Traveling With Me

When I drive to teach a printing class, I will often make the thickened dye that we'll use in the class a day ahead of the class, and bring it along so that we can dive right into the workshop. I loved this image --  like Christmas all over again -- of the box of dyes and thickener delivered and dusted with snow.
 

Ariane is in the House

Friend and artist Ariane Zurcher is working in my studio this week and got started with thickened dyes. Her style is more painterly, and I trust that her explorations will, no doubt, emerge to resemble the collage work that she loves. Should be a fun ride.
 

Little White Lines

I've used that little white line marking pen to doodle on some thickened dye-painted fabric. It's got a delightful quality, very fine line. We'll have to see where it ends up. 
 

Now That's Different

I've combined a screen print along with some scraped color and direct painting. Oh, and a squirt of line via a bottle filled with thinned dye and paste. It's a fun experiment, might try more. Later on. 

Something New to Me

I've never tried to paint with thickened dyes. It's fun, and this trial taught me that if I was to use this method of working, I'd better get my own set of images and style. Just knowing it works is worth the trial, and I'll see how to integrate this technique into the work I have. 

Making Thickened Part of Thickened Dye

I'm getting ready to make the "thick" part of thickened dye that I use to print. Here's a go at how I mix it and get ready. I'm adding about 4 cups of Pro Print Paste from Pro Chemical and Dye to one gallon of warm water. And yes, I need a haircut.

Drawing a Line with Thickened Dye

Lines are always so diverse in quiltmaking. Pieced line, quilted, line, couched line, bias tape line, raw edge line. Here I just take a squirt bottle filled with dye and print paste to thicken, and draw. Immediate line.

End of the Dye Week

This yard has been through the wash and now ironed. It holds dyes that are left over and getting "old" from a few days of printing. So, I'll spread and scrape color on a yard, loosly fold and then scrape dark or black dye over it. Those streaks are that black. I leave folded up for a day, then process.

Printing Day at Last

I've earned my printing time! Taxes out, proposals out, emails done. My list got shorter, and I was able to get to the studio and print. Bonus, the sun was out.

It Doesn't Take Long

It seems a mess, but it's not. I've finally gotten to print, and this is the day's last pull of dye. I'll leave it right here till tomorrow morning, then I think I'll drop another print on this. Or not. It's a good inky blue.

Limited Palette

I'm trying to get in a bit more printing while I can, but limited the amount of thickened dye in my palette leaving out a lighter yellow and fushia. So, the line-up is turquoise, mixing red, intense blue, kiwi (why not?), sun yellow, and cotton black. It's working so far.

How Many is Too Many?

I was once asked how many screens I use. I don't keep track. But here is what is kicking around at the moment. You'll see that they're not washed out and the thickened dye is dried on. I'll get to that since it's just a cold water rinse and then I'm good to go.

Meeting Up

Now, I know the second piece was a demo for some class. I was using a "fun foam" sheet that I got from Walmart. Great for monoprinting. Same thickened dye formula for both pieces. I love that there is white background in both half yard pieces.

First Day First

Day one we swept through scraping, rolling, mixing, stenciling, and monoprinting. The "On Your Mark -- Print!" class at the Schweinfurth Art Center keeps going tomorrow with more. We're just starting to make our mark.

Here's The Foam Roller

People ask me what kind of roller I use to print. I'll be at the Schweinfurth next week, and if you're joining me (or are just wondering) this is the little foam roller I like to use for various techniques in printing thickened dye on fabric. They're hi density, not the cheap ones, and slip on the holder.

Enough Color For You?

A few hours of ironing these fabrics has me loving the intense color that emerges. I've done some monoprinting as well as silkscreening. With a few more methods to get color and areas of distinct pattern, I'm liking it.

Hitting the Stacks

Multiples of a pattern or color is a good thing, as I'd have enough to use on a big piece. Each is about 40" square, so going big means I have to do this again and again and again. So, I did.

Start With Dark

My next year's visit to the Pacific Northwest Art School in Coupeville, Washington will be a printing class I'm calling "Start With Dark". These monoprints are a good example where the darkest color is laid down first. I'll let this go overnight and add something tomorrow. Or not.

On Your Mark

The Eugene Textile Center has me with "On Your Mark -- Print!" and we're off. Beside scraping and mixing color, we've tried our own relief prints. This is just day one. Tomorrow we will take in monoprints and more rubbings. But with our own marks.

In the Mix

I buy white plastic film, to cover the print table. The entire table is added with old cotton batting. For mixing colors it's the perfect surface. I can see what I've got,  can "thin" it with thickeners, and use the plastic scraper like a palette knife. And, yes, I'm that wild.