am I nuts?
Anyway, here is one I was working on today. Since I hate pink, I can't imagine how it ended up that color. I think the scarf gods were trying to challenge me. Eeewwwww
After dye-painting what seemed like several thousand layers till I was happy, here is what it looks like now.
And then another pink one that I batik'd, dyed, discharged, and overdyed. I think it's done.
Same deal as in my previous post - pre-Thanksgiving sale $60 -postage included. Silk chiffon - machine wash, hang to dry. And now, it is an ungodly hour so I am going to bed.
7 comments:
You are just having too much fun. Isn't if great and fun. The Batiking (sp) I have not tried, maybe one day.
I love the leaves in your first two shots. I can just imagine you out scrounging around for leaves, knowing how much you adored those ladybugs at John C. Campbell! LOL
xo
I'm glad I'm not the only one who hates pink.
I DO like the first two leaf prints but, you're right, it would work better with fresh leaves....Got any house plants you can raid???
teri
What you didn't share is what did you eat as you mentioned that Monday's class makes you ravenous? Chocolate would seem appropriate to me. Also glad to know about the leaves thing -- interesting affect, but can imagine dried leaves would not glue well..
Ooooo, I love the leaf prints. Are you saying you didn't like the resulting prints, or just didn't like the process?
Bonnie - when I'm hungry I don't want sweets: peanut butter on a toased english muffin and a cup of tea is a great late-evening pick-me-up. Dark chocolate when I'm not hungry!
As to the leaf prints, Terry, I don't love them and all that gluing of natural materials was just not my favorite process.
Your scarves are very cool! I do like the leaf prints too. I am going to have to give that a go...I just don't have the press...mine will be printed "by hand". I like the idea of making a plate.
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