It's been AGES.....since the opportunity presented itself to spend a day doing deconstructed screen printing. My long time pal Judy Simmons, Sue Lee, and I began on a raining, but mild temperature wise day. Our outdoor set up got moved into her husband's woodworking studio...which required some shrinkage of workspace but yahoo......we were creating!!!
With sharing in mind, we all brought resists that were no deeper than about 1/8" and silk screens. This technique is really a simple process, but there are so many variables to obtain great results. We just wish there were absolute RULES......so we could work off a check list (ha....not that we ever would). Basically we wing it.....if we aren't happy with what got printed.....heck, we can always add surface design or print over it!
I started with some ferns, picked the night before and stored flat in my car outside overnight so they stayed fairly cool. Unfortunately, the rhythm I had developed was absent after such a long time away from this technique. So, starting simple.....ferns were arranged on plastic, surrounded by thin wood button.
My smallish screen was placed over the arrangement.
My second layout began with pine needles, a tin metal 'something or other', and corrugated cardboard.
Again, covered with my screen.
And my final layout, already covered with a homemade screen.
The next step is to squeegee dye infused print paste through the screen......this is a small piece of Judy's.
After each screen has been covered with colored print paste, they are left to dry.
Next, the fun begins.....starting on the left....the screen is placed over dry fabric that had been soaked in soda ash. This step aides the dye molecules to attach to the fiber. Clear thickened print paste is pressed through the silk screen.....dissolving the dye and allowing it to attach to the prepared fabric below. Each 'pull' yields a different look. Normally 4-5 prints can be achieved from one screen.
Here's my second pull from my first screen......because of space limitations....I rolled each print between black plastic before printing the next one. The bundle will 'batch' for at least 24 hrs.
This was one of Judy's wonderful prints.....I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the color.
I'm anxious to process the fabric in 24 to 48 hrs. because so far, I'm not finding the kind of prints I expected. The ferns, pine and cedar branches don't seem to have printed well. No matter what I get...I know I'll be grinning........ Come back and see won't you??
5 comments:
I love this process but don't do it very often. It is a mess, but the results are usually worth it. Hope your results are awesome!
Good info in your step-by-step photos. I'll be back to see!
you know this is one of my favorite printing techniques! I can't wait to see the finished pieces. So much fun to do...which is why I do this at least once or twice in Florida! Screens dry quickly and batching is easy with the heat as well! HA
I couldn't agree more Robbie.......it's really such a fun technique....love the surprises! The big negative for most folks is that it's messy and it requires the right kind of space to so it. Thankfully, I have buddies who do!
This is something that I have never done, but only admired other's work. It does look like fun and I will be back to check the finished pieces.
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