Screen printing on hard surfaces

As I said in a previous post, I had the opportunity to learn about screen printing on paper and hard surfaces last Friday.
After we played around with paper, we used our exposed screen (mine had two designs on it) to print onto wood.

We had to use fabric binder rather than paper binder but it seems to have worked well.  I used a photo of grass that I took at Darebin Parklands, my design inspiration for everything at the moment.  I had used the photo to develop this design as part of my work for the Maurice Kain competition.

One of the things that I am loving about the course (Textiles and Design at RMIT) is that designs and skills are transferrable across subjects and projects - and I am seeing that more clearly now in my own work.

Today we are going to use the laser cutter and etcher to work further with the wood.  Then we are going to use the dye sublimation printer on polyester to produce some fabric to incorporate into the piece.  At least, I think we are going to do all that today - we will do at least one of the processes.

Finally getting some weaving done

I am pleased to say that I have finally started weaving my large tapestry on campus.  It is not far along but at least I have started.

I find that I get into a sort of zone when I weave, time just rushes by and I get lost in the decisions about colour, accuracy of the line, etc.

Today I started to have fun with texture.  I am using a combination of techniques and novelty yarns to produce my texture.  It is so much fun to try different yarns and see what I can do with them.  Sometimes I pull them out because they don't do what I wanted but usually they do an approximation of what I was hoping for.  It is exciting to have a general idea of what you want and just try out different ideas and not worry too much about being exactly true to the original picture - or the cartoon.  I think this free sort of weaving is my thing!  Interpreting the original design or picture, that's what I call it.

I love other people's works that are beautifully flat and wonderful representations of pictures and paintings but I don't want to do that yet - maybe when I am a more confident and proficient weaver.  Maybe not though, it may just be that I love texture. Anyway, it is good that it was fun today - I have plenty more to do on this piece and it is much easier if I am enjoying it.

Half tone print onto paper

When we had the opportunity to screen print on paper, we exposed a halftone design onto a screen and then printed it on paper.
I tried the technique of mixing two colours but it was inexact - I have no experience in this area at all, so it was probably my fault.

I preferred the print done in one colour.  I used coloured paper for this one - green on green.  The image is yet another photo I took at Darebin Parklands that I then played around with in Photoshop.

Screen printing on paper

Last Friday, instead of our usual class about Photoshop and Illustrator, we had a class in which we learnt to apply some of our ideas.  We are studying using the computer, and the above mentioned programs, to enhance screen printing on paper and hard surfaces.  I am really a ring-in for this class as I am not enrolled in the screen print stream of the textile course I am in.  A friend and I were allowed to enrol to learn the programs better, so I feel lucky to be in the class.
The teacher of screen print for paper and hard surfaces, Rose Elizabeth, very kindly walked us through some of the processes.  We had fun!!
We played with torn paper, talc powder and mixing colours on paper.

As I didn't really know what I wanted to do, I used pigment that had been left by other students.  It saved having to mix my own colours.  As the screen was used again and again, the colours mixed and changed.  Part of the fun was not knowing what was going to happen.

You could add colours as you went, so the intensity could be changed.  Now all I have to do is decide what I might use the paper for.  I think I would like to do this class next year if I am able.

Election Night

I don't usually do tapestry weaving at night but there is nothing on tv tonight that I want to see, except the analysis of the Federal Election today.  I will listen occasionally but it is early in the evening and people are just predicting. I live in a safe Labor seat, so it will all depend on the marginal seats, I assume.

I am so grateful that we can go to voting booths and not be in danger, that voting is compulsory and that it is just a normal part of our lives.  Tales from people I know who come from other countries remind us of the privilege we have of a safe voting environment and the human rights we take for granted.  I also like the fact that we vote for a party, not a person.

I did a little weaving today but had the important job of watching the television this afternoon as Hawthorn played Fremantle in the football (Australian Football League).  I don't like watching it on tv, I would much rather see it live, but it was in Tasmania, which is a bit far to go.  I couldn't ignore it and ended up watching it on tv.  As you might assume, little was achieved in terms of weaving today.
I rushed in at the quarter (and half) times and did a little (little being the operative word) and will perhaps do some tonight.

I am more interested in the vote than I used to be when I was younger - I couldn't understand why the older people were so interested but now I get it.

Home Tapestry

The two tapestries I am doing at present are both progressing slowly.  The one I am doing at home is on the way.  I can do it on weekends and for an hour or so every now and then, between appointments.  I also get together with a friend most Tuesdays and I usually take my tapestry with me.  We have a lovely day together, doing our artistic endeavours (assignments for our courses usually).  She is studying the Diploma of Textiles and Design at Box Hill TAFE.

I am using a cartoon at the back for this one.

This work is based on an aspect of Rockbeare Park and it's geology.  I am playing around with the colours and some texture in this also.  It has quite a long way to go still - I hope I don't get stressed about finishing it by the end of October, when it is due for my course!  I suppose I will have to eventually start working after dark.  It is actually staying light longer these days, so I should be able to get more in from now on.
I just looked up daylight saving hours on the government site, it starts at the beginning of October, so that will give me more time to work in reasonable light.

Winter Masterpieces

Today I went to the Winter Masterpieces exhibition of European Masters: Stadel Museum 19th - 20th Century, at the NGV.  I went with my friend from New York and a friend of hers.  We went in and looked around at some of the rooms, then went to a talk about the exhibition.  This was excellent, it went for about 45 minutes and had a good balance for people who know their art and those who know little.
It was interesting to hear how the political situation in Germany affected the artists.  There was also mention of how the invention of tubes of oil paint allowed outdoor painting. It is interesting to see how new technology can affect developments in art.  I tend to forget that those classic artists were also innovators and trying new ideas, breaking rules, etc - that they were not classic masters at the time. That came out clearly in the talk too.
I was impressed by the use of colour in the gallery, there were several rooms of paintings, representing different movements in the art, and they were presented in rooms that were painted in quite different colours, some of them very bright.  I am not sure if this is to replicate how the Frankfurt Gallery displays the works or if it was a design of the NGV.
The atmosphere at the gallery was great.  It was Wednesday evening and there were people eating and drinking in the foyer area, more people were in the Great Hall, listening to the band that was playing there. Others were in at the exhibition.  It was relaxed, happy and a great place to be.