fabric prints

Mark up your sketchbook

artist book, book arts, fabric prints / /

I recently made a sketchbook with some monoprinted book cloth.

sketchbook with hand made book cloth

I used a sewn tab binding. It is pretty sturdy. And it is small enough to take to the woods.

sketchbook by linda germain

But first I am going to:

  • scribble with pencil
  • add relief stamp paptterns
  • glue in some flower prints
  • doodle with marker

make marks in sketchbook

You may think what would be left for sketching? And you maybe right. A lot of the pages will be marked up with information.

collage in your sketchbook

But it is my book. And what I have come to understand is that in my books the linear drawing may not be the star. So if the book is filled with words or printed marks, then that is okay.

I offer you this challenge to use your sketchbook in ways that support your art practice and to let go of any limiting ideas of what your sketchbook should be. I think you will experience more joy.

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Printing on Fabric – feel and use

fabric prints, printing inks, tools / /

When choosing to monoprint on fabric you may want to think about:

  • your intended use for the printed fabric
  • how you want it to feel
  • does it need to be washable

play with printing on fabric

I don’t always know what I will use the fabric for, but I often want it to feel soft and be washable. The main factor that affects these qualities is the kind of ink or paint that you print with.

inks for make monoprints on fabric with the gelatin plate

I have tried lots of brands with monoprinting fabric on the gelatin plate. And I think every artist will have their own preference. You can read about my experience with the different inks in this blog post.

The other factor that affects the hand/feel of the material is how thickly you apply the ink. Often with monotype printing on paper, I can print several layers of ink and I try to limit the layers to 1 or 2 when printing on fabric.

If you would like to explore Monoprinting Fabric with the gelatin plate, then check out the details of the upcoming online class and join us.

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Gelatin Printing on Fabric

fabric prints / /

I am getting ready for a new session of Monoprinting Fabric with the gelatin plate.

hand printed fabric

Printing on fabric with the gelatin plate is very experimental. It is always a surprise to see what kind of marks I can get.

delicate print on fabric

I use the same tools as I use when I gelatin print on paper,

  • Stencils both found and cut
  • Stamping tools to manipulate the ink

I use acrylic screen print ink and inexpensive cotton fabric. Read more about my ink experiments here.

I like to work with small squares of fabric gathering all the different kinds of marks that stem from this process.

many different kinds of marks gelatin printing on fabric

I would love for you to join this online printmaking class.

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Play with the same tools!

fabric prints / /

If you use

  • the same stencils or
  • mark making tools or
  • colors and
  • the same kind of fabric

then it is easier to work them into a completed project.

gelatin print on fabric

I have been using the mark making tools below and stone like stencils to make these gelatin prints on fabric. I am not sure what they will become. Maybe a tote bag.

mark making tools for gel printing

One of the challenges for me is to use all the fabric that I print! The quickest way to use up some of the large stash it to make a quilt.

quilt gel block

So I have a crazy quilt in process. It is kind of a sampler or all my marks. When I started piecing the quilt together, I was glad that I used a lot of the same kind of fabric and colors. That way the mismatched piece go together more easily.

If you are interested in making monoprints on fabric with the gelatin plate then join us in the online printmaking class, Monoprinting Fabric. Read the details on the workshop page and join us. Class starts soon.

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Quick “table” for prints in progress

fabric prints / /

I always need more space. Recently I figured out that I could make temporary tables out of large pieces of foam core.

foam core table to hold prints

I have several big pieces of foam core that are easy to store up against the wall. And when I need a table to hold supplies, or prints in progress, I can lay the foam core across a stack of boxes, or! an ironing board or two, or a low shelf. Please use this idea if it helps you

gelatin print on fabric

These days my studio is a mess with monoprinted fabric. I am getting ready for the online printmaking class – Monoprinted Fabric that starts soon.

gel printed fabric linda germain

I am so pleased when I find myself learning new things even when I am doing processes that I have for years.

use foam core table to hold prints in progress

Here I used 2 pieces of foam core to make a folding table bigger, while I laid out monoprinted fabrics to sew together as a quilt.

Monoprinting with the gelatin plate on fabric is spontaneous and experimental. If that sounds fun to you then read the details on the workshop page and join us. Class starts soon.

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