Birds of a Feather

 Myrna is well on her way to make history the theme of her garment.  We loved what she had done.

 I am staying with a bird theme and working on fabric for a Spring blouse.  This is my sample trying out a method where I put on splashes of color "wet on wet" then put on the gutta and paint.  I wand an in distinct look.  I am going for flying flocks of green and pink parrots.

 Today I hope to get this larger piece painted.  You can see how I started out with blotches of color first.   Then I drew in the birds with gutta and will paint over the blotches leaving them as my background.  I really didn't know if this would work or not, but I am pleased with the results I got.

 I finished my crow vest.  I really like it, now where to wear it?

 I did a yoke of silk dupioni frayed feathers to give it something extra.

 This is a detail of the yoke and the back.

This is a detail of the front yoke and painted birds.

Keep painting.  It takes awhile to paint enough fabric for a garment, but I am having a great time with these projects.  On February 4 I will show you an edge finish I think you will find very interesting.

In progress

 All the parts of my vest are painted and I have them quilted.  I chose quilting because the silk was too flimsy for the york treatment I am planning.

This is a view of the backside of the quilting and the darts sewn into the back section.  I hope there is time to finish the vest before Wednesday class.
Keep painting.  I have a plan to start another piece of fabric when I get this one finished.  I'm staying with a bird theme.  This is so fun.

Inspiration

We talked about getting inspiration for our project this session.  I thought you might like to see how my mind works and how I put ideas together until it starts to click into a design idea for me.

On my way driving home from Nevada I stopped at a rest stop in the desert and there were all these

huge ravens.  In the sun their feathers shown blue, purple and black.  I took these photos from my car window and thought I would love to do something with Ravens or Crows as a motif.

Then I looked on the Internet for photos of Crows and the one below showed up on Pinterest.

I looked at it for awhile and really liked that they were all in a bunch.  Did you know that a bunch of Crows is called a "Murder"?  

That intrigued me so I have decided to make a Vest featuring a "Murder", (a bunch of crows)

 I began drawing groups of crows and then tracing them and fitting them together.  Then I went to the copy shop and copied the drawing bigger.  This is an 8.5 X 11"  which I enlarged to 150% to get a scale that will be comfortable for me to paint.

 Here I taped a couple of sheets of tracing paper together and traced around the edges of my pattern.  Then I traced the crows onto the tracing paper so they fit within the pattern edges.

 I worked around darts by folding the dart and then tracing the birds head so when the dart is sewn it will move across the dart without loving part of the crow.  That is the plan at least.

 I traced the design onto my silk with gutta.

 Here I am painting the crows and trying to get to blues and purples to reflect in the black.  I considered clear white gutta and all black, but I like the color in it also.

 Since I took this photo I have darkened some birds and they are not as purple.  Now I've had an idea to include "Feathery Frays" in black, deep blue, and purple dupioni.  This project is getting exciting.
I hope you are also excited about your design.

Next week you need to bring your design in the scale you want on paper the size and shape of your pattern pieces.  I will show you how to spray glue and gutta the design to your fabric.  There was some misunderstanding last week.  We do not paint on the silk while it is on the paper.  You need a frame to paint the silk.  

So here again is the list for next week

Design pattern already to scale on the papers

Silk Fabric

frame for the silk and a way to attach the silk.  pins, clips, tape, tacks, etc.

gutta 

Seta Silk  or  Dyna-Flo   They are interchangeable so get either kind.  Joannes sometimes has Dyna-Flo Dharma has started kits for both.

brush  (I have a box of brushes in the lab)

palette

I will bring Frixion Pens,  Spray Glue,  and some paint.  

If you still need more information look back several posts and you will see more information about getting a design ready from the last silk painting session.

Silk Painting II Beyond the Basics

The new Silk Painting class starts Wednesday.
Bring your inspiration for what you want to paint and some idea of what you want to make.

This class will concentrate on making an original painted garment.

Here is the schedule that I hope we can follow, but sometimes there have to be changes.

Schedule for Silk Painting II Diane Ricks

bobbydi@charter.net

Class begins at 10 AM and goes until 2 PM  Bring a sack lunch if you wish.

10-10:30 or 10:45  Show and Tell.  Share what you are doing or new things you have discovered. 

10:45 to 11:15  Demonstrations to get you started.   After Lunch some days there may be another short demo.  

This session we will concentrate on painting fabric for a garment.  If you are a slow painter do not do a large project or select one of the methods which takes less painting.

Jan 7 Where and What for inspiration

Planning a design for a garment.  

Painting some quick sample techniques

Jan 14 Applying your design to your fabric.  Start painting

Jan 21 Continue painting  

Jan 28 NO CLASS  I HAVE BABY SITTING DUTY     You may paint at home

Feb 4 Continue painting    

Feb 11 Continue painting   You may need to work at home to finish.

Feb 18 Start Sewing You may need to sew at home. 

Feb 25 Finish Sewing That is what we hope.  

If you finish your painting before February 18th you can start sewing at home.

If you are a fast painter you may want to make a second garment. 

We are NOT DOING a WAC Fashion Show this year, but they will have a Show and Tell that you can show what you have done.  WAC Meeting is Saturday February 21.

New Class Starts January 7, 2015

2015  Wow!  How time flies when you are having fun.

The next group of classes will be,

      "Silk Painting II,  Beyond the Basics"  The plan is to do a larger project from start to finish, preferably a garment piece.  So be thinking of what you want to make.  Don't worry if you don't sew as there are jackets that are really easy requiring just a few seams.  Your main concern is the fabric design.  At the first class we will be talking and working on a design, but you need an idea of what you want to make.  Will it be a jacket, blouse or shirt, dress, skirt there are many possibilities.  I just want you to go beyond a scarf.
       I will bring some inspiration materials and we will do a few techniques that might spark ideas and plans,  but in the meantime look at Silk Painting ideas on Pinterest.  Also check out printing, painting (Any kind) and fabric design.

These are a few fabric design ideas I thought were fun that I found online.

 This would be fun with thickened dye and line work.  I can see a summer blouse with something like this as a design motif.  You do not have to do a really definitive design allover.

I loved these Toucans and the Flamingos,  I would love a simple shirt with either of these as a design.

I think they would be great done in a rather large format.  Love the colors and the lone blue bird.

I really want to do something with birds.

Start looking for your inspiration.

Bring a pattern or use one from the classroom.  We have the large paper to layout a plan for your design.  You can order fabric from Dharma as soon as you know what you want to paint.  Also bring your smaller stretchers for doing samples on.

While on Break

While we have been on break from class I have been trying to catch up on a few things, finish some things and of course, make some new things.

 I found a box of eyeglass size purse closures, so while the rain poured outside I went into my studio and painted some silk to make eyeglass cases.  After painting I did a bit of quilting on them with nice puffy wool batting and then lined them in black flannel.  (I was surprised to find black cotton flannel in my stash. I have no idea what I had used it for before.  They will make cute and easy small gifts.

 I also did a bunch of dishtowels with the Seta Silk paint.  Because it is paint it works with silk or cotton.  The only trick is making sure the gutta goes all the way through the heavier cotton fabric.
If it stops raining I want to go to Smart and Final and get another package of towels.  This paint is so much fun.  and I'm sure I can come up with better designs than these.  Oh well, they are just to dry the dishes so they should be okay.

 I also have done a little bit of watercolor painting.  I had a bunch of practice paintings that were not so great so rather than just throw them out I painted over them with gesso on the 140# paper it makes a great surface to use with acrylic or water color.  It is very interesting how the water color works on the gesso.  It is kind of slippery and you have to use a light touch with it.  Very interesting, but a fun challenge.

This is regular water color on the 140# paper.  I'm happy with how this turned out.  I will not be putting gesso over it.  I had fun with the colors.
I am looking forward to our next class and have plans to implement for it.  I better get with it!

Finishing

 Erin's scarf is so amazing!  Can you believe that water gave her these great results?

Next week we will talk about finishing our silk paintings.  What are your options?  Actually lots of possibilities are available for you.

 If your piece is small it can become a quilted awl hanging.  Or frame it under glass like a watercolor and you have an art piece, but here is another way to create a frame able art piece.

Get an artists canvas that is just a bit smaller than the painting and we will "glue" it to the canvas.

Things to bring if you want to try this:    

artists canvas either regular 1/2'' or 1 1/2" gallery wrap works well.

a soft 2" brush (the throwaway kind)  I will have a few with me for your use also

an E-Xacto knife with a new blade

I will bring the acrylic medium and the varnish

I will demonstrate in class and you can finish your painting for display that way if you with.  There will be examples of other ways to use your painting as well.

We will have a class on November 19th  just because I am loving this medium.  It is an extra class for free.  I hope you have enjoyed the class.  The next one will be "Silk Painting II Beyond the Basics"

It will start on January 7,  2015.   We will be working on bigger projects or doing yardage for a garment.  Same techniques plus a few more bells and whistles added.