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.