I feel like doing some printing…and sewing…and potting
Linoleum block I carved last year to use on clay
I haven’t spent much time in the studio lately…but I have been thinking about new projects related to clay and print making. I feel like branching out partly inspired by the following two books:
Printing by Hand – Lena Corwin
I had picked up Lena Corwin’s book, Printing by Hand, from the library last year but felt it didn’t apply to my projects at the time. Most of the examples and projects involve printing on paper, fabric, furniture and walls. But, I have a hankering for printing some note cards and stationery and remembered her book. I did some internet sleuthing (read googled the title of the book) and landed on Lena’s blog. I don’t know how much time I spent perusing her blog, when eventually I saw mention of Lotta Jansdotter.
Lotta Prints by Lotta Jansdotter
I managed to find two of her books at the Denver Public Library – Lotta Prints & Lotta Jandsdotter’s Simple Sewing. I’m inspired by both Lotta’s and Lena’s use of printmaking to make beautiful and decorative items. I can’t wait to explore some of the resources they list in their books on the web this afternoon.
PhotoEZ Screen Print Starter Kit
I am particularly interested in screen printing which both Lotta and Lena describe in their books and am reminded that I still have the PhotoEZ Screen Print Kit that I haven’t used yet. I should mess around with it before I leave on vacation next week. One method of screen printing that I also want to try is using drawing fluid and screen filler to create easy original screen prints.
If you visit regularly, you might be asking yourself – “What about clay???” Wait for it…………wait for it…………okay….. I mentioned above that I want to branch out a bit. I’m going to try my hand at making some paper products for sale along with some fabric/sewing projects for the new/old home we’re moving into in late August. It will give me a chance to do some drawing and think that the projects will translate really nicely as color ceramic decals if I can get my act together. The screens would also work nicely directly on raw clay using underglaze.
The paper & fabric projects will give me some instant gratification unlike making pottery (okay there is gratification in making and designing, but less so when the firings don’t always turn out as expected). These projects will also be more portable when I consider that my studio is also going to be moving cross town – a task I am looking forward to. Why? Because my studio needs some serious reorganizing! What better way to accomplish the task than a move to light the fire under my behind.
Signing off,
Cynthia
Linda Starr
June 10, 2009 at 11:44 am //
Hi Cynthia, you always have the best resource books referenced here on your blog about new processes and I really enjoy learning about them. I will have to see if I can find these two books. I was thinking about screen printing the other day because I thought if I ever want to make a set of designs, it would take me forever to hand paint individually. What better way than to screen print them onto clay in some way. I can’t wait to see what you come up with. Screen print kit and drawing fluid and screen filler – you definitely have my interest peaked, I am off to do some research myself. Thanks so much.
Cynthia
June 10, 2009 at 11:59 am //
…if I ever want to make a set of designs, it would take me forever to hand paint individually… EXACTLY Linda! I’m all about speeding up some processes myself. Do the hard work once and then make editions. I feel like running out today to buy the screen filler and a screen and some ink….
cindy shake
June 10, 2009 at 1:14 pm //
I so understand the need to work in many mediums. When I’m in my studio working, surrounded by all sorts of fun supplies I physically have to tell my self “now steady, steady…, focus… that’s the way girl, steady…!” I want to be making ALL KINDS OF ART ALL THE TIME! Check out Geninne’s Art Blog (her link is on my Blog) to get really whipped up for collage, print making and artmaking!!
Cynthia
June 11, 2009 at 8:24 am //
“steady, steady…focus”, hehehe this is totally me! Summer just about brings out the worst of my ADD – no schedule, minimal commitments and a ton of art materials collected over the years. I’ll take a look at Geninne’s blog after this…
Mary T.
June 10, 2009 at 1:30 pm //
What ever it takes, right Cynthia? I think it is a great plan and will keep your mind off of the the not fun part of moving.
Cynthia
June 11, 2009 at 8:25 am //
Well, supposedly my husband is going to do EVERYTHING – at least that’s what he said when he was twisting my arm…but we both know he was just sweet talking!
Pauline
June 10, 2009 at 1:33 pm //
Hey Cynthia, Pauline here, remember all that stuff I emailed you a while back, I used those silkscreens on clay a whole lot! I have over 50+ of them and use them all the time—they are soo neat and easy to use after you make a few, they are always there for you to layer designs, etc., I especially like using the underglazes on leatherhard (or even dryware) (and you can use colors, just remember to put darkest colors on top). You can also throw a cylinder, wrap the screen around it, and using the red ribs squeegee underglazes onto the cylinder, then without touching the outside, manipulate the shape and the design stretches beautifully on the outside. Tip, after you make screens, wet them and dry them between cotton towels until pliable and the emulsion gets a tiny bit tacky, then it sticks nicely to the clay as you are–squeegeeing the underglazes. They are better than decals since you don’t have to have a third firing, and instead of the image being on top embedded into the glaze which can get scratched, it is underneath the clear glaze (or colored semi transparent glazes which will show the images through. Also, you can then use screens on paper, cardstock or fabric!! These are terrific.
Cynthia
June 11, 2009 at 8:27 am //
Of course I remember you Pauline – you’re quite an inspiration! I should open the package to take a look at the screens – somehow I didn’t think that they could be wrapped around a cylinder. Thanks for the tip
Pauline
June 14, 2009 at 4:03 am //
The really useful part about these screens (also the screens I buy from another company–http://www.photoezsilkscreen.com/ are the same pretty much) is that they are NOT mounted on a wooden frame like the screens of old. This enables you to cut out smaller images from the screen and use them however you want. The key is to dampen the screens as I mentioned above, then making sure they are not wet, but now pliable –they will stick to the clay nicely without moving and that includes a thrown cylinder on a wheel as well. Just be sure you are in a darkened room when you open the package with the screens—if subjected to UV rays from light or sun, the emulsion will harden and you don’t want that to start until you are ready with your the images you want to put on the screens, basically the images in dark black ink on thin paper (or I use transparencies),are placed on top of the silkscreens with the emulsion, and then exposed to light (sunlight for 1 minute works), then placed in water for 15 minutes. You then scrub out the soft emulsion under the black images which did not get hardened by the sun because UV rays are blocked under the dark images, and then you have a screen ready to use. It sounds a lot more difficult to describe than it is to do. Have fun with them. I just used one of my screens to silkscreen a butterfly on a vessel I just made and will put that up on my blog, http://paulinesstuff.blogspot.com/ even though it has not yet come out of final “clear” glaze firing.
Cynthia
June 15, 2009 at 6:55 am //
Thanks for the link to PhotoEZ – I just bookmarked the site to look at when I get back from vacation!
Angela Rockett
June 10, 2009 at 5:37 pm //
Oh, I forgot about Lotta Prints! What a great book. I didn’t realize she had another one too. Now I want to do some printing.
Cynthia
June 11, 2009 at 8:28 am //
I only just discovered her work – I am inspired! According to her website, she has another book due out next year. She’s a dynamo…
ang
June 10, 2009 at 9:00 pm //
oh yeh good ol printing which i still haven’t got to…not surprised by now!! I have too many ideas and not enough time….
Cynthia
June 11, 2009 at 8:29 am //
I hear ya – I’m in the same boat. Most of my ideas live in my head and rarely see the light of day…
jim
June 11, 2009 at 6:25 am //
always good to branch out and even when you’re not working with clay, you’re always thinking about how you can finagle the new thing around to work with clay… have fun.
Cynthia
June 11, 2009 at 8:30 am //
I need to get at it, don’t I? I’ve decided to bring a small sketch book on vacation – that will hopefully be filled with design ideas ready to be birthed after I return home.
Lynette
June 11, 2009 at 8:24 pm //
Cyn, I think the printmaking sounds like lots of creative fun! It’s like integrating your designs from your clay work into another medium and I bet the results will look wonderful!
Cynthia
June 12, 2009 at 6:51 am //
That’s what I’m hoping, Lynette! Hey I found a little aceo that I bought from you awhile ago – I never did frame it. I’m going to do that when we move.