New Class

A new class begins Wednesday  January 6, 2016.   10 am to 2 pm  at the Hughes Center in Claremont
 
We will do some "Ice Dyeing" with an addition.   We will use soy wax to make resist patterns on the fabric before we dye it.  I saw it on the blog  "Then we Set it on Fire"  they look interesting.

I have received the soy wax, but will be gone again for a few days so will try the technique out when I get back home.   I will bring Soda Ash infused fabric (1yard of cotton) for each of you, but if you want to do more pre-soak, line dry and gently iron some cotton or linen fabric.  On the second class we will do the ice dyeing.  

My daughter is picking me up in a few minutes to go to the rest of the Holiday skiing in Utah so I'm short on time.  I will post again after I try the process before class.  (I hope)!!!

Last class this session

We were few in numbers, but we had a productive day in class today.

 Melanie shared the microwave dyeing she had done at the last class.  She then did more today, but I didn't get any photos.  Sorry!

 Awhile back we painted some birds.  I had seen an old kimono which had free motion embroidery over the top of a painted image so I tried it on the birds.  The advantage is there is no white to cover; because the paint underneath fills in for you.

 This is a detail of the birds.  I used a variegated thread for the feathers.  It is not really dense stitching but enough to give the effect of embroidery.

 These are bracelets made from strips of failed dyeing and painting. or silk ribbon.  They are built onto a base of cording. and the shine comes from a coat of clear polymer acrylic.  They are actually kind of cute worn as a group of bangles and they are quiet.  No "Jangling"

This is a Seta Color sun print, in the process.  After it was dry and ironed it looked really fun.  I can't wait to embellish, draw on, and quilt it during the holidays (if I have time).  Sun prints are so mysterious.

The next class session starts on January 6th.  It goes for 6 classes until February 17.  (January 20 is off while I go to Hawaii for a few days with my daughters.  That will be my last teaching at the Hughes Center.
If you are planning to take the class get signed up and then check the blog in a couple of weeks for the supply list and the schedule of events.  I have a couple of plans that I need to work on to see if they work.  Hope to see you next year.

Enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner

                              NO CLASS NEXT WEEK,   NOVEMBER 25  
                        We will all be busy getting ready for the BIG FEAST!

We will be back on December 2 and that will be the last class until after all the Holidays.  The next session of classes will begin on January 6, 2016.  Can you believe another year will be gone?

 A few of the things shown at "Show  and Tell" today.  We have really enjoyed working with the Seta Silk and Dyna Flo silk paints.  So easy.

 Today was a great day of Microwave dyeing.  I will look forward to the next class on Dec. 2 to see the final results.

This was done by Kristina  in the sun with Seta Color paint.  Sorry I didn't rotate it before I brought it into the blog space.  We all enjoyed the sun prints.  I am working on mine to give it a little more punch.




In water color class I set out to paint a watercolor to have made into a Christmas card.  Now I have to decide which painting it will be.

                                      Get ready for Christmas it's coming soon.  

They are ready for sign-ups for the class starting January 6, 2016.  It will be the last class I will be teaching at the Hughes Center in Claremont.  I Have taught there for 16 years, but it is time for me to cut back and get cleaning out my garage and trying a new focus for awhile.  I hope to see some of you I haven't seen for awhile for one last class.

MICROWAVE DYEING NEXT

Did you enjoy Veteran's Day? Are you ready to get back to class?

Next Wednesday we will be doing microwave dyeing.  Bring the silk you received and divided and we will dye that.  If you have silk scarves or other silk fabric pieces you may bring those to dye also.  We will only have dye for silk fibers.

 These are pieces of silk chiffon which were dyed in a class.  The way you tie, twist and fold the fabric gives you the different patterns.  The process is really easy and fun to do.

 All these scarves were microwave dyed.  So if you have some bring them.

If you have extra time I will also have the Seta Color for sun prints and the Seta Silk to continue painting on the first project if you haven't finished that yet.  See you WEDNESDAY.

NO CLASS NOV 11

The Hughes center will be closed for Veteran's Day next Wednesday November 11.
So there will be no class.   Work at home if you get a chance.

For the Sun Prints   Iron them on both sides, then rinse to soften.  Iron smooth.

You can  then bring them back and add some stamping or stenciling to enhance the surface.
I will bring a different kind of paint to use.  

We will also Microwave dye some of your silk  (from the yard I gave you).  We will use acid dye which I will bring.

I loved the results we got today with the Seta Color Sun Prints.

New Class starts October 28

 These birds are brush painted with thickened dye on silk.  Line work is done with a gutta bottle

This fish is painted on silk with thickened dye and appliquéd to the painted cotton background and then quilted.

SILK PAINTING  II Diane Ricks

e-mail  bobbydi@charter.net

www.wonderfulwearables@blogspot.com

In Silk Painting I you were introduced to the use of Silk Paints and gutta resist.  We did several sample techniques for getting different effects.  This session we will be expanding our knowledge of using these versatile paints but doing several new sample techniques.  

Your lab fee will supply 1 yard of silk fabric which you will divide to make the various samples.  If you wish to bring more fabric for larger or additional samples please do so.

Week 2 you can also use cotton for additional samples if you wish.  I will supply the acid dye for Microwave dyeing.  I will also bring sun images, stamps, stencils and silk screens for your use.  

Week 1__Oct 28____     Using thickened dyes (paints) for free form and brush painting.   Sample # 1 we will freely brush on the thickened dye and then detail after it has dried.  In Sample # 2 we will brush paint a specific design.  You will need a frame at least 20” X 24”, tacks or clips brushes.   

Week 2__Nov 4_________ Seta Color or Dyna Flow background with sun images

(Hope the sun is shining) painting, or applying stamped, stenciled or painted images to the sun printed surface.  

Week # 3__Nov 11________ Microwave dyeing the background and stamp, stencil,or screen print images over the dyed   

background. If you have favorite stamps, screens or stencils bring them.  

Week # 4__Nov18_________Introduction to using your original designs to have yardage digitally printed.  

Since we will be making samples of a smaller size you may want to have yardage made for a larger project.  There are many online companies that do this.  I will show you how you can create and upload your work to have it printed.

Please check the blog each week for information and if additional instructions or supplies are listed.   Thank you.

One class finished

One class finished and another will start on Oct 28th and go until Nov 18th.

The photos below are student Janet Castro's work

 Each of these samples taught a different painting technique.  Janet's samples are better than mine by a long shot.  Each of her samples are a small masterpiece.  What fun!  These Leaves were the way to paint without showing gutta lines around the outside of the forms (leaves).

 Take a look at the leaves.  They have vines without putting in gutta lines.  A little trick I discovered while trying to achieve something else.  Love this flower.

 These pears were a study in shading with the water and the paints.  Plus we used salt for texture ,

 The water and the spotty texture of the fish was our lesson on this sample.

Everything was on a 22" square of silk

Next session, which starts on Oct 28th we will be learning some techniques which combine the use of liquid and thickened dye, also some stamps and screen printing.  If you haven't had a chance to try your hand at silk painting with the "silk PAINTS" come and share the fun.  We do not have a class this Wednesday Oct 21st.

 

New techniques

 This session we have been making samples of new techniques.  This is the one I taught last Wednesday.  It is very effective and I love the results.  First the Design of leaves was drawn onto the silk with a Pilot FriXion Pen.  These pens are so great; because they do not go away with water, but they do erase completely with heat.  Once the design was in place the silk was stretched  onto a frame and then sprayed with water from a spray bottle the background colors were brushed on and let run down the silk.  because the design was already there I could select area to place the colors.  In this example the colors in the background are quite intense.

 After the background was dry I applied the gutta.  I used clear and that is where the magic comes in; because I was using "Seta Silk" and Dyna Flo" Silk paints the background was stable so when I painted over it it did not bleed.  When the painting was finished I heat set it with and iron and washed the gutta out.  Look at the leaves outside edges.  You don't see any white gutta lines because the background is what shows and because it was under neath the top painting there are no gaps of gutta at the outside edges.  There is a gutta line in the inside details.   Pretty cool!

This bird was done with black gutta which was the clear colored with black Dyna-Flo.  When it was heat set and washed the lines stayed really black.
We won;t be meeting next week Oct.7 as I will be off babysitting, but when we are back on Oct 14 we will talk about finishing and ways to display our work.  Everyone did great on the white flowers last time.  I should have taken photos.  Sorry.

Moving along

 Last week this flower did not have a background.  We learned how to paint a smooth solid background by putting water on the area to paint and keeping a clear water leading edge as we painted in the color.
Then we went onto a "Spot and Dot" technique to give a textured look to our fish.  Many student fish looked better than mine.  I will get photos of student work to post next week.

 This little fishy needed a watery looking background so we worked on a technique which made it look like the shimmer of water.  The fish below is also a water background.

Next week we will be working on shading, leaves, and flowers to give them depth and dimension plus using salt and other chemicls on the background for interest.  Bring your flower and bird already guttaed and ironed to save time for painting.  See you Wednesday.

`Class Notes

We started a very simple painting last week so bring it back and we will put in the background.

I also hope you are finding inspiration for what you want to paint for yourself.

Get your fish onto your silk and put on the gutta so it will be dry. That will save you time on Wednesday.  We will be doing a "spot and dot" texturing technique to work the fish and sea urchin.
Then you can move onto your project.

Time for Class

Class starts next Wednesday September 9 at 10 am.

I hope you are coming.

We will be doing silk painting with Seta Silk and Dyna-Flo

Here is what you will need:  If you have taken classes before bring your paints, brushes and stretcher frame.  If you are new to class her's how it will go:  I will bring everyone a 27" X 27" square of silk for trying the sample techniques.  I will also have paint and brushes for you to use.  I have some frames for use by those who do not have them yet.  Your $20 supply fee covers patterns, palette, gutta and a few other things.

In class I will show you the things you will need and where to get them.

Fall Class

The Fall Classes start on Wednesday September 9, 2015     10 am to 2:00 pm
THEY ARE READY FOR SIGN-UPS NOW!

I'll post information about supplies next week.

I have been silk painting again getting ready for class in September.  I'm sorry to say I haven't done a single bit of silk painting since the last class got out, but after spending a day playing around with it again  I LOVE IT!           For me it is so much less stressful than regular painting, but maybe that is because it is more familiar to me.

 What I want to do is have a small project each day for the first few weeks to teach a particular technique.  I'm not saying these will be the final choices, but I've been trying things out.  This one could teach Gutta application, painting water, dot and spot texturizing and some shading.

 Dimensional effects and working with the fabric pens and pencils after the gutta is washed out, plus salt and Urea effects.

I'm still working on the "NO GUTTA LINE" technique, but haven't quite gotten it yet.  This is worked from light to dark and getting colored lines rather than white in some areas.  I'm still working on the effect of transparancy but it is coming along in the tentacles.  These are just small samples to have fun with.

Sewing Again

I have been making, not one but two quilts.  Two grand daughters wanted the same fabric for their quilts.  I don't usually do the same again, but in this case I am.  If I keep working I'll get them done for Christmas.

I'm a bit rusty on the free motion quilting that used to just flow out of the machine.  I have not been practicing, but by the time I get the stitching done in all the squares I may be back up to speed.

I got an e-mail that the new class brochure is out and it is time to sign up for Claremont classes again.
We will start on September 9 at 10 am.  I hope to see you there.  I want to do more silk painting and try a few ideas I have had over the summer.  Next post will explain further.

Sharing what I've been Doing

For the past few weeks, since I returned from Maine I have been working on "MY HAPPY LIFE' Series.  I have had so much fun.  They are painted from memory without any photo reference so it has been an interesting challenge.  They may not look fully defined, but memories are that way, kind of fuzzy and not always fully defined.  If you have had similar experiences you can put yourself into the pictures.

 This is "Day at the Beach"

 "NOT Until your Room is Clean"

 "Family Reunion Photo"  This painting is 30" X 40"  ( Smile)

"Family Vacation"

PAINTINGS

After I arrived home it took me two full days to get my suitcases out of the entry hall, unpacked and do the laundry.  Now that job is done, but there are still things in the garage to be put away.  Now I also have a bunch more paintings to figure out where to put them.

 On the Saturday and Sunday between the two week of painting workshop we did not have a formal class, so I went to the Botanical Gardens.  There were the most beautiful peonies blooming so I took some photos and painted when I got back from the Gardens.  It was  a good thing I went on Saturday because on Sunday it was pouring rain, so I went to a museum in Rockland with lots of Andrew Wyeth paintings in it.
The hotel had no food service so every night we would go 7 miles into town and eat at a seafood and lobster dock.  So good!  Fresh off the boats that morning and into the pan.  These are the lobster boats docked for the night and ready to go out the next morning.  An interesting view to paint from.  Looking straight down onto the dock.

I have been Traveling

I went to Wilmington, NC to visit my sister, and then we took a trip to Charleston SC .  Two weeks of fun with my sisters then home again.

 This is the oldest house in Charleston SC, built in 1714, but still standing.

 North Carolina Coast at sunset.  So beautiful.  Then I went to Maine for a two week painting workshop.  That was a wonderful experience as well as beautiful scenery.  I just returned.

 This light house was at the end of the road where we were.  How New England is that?

Tiny little harbors with the lobster boats in for the day.  I ate lobster several times, yum and only $20.

I will post a few of the paintings I did in a few days.  My luggage is still sitting in the front hallway waiting to be unloaded.  Today is the day.  I had to get over jet-lag and just plain EXHAUSTION yesterday.  It is good to be back, with so many plans and ideas for the future.