Spring Surface Design..A Little Review

Lissette V.: Gelatin print.

Since April, I've been juggling back-to-back classes on Wednesdays. I really love teaching both classes...Fabric Painting, Printing and Stitching to Tell a Story with Cloth (aka Story Cloth) and Fabric Painting and Printing: Surface Design. There were moments when I had to think really hard about what each class was working on before packing up my things. There was some overlap in techniques but not necessarily on the same day...a bit of a challenge for my fifty something brain!
I've already posted about the Story Cloth class, but not a peep or a peek about the Surface Design class. So today I'm sharing a bit what's been happening with hopes to have another post about it next week.

Two weeks ago, the class did some "Improvisational Screen Printing" (Jane Dunnewold's phrase) using freezer paper masks and something I've come up with using Lutradur stencils (based on Jane's interfacing stencil technique). Here are some results:

Amy L.: Torn freezer paper mask.

Lissette V.: Cut freezer mask.

Lissette V.: Torn freezer paper mask.

The fun part about using the Lutradur is that the material catches and holds the paint from the previous printing so the open areas and those areas covered with Lutradur print different colors at the same time. The texture of the Lutradur adds another layer of interest.

Sumita S.: Lutradur stencil.

Janelle F.: Lutradur stencil.

Last night, we had one of my favorite sessions...gelatin plate printing! I haven't yet become a convert to the Gelli Plate (though I do want to buy one)...I just love the sensual feeling of that soft, cool gelatin! And...as usual, I was not disappointed by the results! I love how each student's personal style seems to emerge...even if it's just printing leaves and lace!

Janelle F.

Janelle F.

Janelle F.

Lissette V.

Lissette V.

Lissette V.

Sumita S.

Sumita S.

Sumita S.

I hope to get some photos next week of the other techniques we've been covering including block printing and resists.

I have one returning student, Amy L. who is using this class as an independent study. Amy took the fall session of the Story Cloth class and decided to continue working on additional pieces, focusing on her recent trip to Israel. Here is one of her completed pieces.

Camel by Amy L.

She also brought in a sweet, little Meditation Book she printed and stitched between sessions. Here are a selection of pages...

Amy is moving to London this summer...I will miss her! I'm sure that she'll continue to have lots of surface design and stitching adventures there.