Monoprinting on Fabric Ira's next instalment.

When Ira paints or prints on her fabrics that is just the starting point.She goes on to embellish them with additions of stitch, hand and machine ,beading ,appliqué and burning into the synthetic fabric she might use.Below is Week Four's  finished piece which has transformed into a unique and skilled piece of textile art.

The following images show the stages she employs ,with a little tutorial of  how she works  so you can try them out for yourself.

Mono printing on Fabric   Week Five.

As the name implies one cannot get two prints exactly the same from a mono print.

There are two ways of making a mono print as described below.

You will need a surface such as a piece of glass with taped edges or a piece of plastic that may be wiped (your plate).In addition some paints (I use acrylic paints) a paintbrush or implement to move the paint  around and some fabric.The method I employ is to 

take acrylic paints straight from the tube and use a paintbrush to dot them over my surface to the size I require.Gently merge them together being careful not to mix otherwise the colours will become muddy .

Take the handle  end of your paintbrush and draw into the merged colours .This could be geometric shapes or lines as shown below.

Then taking some fabric of choice ( I have used cotton and silk) lay it gently, and carefully over your inked plate.I use my hand to apply a little pressure across the surface to transfer the paint to fabric.Lift it up in one careful motion and turn over to see your print .Lay it flat and leave to dry.

Alternately you can ink your plate ,lay the fabric on top then make marks into the back of the fabric.It gives a very different result.When the pieces are quite dry you are ready to work into them with hand or machine stitch.

Below is the result of combining mono prints by cutting up and reassembling 

Ira says"If you are not wholly pleased with the resulting mono print then it will be transformed by adding embroidery and will turn into a masterpiece, well that is what I keep  telling myself!! Have a go it was great fun"

We love what she achieves with these techniques and so do the many people who have purchased her work.

Concertina sketchbook .

Jenn signed up for Karen Stamper's Buildings concertina sketchbook course at the end of last year.She started quite well but over the winter period it languished.

Sally also signed up and they had a day together  before lockdown working into their books.This gave Jenn a kickstart to continue.

Sally has gone on to complete hers and Jenn is quietly plugging away but it's not done yet 

Some pages have still to be added to ,but the beauty of this is it can be dipped into as the mood takes .

She has printed some of the pages onto fabric thinking it may develop into textiles.

It is a very forgiving way to work as the pages are not blank or white and anything that does not please can be gessoed  out.

Filling all these pages has been surprising and pleasurable.

Ira has written these notes and photos come courtesy of Keith.

Because all exhibitions have been postponed I decided to do one new small piece of work every week that we are in lockdown.For the first two weeks I collaged some of my previous prints from the packaging printing blocks I played with previously.I then added some melted metallic tissue, machine and hand stitching to create landscape imagery.

The third week I finished the tetra pack print on fabric which I started a while ago, inspired by fan vaulting in Gloucester Cathedral.I used stem stitch throughout to complete the small piece and sshh.... don't tell anybody this but it was very boring!

Now into the fourth week I have been doing something more exciting.I have been making mono prints on fabric, into which I have been doing metal thread stitching.I intend to work into another one next week and will explain mono printing then.Here's a glimpse into the piece I am working on right now, unfinished as yet.

                                     

Lockdown.

Sally has been making the most of having to stay at home by working on her concertina sketchbook.

She had decided to use her file of doors and windows as her inspiration, and to try out the ideas and techniques of Karen Stamper's  'Buildings 'course .

She has made use of resources from her many trips to interesting places around the world.Included in her book are collaged images and papers as well as the creative use of print stamps collected on her travels.

These ,above, are just a small selection of the many pages included which give a real flavour of the diverse  countries .Sally's enjoyment of them clearly comes across, and below here she is enjoying the sunshine and showing the finished book.