Summer Work

I'll continue showing images of what I have been doing in my absence.

You saw some of the drawing that I did. But there is more.

I drew the following images and tweaked them in PSE (Photoshop Elements) (making the lines fatter and more graphic).

After getting the images like I wanted them, I used the outline to make the (positive? negative?) opposite printing screen. (wasn't that an awkward sentence?).
Like this -

One screen printed the color of the flower or leaf and the other screen printed the outline, enabling me to use all kinds of funky colors.

I used a piece of paper that I bought long ago (but liked the pattern on it) as a guide, I laid a pattern that was pleasing to me.

Here's a couple of shots of the project in progress.

I taped down my cotton (PDF) fabric
before screen printing.

Wonderful sparkly gold paint.

It looks beautiful after I add the outline.

I tried several different brands of fabric paint on this project.

Adding the pink background

I really don't have an idea of what I will use the painted fabric for - I just created it to stay inspired while was feeling particularly uninspired. 

Sounds ridiculous but this is the type of thing I do to keep the creative muscles pumping. 

Kinda like priming the pump to get the water flowing, ya know?

Screen Printing Fabric

I created (what I thought) was a faux marble drawing, then made a thermofax screen out of it.
The photos above show my sample prints on cotton jersey (with a tiny bit of lycra in it).

I liked it, very much actually, so I proceeded to print the entire piece of fabric. My plan is to use it to make a shirt or tunic. Or use parts of it on a couple of shirts...I'll make good use of it for sure.

Here are a few shots of the yardage after it dried.

I love the areas where the paint left ghost prints! I don't know
if you can tell on the photo but in person, it is just beautiful.

I heat set it but now, according to the instructions for Pro Chem fabric paint, I have to wait 2 weeks to launder! I usually do not wash the fabric that I screen print as it is mainly for fiber art.
And, yes, I had to write it in on the calendar so I wouldn't forget...

My son suggested that I use this base for a 3D print- adding the appropriate blue and a little green. I'll bet it would look great but I will have to pass this time around. Sounds like too much work for me.
It would be cool to have a 3D shirt though...I'd have to carry around my 3D glasses for people to look through.
That might be a cool rainy day project to keep in mind (says the woman that had to write herself a reminder to launder fabric in 2 weeks).

I am also working on several other screens to create one of a kind yardage for making clothing.
I will try to get some photos as I create it.

Angels

I forgot all about posting the angel after I stitched it and did some shading on it.

I'm hoping to write an article about the technique so I can't tell you what it is right now.

Sorry!

So here is the original photo.

And here is the  piece that I did.

I love the graphic nature of it and was pleased with how the shading turned out.

"Blue Point" Zinnias

"Blue Point" Zinnias come in many colors, including orange.

Oddly enough, they come in all hues, except blue...

I decided to create one in black and white, well...cream...canvas color...

 The inspiration for my thread sketch was this photograph by Pete Krumhardt

in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine (May 2010).

I may or may not paint this.

Today I am working on a thread sketch of an angel that I took a photograph of last year.

She is from a young child's grave in an old cemetery.

Such a sad sight, holding her rosary...

standing watch over her young charge.

The afternoon sun was shining on her smooth face,

casting shadows over her right side.

The rosary created dark shadows on her dress.

It made me sad but

at the same time,

it made me feel such love. 

I saw such beauty in her face , in her stance

 that I couldn't help but recreate her in a piece of artwork.

Have you ever been so touched

by something you see that it continues to haunt you?

It pops up in your mind time after time after time?

That memory, that scene that is pulling at you -

it's asking you to honor it.

It will continue to follow you until you do.

No one may be as touched by it as you are

but I can assure you that you will feel such a release,

such a freedom if you do this.

Follow your heart.

And allow your artwork to follow your heart also.

What light through yonder window breaks...

What an odd light coming through my studio window today...

Sketching, stitching and painting the afternoon away.
Celebrating a Big Birthday this evening - my son is 21 today!
Wow - I can't believe how quickly the time passed...
I won't write a bunch of mushy mommy stuff in case he reads this...
but can't all you moms out there just imagine what I am thinking of today?

Thread Sketching

I've spent a few days working on the new class I mentioned
(which I'm lovin' by the way)
and right in the middle of that,
I was hit with another blast of
"Hey - what if I...?".
So, I finished the New Class project yesterday
(did I mention how totally cool this class is going to be?!)
and rushed to begin the new
"Hey - What if I...?" project.
Here's the beginning of that...
I took one of the tree images from my sketched journal pages and drew it on a piece of canvas.
You could trace, free hand draw, transfer (etc) to get the image on the fabric.
Then I outlined it with free motion embroidery work on my trusty sewing machine.
I love the look !
Today I'm going to play with coloring the image - inks, paints, water soluble pastels...
I'll use whatever is handy and within the reach of my impatient little hand.