Disperse Dyeing, Transfer Printing

 I have really enjoyed revisiting disperse dyes. The colours they give when transferring them to substrates is wonderful. In this instance it was on to pelmet Vilene and when they are coated with a layer of acrylic wax the colours just zing.

I choose to cover the front, back and spine of this Seawhites sketch book after embellishing with stencils and running stitch.

I am into quotes about art by artists at the moment so this is one of my favourites by Vincent.

 I always try to make the back of my covered book as interesting as the front!

Seed Head Cards

A sneek preview of some of latest series of cards that are a development of my TechStyles exhibit.
The background is transfer printed pelmet vilene with free machine embroidery seed heads that were in the grounds of Quarry Bank Mill.

Todays offerings

Just spent a couple of hours playing with Gesso and pelmet Vilene in preparation for Maggie Grey's Textile Translations on line course that starts tomorrow. You have to buy the book to be eligible to take the course but it will be well worth it.

The first two show closeups of the painted Vilene with Gesso and a very open muslin that I distressed before pushing into the Gesso.

The relief effect is achieved by using a palette and pretending you are icing a Christmas cake to achieve a snowy ridge effect .

This sample has been painted with three Brusho watercolours, you can just make out the salt that I sprinkled on the piece whilst it was still damp. It reacts with the water in the watercolour paint.

This final sample below is the effect you get when you use Quink black ink. The darl areas are where the tissue paper I applied was not covered with gesso. After sealing with PVA I intend dry painting this with some Stewart Gill paints from the Galactica and Metallica range.

And finally.............

Below are two batik pictures that I completed before I went into hospital. They are currently part of an exhibition at Marple Library with the Cheshire Guild of Silk Painters. It runs until Saturday 15th November. The colours in the pics are not as vibrant as in real life, should have edited I suppose but too lazy at present.