Silkscreening with dye paste

silkscreened with dye paste and newsprint resist

I haven't yet posted about the two final lessons in the on-line class I took with Elizabeth Barton, titled "Dyeing to Design", through quiltuniversity.com. Both these segments involved using dye paste and silkscreens.

I have used silkscreens to print on fabric before, but usually with textile paint, not dye paste. The difference is that dye paste penetrates the fibres, and textile paint sits on top of the cloth. Dye concentrate alone doesn't have the "body" needed for silkscreening, so it is combined with alginate, which thickens it up to a useful, pasty consistency.

Because I have several commitments coming up in the next month or two, I didn't spend more than a couple of days trying out Elizabeth's suggested techniques. One of my efforts is shown at left.

Tenerife

I think this technique of silkscreening, using paper shapes as a resist, has some possibilities for my Cityscapes.

I would love to work with the imagery of the Mediterranean hillside town, and possibly I could achieve this level of detail by silkscreening large and small shapes onto cloth.

I highly recommend Elizabeth Barton as a teacher. I have taken three of her on-line classes, and she is offering more this spring. Taking an on-line class connects you to other artists all over the world. Elizabeth provides excellent notes, and incisive feedback to the photos of work posted in the class gallery. Her new book, "Inspired to Design", will be available on Amazon in May 2013.