This week I've had reading week! But Monday saw me back up at Dundee as I'd been desperate to get back into the studio to print however its all very different to the screen printing I've done at DCA. We're using acid and reactive dyes and to screen print we have to use a carrier either manutex or indalca. At present to create an image we're using stencils cut out of thin newsprint paper or by painting manutex onto the screen to create a barrier for the dye. The dye lab where we have to mix the dyes has special extractor fans and we have to wear face masks and gloves for Health and Safety - no more guessing the dye quantities we have to measure everything properly and log the information! But I do love it - every day I get there I cannot believe how lucky I am.
In the afternoon I used the heat press this is great for using transfer dye that's been painted onto paper and then pressing with heat onto fabric - usually poly cotton or chiffon etc anything as long as its not a natural fibre. Sometimes the painted papers are better to look at than the fabric!
paper protecter
painted image on thin newsprint paper
another protecter
layers of images built up on poly/cotton and painted paper
lightweight chiffon with different colours pressed while the fabric is scrunched up
painted papers
above and below layers of images on polycotton
these image were layered in photoshop and the levels were altered and blended
