I'm still cleaning brushes and tools on fabric instead of paper towel. Glory, glory, another tree is saved and the results are great fun. Just wish that I had been doing this before.
The first layer of blues, yellows and golds came from cleaning brushes that I used in a bird painting for a challenge quilt that I have been developing.
The second layer emerged by using screen printing ink that remained on tools that I was using for another project. I grabbed a foam checker board stamp and somewhat randomly stamped over the first layer
After enjoying an afternoon glass of iced tea, I opened the tea bag, cleaned out the tea leaves, rinsed it and laid it flat to dry. Just couldn't leave well enough alone. Some apples were almost over ripe and instead of throwing them into the compost bin, I cut one in half and made a print on the tea bag. After it was completely dry and heat set with an iron, I used matte gel medium to make it a part of the fabric.
Enough is still not enough...at least I don't think it is. We shall see what does or does not develop from here. I suppose it will depend on what colors will need to be cleaned off of tools from the next project.
It is great fun seeing what develops when there is no plan or preconceived idea. Onward!
A friend presented me with a negative print of a photograph she took of a sculptural work against a clear sky. From that print, I made a silhouette on an embroidery hoop frame that was stretched with sheer curtain fabric. I then masked the design with very old, thick latex fence paint and double checked that no pinholes of light showed through the masking.
After the mask was thoroughly dry, I printed the screen with opaque silver silk screen ink. I then cut a star shape from a scrap of clear vinyl and stenciled multiple stars with gold fabric paint above each screened image.
The fabric at hand allowed space for printing six 13" x 13" repeat images.
Since these prints will ultimately be incorporated into a quilted work, I documented the image in a journal entry.
The embroidery hoop screen is now ready for printing.
For full instructions on how to create an embroidery hoop silk screening frame, applying a design to the screen, and masking a screen with house paint, refer to previous posts on May 26, 27, and 29, 2010.
Preprinting note: Prewash fabric that will be used for the printing. This will remove any sizing that the fabric has when it comes from the manufacturer. Do not use fabric softener. Iron the fabric smooth so that the printed images will appear crisp.
MATERIALS:
Embroidery hooped silk screen. Padded board or other padded surface Silk screen ink or fabric paint Squeege Straight pins Plastic spoon Paper towels
1) Example of embroidery hoop that has been masked with latex indoor-outdoor house paint. (See previous section on how to mask a screen with house paint.)
2) Assemble screen printing materials. The items include: disposable tray on which to rest items that will accumulate ink in the printing process, plastic spoon to dispense paint onto the screen, squeege type spreading tools, and paper towels.
3) The screen printing ink used in this project is Speedball Opaque Screen Printing Ink. Other brands are acceptable to use, as is fabric paint.
4) Lay a padded board on a flat working surface. (The board shown here has been used many times and definitely shows it.)
5) Lay fabric that will receive the screen printing over the padded board. Pin straight pins around the entire work surface. It is important to stretch the fabric until it is taut. This prevents any wrinkling of the fabric when it is screen printed.
6) Place the embroidery hooped screen on the fabric.
7) Scoop a generous amount of screen printing ink from the jar. Apply the ink above the image to be screened and at other points on the screen to assure full ink coverage.
8) Lay the ink screening tool above the ink on a 45 degree angle and press down.
9) Press firmly while pulling the applicator down over the image to be printed. Check to assure that all areas have been covered. A second pull of the applicator over the image may be needed. With each pull, press firmly on the applicator. Do not move the screen or the image will blur.
10) DEALING WITH A MISTAKE: Since the frame extends substantially beyond the image example, printing the images closer together than the edge of the frame makes an overlap onto the previously printed image. If the ink from the first image is not dry, it will be picked up on the back side of the screen. It is essential to wipe off any ink on the reverse side of the screen before proceeding to the next pulled screening. In this case, I forgot one time to check the back of the screen for picked up ink. A slight ark shaped smudge appeared on the fabric. The illustration demonstrates how this error was added as a repeat design element.
11) Let the first printing dry. Then remove the pins that hold the fabric taught against the padded board. Reposition the fabric for another set of prints. Repeat Step 5 and pin the fabric onto the padded board.
12) Determine placement of the next printings by laying the original drawing on the area where the print will appear. Then position the screen over the drawing. Remove the paper and the screen will be ready to be inked and screened. This needs to be done because the masking of the screen is opaque, does not allow the previously printed images to be seen, and, therefore, the risk of overlapped images is great.
13) Final screen printed fabric.
14) Scrape ink that has accumulated on the screening tool back into the ink jar.
15) Heat set the images by placing a pressing cloth over the images and ironing with hot iron for 1 to 2 minutes.
The screen printing is now complete and ready to be incorporated into a project.
