contents

An Invitation to Design .
PART 1 ChAPTER 1 ChAPTER 2 ChAPTER 3 ChAPTER 4 ChAPTER 5 PART 2

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surfaCe design fundamentals

setting up your Work area . exploring your media . selecting your fabric Painting the Base adding texture
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surfaCe design teChniques

ChAPTER 6 ChAPTER 7 ChAPTER 8 ChAPTER 9 ChAPTER 10 ChAPTER 11 ChAPTER 12 ChAPTER 13 ChAPTER 14 ChAPTER 15 ChAPTER 16 ChAPTER 17

stamping and relief Printing . stenciling techniques . nature Printing .

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monotype, Collagraph, and gelatin Prints . silk-screen Printing image transfer fold and Color. Working with resists. marbling methods. drawing on fabric . all that glitters

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sewing: as accent, embellishment, and texture .

PART 3

a designers noteBook
inspiration and recordkeeping . basic color Theory . . . . . . . . . . composition 101 . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Resources . . . . . . . . Reading List . . . . . . Acknowledgments . Index . . . . . . . . . . . .

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a D D ing T e x T ur e/ Basic techniques for achieving texture

Basic Techniques for Achieving Texture

There are many ways to achieve the effect of textured fabric. As you explore the options, youll no doubt discover a variety of common materials that you can use to create all kinds of effects. Let your own ingenuity take over to discover new tools and even newer ways to use them. here are some suggestions to get you started. Bubble wrap, of any size; the smaller the bubbles, the better Rubber bands Scraps of burlap, or any other coarsely woven fabric Rubbing plates, available from art suppliers such as Dick Blick (Cedar Canyon is one brand); you may also find rubbing plates in the cake-decorating aisle of craft stores Plastic doilies or plastic lace Plastic needlepoint canvas Yarn or string Corrugated cardboard Crumpled plastic sheeting or plastic drycleaning bags Crumpled aluminum foil Plastic mesh bag (such as an onions bag)

Paints
You can use heavy-body, transparent, or opaque textile paints for textural effects, or use acrylic paints mixed with the appropriate textile medium. (See Comparing Textile Paints, page 18.)

applicators
As well as the items suggested at left, youll need a palette (a smooth surface to hold the paint) and a brayer to pick up the paint from the surface and apply it to the fabric. Smooth and easy to clean, the best palette is Plexiglas, available at shops that sell mirrors and glass, as well as at building-supply, hardware, and home-improvement stores. My favorite brayer is a 4-inch-wide Rollrite Multi-Purpose foam brayer, but do experiment to find the brayer that works best for you. ProJeCt: Play with texture suPPlies needed Work surface covered with plastic sheeting rubber bands in a variety of sizes Prewashed fabric measuring about 18" 22" (or fat quarter size) Painters masking tape Paint Plastic spoons, for scooping out the paint (optional) Plexiglas sheet, about 11" 13" (or other smooth, flat palette) brayer, for rolling out paint

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step 1. Place an assortment of rubber bands

on your work surface, and lay your fabric on top of it. Tape the fabric down.

step 1

step 2. Put a dollop of paint on the sheet of

Plexiglas, then load the brayer with paint. The paint should evenly coat the brayer, but take care not to pick up too much paint. Dip into the paint using an up-and-down, or pouncing, motion while simultaneously rolling forward. Your goal is to spread the paint evenly on the brayer, not to spread the paint over the Plexiglas.

step 2

step 3. Roll the paint-laden brayer over the fabric. Avoid landing the brayer too suddenly on the fabric; this results in a sharp line where you make contact. For a softer look, use some finesse and go at the fabric with a smooth motion, striving to apply the paint gradually and evenly throughout. I think of this as hitting the floor running. If you have a tendency to load on too much paint, roll out the brayer on another piece of fabric first. Its a good idea to wipe paint off the edges of the brayer before printing, to keep the edge of the print clean. step 4. Get some visual distance from your
piece before you go too far. After applying some paint, hang your piece up, and step back to take a good look at it. Youll find that a small amount of texture goes a long way, so take your time. You can always add more, but its difficult to take paint away!

step 3

step 5. Allow to dry, then heat-set according to

manufacturers directions, at the appropriate heat setting for your fabric.

try this!
use multiple colors. roll out several colors on the Plexiglas at once. unless you want gray or brown, dont let more than a couple ofcolors mix. Create different grains. change direction as you roll on the paint, angling the roller this way and that to achieve a variety of grains.

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a D D ing T e x T ur e/ Basic techniques for achieving texture

exPloring the PossiBilities:

texture

vary the material a, b, c. Experiment with a variety of materials, including those listed on page 50 or others you discover. move around d. Change the position of the material youre using to achieve texture, striving for some inconsistency and/or overlapping images. use fabric crayons or Paintstiks e. Instead of rolling on paint, rub over the area with fabric crayons or Shiva Paintstiks. You can use the flat end or break off a piece, so you can use the side. (See pages 249 and 251 for more information on using crayons and Paintstiks.) rubber bandwrapped brayer f. Create a wonderful, barklike texture by wrapping a soft brayer with rubber bands before rolling on the paint. This can be a little tricky, but its well worth the trouble. afterthought g. Spread paint with a brayer on an art piece that has already been quilted. Take care that only the raised areas of the fabric get painted, while the areas with stitching do not. Youll have to experiment with different rollers and how much pressure to use. This technique can add lovely highlights and contrast to a piece that might seem too monochromatic. more or less paint. Notice how different the paint looks when the brayer is loaded compared to areas where the paint is almost gone. Use that difference to your advantage. Youll find that it adds dimension to the texture.

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ProJeCt: Making a Leaf Print suPPlies needed Work surface covered with plastic sheeting leaves of all shapes and sizes newspaper sheets, cut to size Paint and paint palette Foam brushes, cosmetic sponges, a brayer, and/ or a homemade dauber Prewashed fabric (see page 28) Sponge brayer for rubbing (optional) Damp towel for wiping your hands (this can be amessy operation!)

step 1

step 2

step 1. On your plastic-covered work surface,

place a leaf on a piece of newspaper, if desired, and apply paint to it with a brush, sponge, brayer, or dauber.

step 2. Carefully pick up the leaf and place it

paint side down on your fabric, making sure that none of its edges roll under.

step 3

step 3. Put a piece of newspaper on top of the leaf, then rub on it with your hands or a soft sponge brayer to smooth the paint onto the fabric. step 4. Carefully lift off the newspaper. (It will
more than likely have paint on it, so be careful where you put it down. I usually crumple it up right away and throw it in the trash so I dont have any accidents.) Carefully lift off the leaf. I like to wipe it clean with a damp rag right away so I can use it again.

step 4

step 5. Use the same leaf to make additional

prints. Most leaves will last through many printings.

step 6. Allow the paint to dry and then heatset (see page 22), if necessary.

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W o r k i n g W i T H r eSi ST S / serti technique

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step 8

the CraCkle effeCt

To achieve the traditional batik crackle, remove the wax-laden fabric from your stretching frame after the last application of wax and paint. crunch the fabric up with your hands as much or as little as you want. lay it out flat on your work surface, then paint over the entire surface with a thin or medium-body dark-colored textile paint that has been thinned with water. (You can also use india ink, acrylic inks, or artist acrylic paints that have been thinned with textile medium for this step.) Some artists get great results by putting the finished piece in the freezer before crunching. This gives it a stronger crackle, as the frozen, hard wax tends to crack with sharper lines.

step 8

step 9a

step 9b

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