Block print a plain bag

Block print a plain bag

Printing on fabric is so much fun and you get to show off your work everywhere you go with this simple tote bag project. This project is designed to show you how to make a simple foam printing block and how to print a seamless repeat print, I have provided an artwork for you to use but you can of course use your own images to create a design. Please read through the instructions before you start so you are familiar with what you have to do and practice your print on a piece of scrap fabric before you start on your final project.

Top Tips 

• You can use normal acrylic paints to print on fabric, mix with fabric medium 50/50 and they will be permanent and soft on the fabric once set with an iron.Acrylic blocks are available form craft shops in lots of sizes or you can find some companies will cut them to size for you, ebay is a good starting point. You can use wooden blocks or even old plate mats as long as its firm and flat- its just easier to see through acrylic to line up your prints
• Make sure you clean your block every few prints with a cloth or babywipes, this will stop the build of paint and make cleaner prints. 
• You need a nice flat surface clear of clutter, remember to put down newspaper or table covering to protect it. 

You will need…..

Acrylic block size 6”x6”square at least 3mm thick

Foam sheet (sticky back preferable) size A5 or A4

Craft knife

Fabric paint

Sponge roller & sponges

Plain tote bag

Scrap fabric for practice

Masking tape

I’ve provided……

The artwork, as a pdf template. Download here and print out before you start.

Step by step….. 

       1.     Stick your foam sheet to the surface of the acrylic block, take care not to press to hard onto foam as it marks easily.

2.     Print out the design and draw onto tracing paper using a soft pencil. 

 3.     Transfer the design onto your foam by placing the tracing paper upside down and lightly rubbing over the lines with your fingers.

4.     Using a sharp craft knife cut out the design and carefully peel away the excess foam. To get the detail on the wings and leaves use a sharp pencil and press firmly into the foam drawing the lines, these will appear as white lines in the final print. 

 5.     Mix your paint to the colours you are going to use and prepare your printing surface and place a piece of newspaper inside your bag to stop the paint coming through to the other side.

 6.     Use your masking tape to create a border around the edge of the bag and to stick bag down so it doenst move during printing, use extra tape at the top of the bag to protect the handles. 

 7.     When you are ready to print use a sponge roller or sponge to apply a thin, even coat of paint to your block, use a cloth to remove any excess paint on the edges of the block. Place the block face down onto the fabric, start in the centre overlapping the bottom edge a little. Press firmly on the back of the block. Carefully peel the block of the fabric to reveal the print, load the block with more paint and repeat the printing process lining up print by looking through the acrylic block. 

 8.     For an interesting design feature, for just one of the prints change the colour of the bird. Clean off all the original colour from the bird first with a cloth then load up the paint in the same way but with 2 different sponges.

 9.     Once you have covered the whole surface of the bag use a paint brush to touch up any areas that need it and allow to dry. Carfully remover the masking tape to reveal a nicely framed print with clean edges, iron on a high setting to set the paint and you bag is finished! Now show it off !

 TROUBLE SHOOTING

·      Egdes of print bleeding out – too much paint

·      Image faint – not enough paint

·      Mess marks all over fabric- edges or block need cleaning

·      Image over lap – you have not lined up the prints correctly, go with it, it could create a whole new design!

·      It looks a mess – embrace imperfections that’s the nature of hand printing and just have fun!

The main thing is to have fun, play and learn as you go!

Happy printing

Jenny

some links to credit me if your are going to share

https://twitter.com/jennymccabe
http://pinterest.com/cooandco/boards/
https://www.facebook.com/www.cooandco.co.uk

EXTRAS- here are a few links to where I buy stuff from
www.handprinted.co.uk - great for everything handprinted!
Ebay is a great place to look for acrylic sheets- here is a good company

Ebay again great for bags but if you want to buy more than one - Clever baggers are great

Homemade screenprints

This is a great way to try out screen printing, with practice you can get a lovely clear print each time, its great for a repeat design and with care your screen will last a while.

The basic idea is that you paint on your design onto the screen with the drawing fluid, coat the screen in a thicker screen filler, once its all dry you wash out the drawing fluid, leaving your design as a permanent stencil in the screen.

You can use any size hoop but 10” is a good working size, the best fabric to make your screen from is a very fine nylon mesh, look for net curtain fabric or voile in your local fabric shop, you can buy screen printing mesh which is perfect from screen printing specialists.

The screen drawing fluid & screen filler are available for any good art shop and last a long time and will make many screens, they come in a few different big name brands – I prefer the speedball ones as they are more familiar to me but take advise from others and your art shop.

Fabric paints come in many different brands- I always use acrylic paints mixed with fabric medium- just so I can use what’s already in my studio and to have more colour choice- again take advise form others and your art shop.

You can improvise your design but it may be helpful to have it drawn out first so you can trace it onto fabric, this will help you get the sizing right and play with your ideas before you commit it to the screen, for a 10” hoop you art work needs to be no bigger than 6”x 6”.

Practice- practice- practice- always except your first few screens not to work very well, it’s the only way to learn – it’s a tricky process and it will be trial and error till you get it right. (it took me 3 attempts to perfect the screen in the tutorial! Image to thin then to messy, then perfect!)

Right here we go- good luck

You will need

Embroidery hoop 10” or larger

Fine mesh nylon fabric

Fabric for printing on

Artwork

Screen drawing fluid

Screen filler

Paintbrush

Old credit card

Scissors

Parcel tape

Fabric paint

Hair dryer (optional)

Iron

 

Step by step

1- First you will need to cut your mesh slightly bigger than your hoop and stretch it over, tightening the hoop as you stretch, until you have a drum tight screen. 

 

2- Now you can paint your design onto the screen using the ‘screen drawing fluid’ this has a runny PVA type of consistency, take care not to drip it any where on your screen, you need to achieve a good solid line for your design – too thin and it wont work- practice makes perfect. You can draw your design onto the fabric in pencil or trace it directly from an image underneath- make sure you screen is mesh side up when you paint your design on. Allow it to dry fully, you can use a hairdryer on low heat if necessary. This should take 5-10mins.

 

3- Once your design is dry you can coat your screen in the ‘screen filler’. Do this with a credit card or squeegee if you have one. Pour a blob on the card and drag it across the your screen covering the surface in a thin even coat, take care not to over work this process as the drawing fluid will start to dissolve- one or two quick smooth scraping across the screen should be enough ( practice –practice – practice) allow to dry fully, use a hair dryer in you like. This should take 5-15mins.

 

4- Once the filler is completely dry you need to wash out the drawing fluid under running water. Allow the water to run over both sides of the screen and after a few second you should see the blue drawing fluid start to disappear, you may need to rub gently in some areas – be careful as to much rubbing with ruin screen. Hold it up to the light to check its clear- the edges of your design should be clearly defined and clear of both the drawing fluid and filler. Once its clear allow to dry.

 

5- Prepare your screen for printing by taping all the edges so no extra ink can get through to the fabric. I use parcel tape as its water proof and easy to remove- but masking tape would do too.

 

6-Lay out your ironed fabric on a clear protected surface ready to print, lay your screen onto the fabric where your design is to go, place a generous blob of paint above your design on the screen and use your credit card to smoothly scrape the paint across the design, pushing the paint through the screen 2 or 3 passes will be enough. Carefully lift the screen off the fabric and allow paint to dry.

 

7-If your design is repeated, use a hair dryer to dry the first print then place the screen on the fabric where the next print is going and repeat until you fabric is covered. Always iron your finished fabric to set the fabric paint.

Never allow the paint to dry in your screen, wash is immediately after you have finished printing- if you are doing a large piece of fabric with a repeat design you may need to stop half way through and wash your screen (make sure its dry before you start printing again)

 

I have made my fabric into a simple zipper purse as an example, but you can make anything you want, the possibilities are endless!

I hope this has been a helpful tutorial- if you have any questions just get in touch

Id love to see what you do and feel free to spread the word about this via pintrest of facebook or any other way!

Happy printing

Jenny

some links if your are going to share

https://twitter.com/jennymccabe
http://pinterest.com/cooandco/boards/
https://www.facebook.com/www.cooandco.co.uk

EXTRAS- here are a few links to where I buy stuff from
www.handprinted.co.uk - great for everything handprinted!
the fabric I used is 32T mesh 1/2 metre- £4.50
the drawing fluid (big pot lasts for ages)
Filler - (big pot - lasts for ages)

MEET - Elisabeth Omdahl

In my continuing series of interviews with artist who inspire, Id like to share with you the next instalment! This time it’s the turn of Elisabeth Omdahl

 Tell us a little about yourself 

I was born in Oslo,and lived four years  as a child in northern Norway before I came back here in the south .Currently living in Rygge, a small town south of Oslo.  Educated from college in Oslo, as a painter. I live close to a big lake, with husband and two old cats.

 Descried your work

My work is figurative, and an interplay between fragments is my method of working.  For me, art is the ultimate way of "interpreting life" around me, in the widest sense. A way of getting closer to an essence. I find that feeling in looking into details and fragments. Luckily 1+1 can equal 3 in the artworld. I try to let the unconsciousness do its work and trust in its mechanisms. My conscious job is to be open and alert and just work. 

Something worthwhile hopefully shows itself from time to time. A little something,  more than I had anticipated. Staying connected in all the phases of the process is my goal. In the end, most things are not the result I had hoped for. In the meantime, the pure joy of solving practical problems, playing with my tools and getting involved in solving esthetic demands drives me on.

As a theme I use the human body a lot, Also animals and plants. Trying to connect to their symbolic and archetype power.

 My daily routine is going to my studio about seven or eight in the morning and stay there until about 15.30-16.00.  I have just moved my studio home after 24 years in different places in town. So from now on I have my base in the garage. A winter-isolated space  approximately 45 m2. A big change for me, I was afraid it would feel like a retirement. But, so far I have kept my working routine as before.

Today I have no printing press, so I am on the lookout for a new one, since I have decided printing is still what I want to pursue in the future. I am new at printing, just borrowed a press from 2007-2010.

 Where do you get your inspiration?

From Internet, books, film and nature. I am fascinated by "automatic drawing", and I am regularly drawing from fantasy, not thinking about getting it right, just to see what comes automatically, The same with words. I read continuously.

I have been lucky over the years to have good friends and colleagues to have art-talks with. I think that has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my art-practice, People with professional background from visual arts, writing, theatre, dance and music. Grateful for that !!!

I have always been inspired by following other artists work through magazines and books, Lately the internet has made that a lot easier.

 How do you get past creative slumps?

My only tool is to make things so simple that I am sure I can manage. One line, one word, one action. That seems to help focus again. And of course, just do something completely different and get out of the studio.

 How do you promote your work?

Well, I don’t know anything else than trying to be visible on the net. Applying for exhibitions and sending my portfolio to galleries from time to time,  Not very practical in that department.

Where do you sell/ show your work?

I sell my work at these galleries.

Elverum Kunstgalleri 

Gallery H.gerner

Fineart Artclub+gallery

If you had all the money in the world what would you buy today to further your artistic ideas?

A big good printing press delivered at my door would be nice!

Any advise for us

Oh no!

Here you can find more of my work:

Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elisabethomdahl/

My blog

http://omdahlart.blogspot.com/

I adore Elisabeth's work, the imagery and her palette Im so drawn to, I can only aspire to have her sense of composition and presentaion she is truly an inspiration!

I do hope you all enjoy hearing more about her work and practice, do take a look at her links if you havent already xxx
jenny

MEET - Bridget Farmer

MEET! an new regular posting idea for my blog! as often as I can I will interview an artist of interest and share with you their wonderful work and working practice....
I dont know about you but I am always interested to read about how other people manage their practice and balance their creative lives, I hope these posts to be informative and enjoyable. if anyone has any suggestions of people to interview let me know or if you'd like to put your selfs forward just drop me a line xxxx

Introducing - Bridget Farmer

Give us a little bit of background to yourself
I'm an artist/ printmaker from and currently living in Belfast Northern Ireland. I studied art in Edinburgh but didn't discover printmaking until 2006 while traveling in Australia. I did a weekend course at the Australian Print Workshop and fell in love with the process. I've always loved drawing and feel most confident in this medium, but printmaking was a way to take my drawings further. I stayed in Australia until 2009 (I met a boy there, I was only supposed to stay for 5 months, now I've brought him back home with me!) and you can see from my work how the Australian bird life inspired me. Now I'm back home I'm working on British and Irish birds, sort of making mementos of the bird life of home, because I'm intending to move back to Australia next year.

Describe your work

I'd say my work is mainly linear. I love lines, always been afraid of tone and too much colour, so I stick with simple lines. I also strive to be very lose in my drawing style, often changing hands from right to left if a drawing seems to be getting too tight. These lines then translate well into the medium of etching, both dry point and acid etching. I still feel a new comer to printmaking, there's so much to learn and so many different techniques.
My main theme is birds, I'm not entirely sure why, but I always find myself wanting to draw them when I see them. They are a lovely compact shape yet still so full of character.  I have branched out and made a few goats and a few dogs and I do like drawing buildings, but I always go back to birds. I found when I first arrived in Australia drawing the birds there was a great way to get to know them. They were all so exotic looking and so unfamiliar, they really inspired me!
For readers not so familiar with the process of etching you can read my 'how to prepare and etch a copper plate' and read about the printing of an etched plate here.

Describe your practice?
My art work is my full time job. Maybe foolishly I don't have a 'real' job, I don't think I would be disciplined enough to have one anymore! But since moving back to Northern Ireland I have found it difficult, it's hard to re-establish yourself, luckily I've moved back into my mum's house! These days I spend as much time as I can at the Belfast Print Workshop. It's a fantastic facility and it's great to interact with other printmakers. At the moment I'm there from about 11ish till 6ish. I love it, I'd be there all the time if I could, I have to make myself stay at home to work on an illustration job I've been asked to do. I'm illustrating an Australian poetry book, this is the second book I'm doing for the publishers and it's a great experience.

Where do you create your work?
I do have a little mini press at home, but I find the Belfast Print Workshop an easier place to work in, also I get my exercise from cycling or walking into town to the workshop. I think I need that 'going to work' start of the day to really get my head down. Ideally, when I move back to Australia I want to have a studio gallery. A place in which I have my printmaking studio at the back and a gallery at the front, I want to be able to make my work and man the gallery at the same time, not sure what to do about the ink up to the elbow hands if I have a customer, but I'll work that out later! I still feel everything is very much on hold until I move back and settle down properly, at the moment everything, including any workspace that i have, feels temporary.

Where do you get your inspiration?
Mostly just from walking around and taking everything in. Going to new places is alway inspirational, new food for my eyes. I think also just sitting down in various places and drawing as much as possible. I always draw from life, I think it gives the outcome more life to it.
How would you describe the themes present in your work
I'm never really trying to 'say' anything in my work. I just like seeing the world around me, drawing it, and making prints. I did an MFA while in Melbourne and I constantly had to give reasons for everything I did, I found it very difficult! I'm never really trying to be deep and meaningful, I just really really like drawing. I like to observe the world around me and draw it! 

 Where do you sell your work?
I have my work in a few galleries in Australia. There are some great printmaking galleries in Melbourne, Port Jackson Press, P. G. Printmaker and a lovely gallery called Bird's Gallery which my work suits quite well! I'm also in a few galleries in Northern Ireland and Ireland, The Yard, Copper Moon and the Leitrim Design House. I also sell online in my etsy shop.

If you had all the money in the world what would you buy today to further your artistic ideas ??
I can think of the most wonderful studio if I had all the money in the world, but since I want to have my studio in Australia and I have to wait until I move back for that I can't buy it today and you stipulate 'what would you buy today' so, I've decided I would buy tickets to travel to lots of destinations offering printmaking classes and drawing holidays. I'd love to learn lithography or be taught etching by a master printmaker. I'd also buy lots of copper, nice clean shiny copper to etch with. At the moment I use the backs of other people's plates and they need LOTS of sanding down and polishing up before I can use them.

Thanks so much to Bridget for sharing her process and work with us check out here links below.
xxxx
Etsy Shop
www.bridgetfarmerprints.etsy.com
Blog
www.bridgetfarmer.blogspot.com
Website
www.bridgetfarmer.com

Review of 2009

1. tweet, 2. basket of eggs - youngsters series, 3. basket of birds - youngsters series, 4. hunting owl - youngsters series, 5. huntsmens chorus, 6. wagtaills landscape, 7. bird on a wire, 8. bucket of eggs sketch, 9. New baby final, 10. Nesting, 11. Bird in hand, 12. Wren pages, 13. made up bird on text, 14. Drying prints, 15. girl bird kneeling, 16. newspaper sketch, 17. bird bath final, 18. dolls raw, 19. big bird, 20. crouching bird, 21. sketch, 22. Mother & Child 3, 23. Mother & Child 2, 24. painted piggy back, 25. Proud Mums, 26. Bird doll with dress, 27. Proud couple, 28. basket of birds, 29. nightingale head, 30. bride heads, 31. stiched bird brides, 32. bird in hand skectch, 33. drying prints, 34. test bird head, 35. Test bird heads, 36. birds on wire

Inspired by Cathy’s end of year mosaic I have compiled my own, I was feeling the need to reflect on my work ready to move forward into the New Year. Thanks to Cathy for great inspiration and a fantastic link into the wonderful world of Flickr.

Over the last few months I have been more productive than in 10 years, It has been exciting to explore ideas quickly for a change. I am still struggling to except that I work better on mixed media pieces and I need to let go my obsession with painting as an exclusive medium and develop ideas and techniques further.

New year plan

 2010 to be the year of direction.

Daily sketches, Focused on the figure and scenarios.

More sewing, developing ideas and small projects

Collaboration with Claire Pickles on a textiles project……watch this space.

Continue to do what ever takes my fancy!

Maybe try to sell a little more so as to fund my projects (but not get stressed about it!)

It has been a great year for me in many ways, but certainly creatively its been the best for a very long time, more of this please, roll on 2010 xxx

Guilty pleasure

This weekend while I was working on other linocuts I decided to have some fun, it was the birthday of a very good friend who is a huge Twilight fan and I wanted to make her something special!
not the best linocut in the world but it worked for the purpose of a fun twilight related gift and it was fun staring a photo of the lovely Rob Pattinson for a few hours!!!!