Printing with the Cat Mola Stencil

So happy to see some new followers! Thanks for your support and hope you are enjoying and learning from my posts on surface design.

I spent most of the day yesterday in the studio testing out the print blocks and stencils and trying out a few new ideas. Not everything went according to plan...but that's how it is when you're trying something new. It's often when you are trying so hard to get one thing to work (that isn't) that you suddenly discover another way. I had a bit of that happen yesterday and will get into the results tomorrow.

For today, I wanted to show you the results of the cat mola stencil. Although it looks similar to the cat mola mask I had as the first photo of the last post, there is a difference between the two.

The mask--made out of freezer paper-- is ironed directly onto the fabric. That means you can have as many little details as you can cut out of the freezer paper and iron on. The mask is pretty much a one shot deal. If you have few little bits to move, you may be able to get one or two more prints out of it but the more detailed, the more difficult that is to do.

The stencil, also made of freezer paper (doubled), has small bridges that link the little parts together. These remarkably sturdy stencils can be picked up and moved around because all the parts are one unit. You can use them over and over and in fact, the dried fabric paint seems to make them even stronger.

I decided to use multiple colors for the cat mola stencil. Because of the details, I used stencil brushes rather than a foam dauber. I put small amounts of the Opaque Pebeo Setacolor fabric paint on plastic lids and only picked up a little at a time to apply to the stencil.

I actually did two very similar prints. One is at the top of this post and the other is here.

My friend, Carolyn Brougham commented the other day that she thought she recognized the cat mola designs. The original mola was purchased on a trip with Carolyn to visit her parents who were living in Bogota, Columbia at the time. I have a lot of great and interesting memories of that visit as that was my first real trip  to a foreign country.

Latin American Influences: Working on Designs

Freezer paper mask of cat mola design

I spent a lot of time this week in the studio working up some designs for the Latin American Influences class. For inspiration, I looked at the textiles I own and poured over books of ancient Peruvian weavings and Guatemalan huipiles.

I love the strange god figures in the ancient textiles and all the animal motifs that form Escher-like designs. There are definitely some future cloth figures coming from these inspirations. But in the meantime, the focus is on the class.

Freezer paper stencils and carved blocks of animal motifs

I designed and cut some freezer paper masks and stencils based on my molas. I'm brainstorming different ways to create mola designs with block prints, masks and stencils (and combinations of the three). I'm excited to see what discoveries arise out of my experiments. A lot of fabric printing must be accomplished this weekend.

Cat Mola: Printing the Block

The cat mola block is carved--time to print!

I use Pebeo Setacolor Opaque Fabric Paints for printing. Since many molas use a deep red fabric as part of their designs, I decided to mix up a red combining Sienna Brown and Cherry Red.

After mixing the paint thoroughly, I put a small amount onto the glass palette and roll it out with my Roll-Rite foam brayer until it is evenly coated with the paint.

I then roll an even coat of paint on the block.

The block is turned over onto the fabric and pressed to release the paint.

I did some test prints on muslin to see how the block looked. The first print is never the best. It usually takes a few prints to get the crispest impression. I like to call it  warming up the block.

Here are some prints on other fabrics. I was trying to work out some pattern ideas.

This block is a good start for the Latin American Influences: Textile Inspirations class. Off to work up some more designs.

Cat Mola: Carving the Block

With the design transferred to the block, it's now time to start carving.

I use a linoleum carving tool made by Speedball. You can buy this as a set with different sizes of carving tips that insert into the handle. I also use an X-acto knife with #11 blades.

Before I start carving the block, I darken some of the areas so I know what and what not to carve. I tend to darken in the areas that I'm not carving. For this block, I am leaving the face details as is even though I will be carving those away.

I've also decided that I want to make this a shaped block so I'm drawing an extra outline around the design.

I always start by carving along the outlines of the areas I am leaving uncut. This acts as a guide so I don't accidentally cut away parts of the design I want to remain on the block. For this block, I'm starting with the #1 tip, which is the finest tip.

This is how I hold the block while I am cutting. I try not to aim the carving tool at my hand (for obvious reasons). I can also use this hand to swivel the block to make it easier to carve curves.

Sometimes there are tight spots where it is easier to use the X-acto  knife to cut a small wedge away from the design.

Here is the block with the outline carved away. Carving the interior details comes next.

Once the cat design is completely carved, I carve around the extra outline I added. I use the #2 tip for this.

Now it's time to cut away the excess parts of the block. I use the X-acto knife once again.

The completed block, ready for printing on fabric.

Cat Mola: Transferring the Design to the Block

Now that the cat mola design has been reduced to a size that will fit on the Speedball Speedy Carve block, it's time to transfer the design. To transfer the design you will need a piece of tracing paper, a #2 graphite pencil, a pair of scissors, a few pieces of masking tape and a soft rubber brayer (roller).

Place the block on the piece of tracing paper and  draw around the outside edges. This forms a frame for the cat design.

Slip the reduced cat mola design under the tracing paper and center it within the outline of the block. Tape in place so that it doesn't shift.

Trace over the outlines of the design using the #2 pencil.

Once the design is traced, trim the tracing extra tracing paper. I usually leave about an inch or so of the tracing paper around the design.

Flip the tracing paper onto the Speedball Speedy Carve block.

Using the soft rubber brayer, carefully roll over the design. You will need to hold the design in place or tape it down so that it doesn't shift while you are using the brayer,

Lift off the tracing paper and you will see that the design has transferred onto the block.

Now it's time to carve the design. Stay tuned!