Screenprinting Experimentation

Following completion of the other “workshops” in this stage of my course I felt I still wanted to revisit screenprinting and perhaps push some of my learnings from that assignment a little further, I really like the idea of printing onto a lighter fabric and then seeing how the image appears after that.

I agonized for a while over which stencil technique to try and whether to print the ammonite or nautilus image – and finally decided to go with both!

I created a sticky backed plastic stencil (appealing to my love of precision….) and worked on the nautilus design. I had photographed the shell in the Manchester Museum in the Turing Exhibition and had been spending some time manipulating the design and creating other images from it. For this section I decided to experiment with a wider range of fabrics than I had in the last assignment, and am really quite pleased with the results – particularly on the muslin. I think the most effective designs from this “batch” of prints are the ones where I have re-positioned the screen and done a second pull over the original pull. As I found in the last assignment I think acetate/sticky backed stencils are in danger of lacking atmosphere and perhaps don’t give a textured image with depth.

Moving onto the vilene stencil I was a little skeptical as to how my image would translate when screen printed – I wondered if it would just end up a dark mess. This experimentation surpassed my expectations and in the end I was over the moon with the resultant prints – particularly in the sparkly synthetic fabric – the way the black ink covered the fabric leaving bright areas exposed I felt was really effective and I can really see the potential for these experiments to lead me to some interesting ideas!.....my brain is already running away with me. I suppose that screen printing will continue to be my nemesis, I don’t “enjoy” the preparation/technique/mess etc, but I LOVE the images I am able to create!

Nautilus Image from Turing Exhibition - Manchester Museum

Nautilus Inspired Screen Print

Repeated Nautilus Screen Print

Nautilus Screen Print on  Muslin

Nautilus Screen Print on Nylon

Ammonite Screen Print using Vilrne Stencil

Ammonite Screen Print using Vilrne Stencil

Ammonite Screen Print using Vilrne Stencil

A Fun Day Layering and Distressing Fabrics!

What an enjoyable time I had for my course creating various samples of layered, heat bonded, distressed and burnt fabric! I felt quite giddy towards the end - I am not sure if this was due to the fun I had or the fumes from heated and melted fabrics......

Once the samples were created I then photographed them against a "wall" of the conservatory - which worked really well as a makeshift "light box", resulting in some stunning formations and patterns.

 

The above sample was created by layering "wedding favour" tulle with Lutrador which I then heated with a heat gun, the heat gun distorted the tulle and created this wonderful copper effect with the lutrador. I then further distressed it with a soldering iron. The second photograph shows the stark contrast in appearance when light is shone from behind.

The photographs above show a sample which was a number of torn fabric strips including painted muslin, lutrador, and synthetic fabrics which I stitched together then distressed with a soldering iron. There is a real contrast between photographs of the piece with a dark background or with light behind.

 The following five photographs show a sample made from layers of wedding favour tulle which as been stitched together in layers trapping metallic threads and sequins between the layers. I have then distressed and slashed the fabric layers with the soldering iron. The final photograph shows how when held up to the light the metallic threads and sequins create dark points of interest in the overall image, whereas the colour is more prevalent in the samples without the light behind.

 

The following two photographs show a piece which seemed to develop its own theme without much effort! I stitched scraps of muslin together with a torn photograph, painted twyvek and wool tops, i think on reflection this piece looks almost as though the wind has blown the layers together. I then distressed the piece with a soldering iron. I think this sample could be developed further though stitching to echo the branches of the trees and possibly attaching it to a darker background

Although I am a real fan of colour, the below sample is my favourite of this set of samples. This was made by layering chiffon with netting and fusing it together with bondaweb, I then heated the whole sample with a heat gun resulting in this amazing puckering of the chiffon. Also attached to the chiffon are watercolour painted twyvek scraps which create further areas of light and dark when lit from behind.

 A few more samples created using the techniques referred to above