Silk Painting Has Begun

We started a new class in silk painting and I had a good time I hope everyone else did too.  It is a bit overwhelming for the new students, but just stick with us.  We are taking it a step at a time, and soon you will be up to speed.

Next week the subject is DESIGN SELECTION AND PREPARATION.
So where to find a design?

 There are lots of books with designs in them.  Coloring books, stained glass pattern books, Dover Books and who knows what else?  There are also your photographs and of course the Internet and Pinterest is awash with inspiration.  Just start looking around.

 These are enlarged copies from a couple of the books for stained glass designs.  They are 130% to 150% enlargements and were printed on 11" X 17" paper at the copy shop.

 If you cam draw DO IT then have it enlarged to the size you want to use.   Have several sizes made that way you have lots of options to play with.

 Here are some drawings on 8 1/2" X 11" paper that I had enlarged 300% on the large format copier at Copy Max on Foothill between Haven and Milliken.  Check out the ones near you.  I found Copy Max is cheaper than several other places with large format printers.  Just call and ask at your local shops.

 You can see the enlargement compared to the origional drawing.

 This is a great way to utilize a photo.  Trace the lines you want with a "Sharpie Fine tip Marker" onto a sheet of acetate.  You can then make mirror images easily.  I will show you that advantage in class especially for a long scarf.

 These were a bunch of little 6" X 6" studies I did at a workshop.  They are paint, but great inspiration for a more abstract designed scarf or fabric.  I know I can get similar effects with silk dye,  probably even better results.

 Wouldn't this be fun?  Think of the white as gutta and the ochre free flow Seta Silk and thickened Seta Silk as the red brushed on.  Too fun.

 After looking at the little samples above I went through some old water color paintings looking for inspiration to use in silk paintings, since they are "sister arts".

 I  just loved the green birds.  Wouldn't this be a fun blouse fabric?

 This could turn into a great looking fabric also.  WOW!  I'm excited to get started.

Here is another idea.  Just take your gutta and make lines and squiggles without having a definitive design in mind.  Then fill in the blanks with color.  It was amazing the designs that were suggested by the random lines.  This is in watercolor, but it could be so beautiful in a silk painting.

Well, I'm filled with inspiration now all I have to do is get to work on turning it into designs for next week.  Good Luck and happy Design hunting.
Please leave me a comment if you wish.  It helps me know what you are looking at and what helps you.  Otherwise I'm just a voice in the void.

Silk Painting

Silk Painting Class  is Coming  

Six weeks of class beginning Oct 8 to Nov 12      10 to 2

bring a sack lunch

Fee $75  plus $20 for shared supplies which include use of paints and dyes for samples and learning techniques.  Other supplies will be available for purchase or to order in class.

I have some new ways to use silk paints that do not require steaming to set.  There will also be some traditional methods and techniques.

Location:  Alexander Hughes Community Center

1700 Danbury Street

Claremont, CA 91711

phone: 909-399-5490    www.ci.claremont.ca.us  recreation classes

I am really excited about using silk paint in the gutta resist method.  It has some real advantages not the least being you do not have to steam set!!!!

Below are a few examples of the things I have been practicing on.  

Come to the first class with a  couple of brushes, a set of stretcher  bars (I have several extras if you don't have any yet), and sample the different paints and dyes to see what you like best.  I will bring fabric, and the other supplies for making the samples.  Some of you have already bought Seta Silk so that is good too.

The colors are brilliant and they flow and glow.

Sewing along

Last week Myrna came in with a finished jacket.  It was inspired by some scraps of sashiko brought in by Annie for "Give Away".   A curtain, a scrap here and there and Myrna had created a treasure.

 We were all taken by this lovely garment put together by Myrna.  So inspiring.

 

 Melanie brought in a real Rosemary Eichorn vest she has and we were able to admire that.  Now we just have to put our own creations together with all the inspiration we had it should be easy.  Ha! ha!

This Wednesday we will talk about some embellishing techniques.  
Bring a hoop that will fit under your presser foot and the free motion foot for your machine.  I will bring the rest.   Only two more classes in this session I hope we can get these vests finished.

Class begins Wednesday

I'm looking forward to being back in class.  I have missed all of you this summer.

 I started rummaging through my left overs, failures, and bits and pieces and there I found a silk piece I had worked on as a demo piece.  It had leaves on it so I cut out some of the leaves and then I found more leafy like fabric in the stash and started laying them out.  It will work!  I also found a piece of silk upon which I had done a bit of shibori It was an ugly color and I had discarded it into the scrap box.

 I pulled it out, ironed it and drew a Japanese man in gutta onto the side with the least shibori then I painted it in with Seta Silk paint.   to glance him I put in a tree.

The piece was then glued to a purchased stretched canvas with Acrylic Medium and glazed with acrylic matte varnish.  It is a really cool way to turn a silk painting into a wall piece.  This needs further exploration.  I love the under pattern and will look for more things to paint over.  Since everything is transparent it lets the under painting show through giving continuity to the whole.

I have to send in information for my next class offering.  Maybe Intermediate to Advanced silk painting techniques would be fun to pursue in a more Open Studio style.  Give me your thoughts.

Next Class Coming Soon

Collage Vest

I am getting ready for class to start.  How about YOU?

They will start registration next week.  

Class starts Wednesday September 10

10 am to 2 pm bring a sack lunch

You will need fabrics to cut up

1 1/2 yards to sew the fabrics to (this will also be the lining)

scissors, pins, Sulky Solvy is great for holding it all together while you sew.

If you don't want to bring your sewing machine you can prepare the collage and sew at home.

While in Santa Fe I had a chance to visit with Kayla Kennington and see some of her wonderful Collage garments.  It was very inspiring and gave me lots of ideas to share with you.

 We will be making a collage vest using our collection of fabrics with a common theme.

 Here is an example of one I did with a lot of accumulated sea things, most of which were left over from other projects.

This one has an Asian theme which began from a scarf and then a few fabrics.

 At WAC I had purchased a couple of things that had embroidery on them, but the surrounding fabric was falling apart.  I cut out the embroideries and used some on a project and has some stuff left over.

 This one is not finished, but it is an example of themed fabrics.   I have heard that some of you have not finished your vests since the last time we did this.  If that is you come and finish and it will look like you are ahead of the class.

Something New

I am trying Seta Silk for silk painting.

Seta Silk is a very watery pigment paint that is used with gutta lines to keep it in place, just like silk dye, but I found it stayed put better than the dye does.

 This is an example of what it did using silk painting techniques.  I have not washed out the gutta on this piece yet.
I rather liked it and you DO NO STEAM SET!  It sets in 24 hours or after it is dry you can iron it.  Ironing too soon or too hot seems to dull the paint color a bit.  I am pleased with the results, but will be working and experimenting with it a bit more.

 It is done on a frame like regular silk painting.  I had bought a small kit of 12 colors to try out.

 This is after sitting for 24 hours, then ironed and washed out.  I still have some issues to work out, but generally the results are good.  When I return from Santa Fe I will pursue it with more dedication.

 I finished the stitching on a failed silk painting that was marbled over.  I really liked the results.

Still painting on canvas and paper as well 

 This is an acrylic painting inspired by the watercolor below.  The watercolor background was too cold so I used some acrylic to warm it up.  Then I liked it well enough to do another painting with just acrylic.
A couple of years ago I was speaking to a Quilt Guild in Glendora and I arrived early.
While sitting in the car a flock of green parrots flew into the trees in front of where I had parked.  I wanted to get the feeling of motion from the fluttering wings as they flocked into the tree.

I still know how to sew!

 I am getting ready to go to teach in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but the weekend I get home I have to have this piece ready for a Surface Art Challenge, so I worked on it all day.  It is about the "Silk Road".  It was the ancient trade route from Asia to Europe.  the heavy stitched lines are the trade routes.  It still needs work.  I'm not sure what else to do, but maybe something will come to me.
It was painted with Seta Silk Paints.  I was very impressed with how good the colors were.  It is a paint and does not need steaming.  Something else I will be trying more of.  It also doesn't seem to run out of the gutta lines as easily as the dye does.

 For the Gallery opening I painted and sewed this jacket.  I will also take it to the SPIN conference
to wear.  It has been ages since I painted on silk, but I really did enjoy it again and promised myself to do more.

 This piece is done with the steam set dye and gold gutta.  Brilliant colors.

This is the photo quilt I made during the latest photo + quilts class.  I love the big boulders and the interaction with the grandkids.  There are some secret animals quilted into the scene.  Hard to see in the photo, but they are skulking about.