Tag: surface design
Which fabric paint to use?
Fabric paints are available in two basic sorts – those that are absorbed into the fabric and those that rest on the surface of the cloth. While both varieties are suitable for painting light-coloured backgrounds, if you intended to work on a dark ground you will need to select the sort that rests on the surface of the cloth. This is the most important in order to preserve a clear outline and to prevent the background colour from showing through. The main drawback of working with opaque fabric paints is that they do tend to stiffen the fabric, which affects the drape of the cloth. So, although they are acceptable for furnishing fabrics, blinds and cushion covers, they don’t work as well on garments.
Karen Kamenetzky: From Science to Fibre Art
American fibre artist Karen Kamenetzky believes that all change happens on an infinitesimal level and results in the world we experience everyday. Kamenetzky creates a kind of invented biology, zooming in on that fundamental nature of things and bringing it into vision. She works loosely from sketches but each piece travels a route of evolution and change.
Decorating Textile Garments and Accesories
Clothes that you once loved but have since become tired of can be given a new lease of life at little expense with new and exciting decorative treatment. The same is true of newly bought items. Plain ties, scarves and tee-shirts can all be transformed from standard items into unique pieces with the addition of a little paint or dye.
Textile project: How to Sponge?
Sponging is a simple and effective method of adding texture to the cloth, and produces excellent results when using as the background for other decorative finishes such as stencilling or block printing. However, this technique does not have to be carried out with the sponge – you can create similar effects by printing with screwed-up pieces of cloth or kitchen paper.
The World of Artist Trading Cards
Artist Trading Cards (ATC) are miniature works of art created on 2 ½ x 3 ½ inches cards. They are totally original expressions of an individual’s craft or artistic bent and were the brainwave of a Swiss artist called Vanci Stirnemann, artist-in-residence, at Calgary’s The New Gallery. He wanted to produce a catalogue in playing-card format to document work in the gallery but because of printing costs were so prohibitive, the project was shelved until 1996.
Making Your Own Curtains
Windows are focal points in rooms so it is important that you think carefully about what you use to decorate them. Because a window allows you to show off your fabric over a large area, a curtain project is an excellent opportunity to make the most of your creative flair and imagination.
How to tie-dye the cotton fabric?
While the cotton is the traditional fibre for tie-dyeing in Africa and India, you can use almost any fibre for this process providing that it is receptive for the dye and not too bulky to withstand tying. For best results, select a smooth, fine cloth such as cotton lawn. In general, man-made fibres are not as suitable as natural ones because they don’t absorb the dyes as readily.
