08 August 2014

Playing with thickened dye

December is the month for deconstructed screen printing but my helpers and I are starting early. It's so much easier to blast a used screen with a high powered hose in your yard in MAINE in July than December (smile). I won't be showing any of my work yet but I did want to show my favorite part of deconstructed screen printing....the clean-up process. YES!

I started with a sort of failed dye experiment. I had dyed some burlap then used the dye covered burlap as a "stamp". It was OK but needed more dye. I used this on my table to "catch" any stray dye (like there's something wrong with that). Later I......



When I set up my screens I use various objects to create texture. I usually use waxed paper, plastic wrap and and a bag that held oranges.



When I am done these are covered with thickened dye. I also set up the screens on fabric which I want to add color. That was the burlap print.

Next I take the dye covered objects and use them as stamps


When all the dye is gone off these "stamps" I throw globs of left over dye on the fabric then use a credit card to blend them into the cloth.






This was already a dark and gloomy drop cloth that I used under some batik.


 I wondered what would happen if I just dumped dye on the cloth, crumpled and scrubbed it together.



RED. Very RED!!


I thought I had dumped all the thickened dye on the fabric and was going to the sink to wash out the Italian Ices cups when I discovered some golden yellow and turquoise sitting near by so I put the fabric over my hand like a mitten, reached in the cup and scooped out the dye. There was a touch of green too.


Then I took the turquoise and applied it with a credit card.


Looks very under-watery



Judith really indulged!!


This waxed paper was what I used to make the texture on the deconstructed screen set-ups. It was beautiful and I saved it in my sketchbook (of course). Later I woke up in the middle of the night and thought, "What if..." See tomorrow.

4 comments:

  1. Love it! I'm very intrigued by the wax paper... kept thinking "what would happen if you pressed it with an iron over some soda soaked (and dried) fabric?" I need to start making up some screens, or revamping the ones I have. I am getting excited for December already!

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  2. Beth, it is like you take us with you to far & exotic lands every time you share your color/dye/fabric explorations! Love it, & here I can say, Happy Travels & Bon voyage et un grand merci, Thank You!!

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  3. really looking forward to December!

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  4. That was a lot of fun to read but not near as much fun as it must have been to play with the dyes. I'd be like Judy and end up with most of it on myself. Did she think to use her foot as a stamp?

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