Author: Lee Thomson

partner, parent, artist, knitter, sailor, cyclist, sketcher, house painter, set designer, safety officer, itinerant equestrian, kite flyer, questions?

all kinds of blue

August 7, 2012

aug 7

via www.flickr.com

The indigo experiment for the day above. Below, because I am getting to work on some commissions, I needed some sky and some ocean (Hi Jenny!).

Rather than submit to the vagaries of indigo, I used Inkodye, requiring heat or UV light to develop color. It is a different kind of magic:  the fabric is soaked in a gray, muddy looking mixture of dye and water, then removed and set in the sun. As the fabric warms in the sun, the color develops, going from muddy to pinkish and purpleish and finally to deepening shades of blue.Parts of the fabric that are shaded do not develop, so it can be used for sunprinting, or with transparencies for very detailed prints.

I find Inkodye (along with almost everything else) at Dharma Trading. It comes in many colors, but I was most interested in the blues and greens.

inkodye blue

darker?

August 6, 2012

aug 6

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For no reason I can discern, the indigo vat is working better today. I don't know if it is threatening to modify it or ignoring it because of the heat, or even the heat? But things dipped today are definitely a much deeper color, which is making me happy.

I experimented with a sashiko pattern but it is kind of lumpy. I should draw it out better, and possibly also look up some others.

So, tomorrow, before I try new fabric in the indigo vat I shall threaten to ignore it for longer…

thicker white thread

August 5, 2012

aug 5

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White thread on indigo makes me think of sashiko (not sashimi!) the Japanese mending and reinforcing stitch that has become an artform all its own. It is done by hand rather than machine, although I saw a dedicated machine last week that only emulates it.

I'm waiting on more indigo so I can rebalance the vat and get darker colors. In the meantime, I'm putting some different resists to see what among the easily available things in the house works.

Northampton on a Saturday

August 4, 2012

Northampton on a Saturday

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Walked w/Kate, sushi for lunch, HOTHOTHOT and hazy and dreadful, I am cowering in the air conditioning wishing I could make my room cooler. It will get better soon.

I tried to get more indigo at the art store but they were out and dubious about their ability to get more soon. So I ordered some stuff from Dharma Trading and it will be here on Tuesday because they really rock.

indigo starts here!

August 1, 2012

aug 1

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I started the indigo vat this afternoon. It is a lumpy, smelly chemical process even with a kit full of pre-measured and ready-mixed chemicals. I'm not entirely sure I'm doing it correctly, but some things have come out blue, so that is a good start.

This heart was unplanned serendipity, so I started here.

goofing with the bees

July 31, 2012

july 31

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I think this one is for Audrey – she who keeps bees and is (still, I think) obsessed with hexagons. The nut I had stubbed my toe on in the kitchen was hexagonal, so I was using it to blot paint off the plate, until I realized it had paint on it and I could transfer that onto another plate… So I did. Hence, hexagon. So to speak.

I sand with the Sacred Harp group again tonight. Last week I felt like I had a grip, this week I was seated next to a dubious person, and we were flailing more. It makes me wonder if my dad might come. The sight reading and the harmony might make him happy.

maple moon (wings)

July 30, 2012

july 30

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Still experimenting with gelatin printing.

I used a biscuit cutter to cut nice round circles out of the sheet of gelatin, and experimented using those as block for printing. Since my biscuit cutter is smaller than my circle-a-day circles, there is an unprinted edge that I wanted to accentuate.

I realized I have not yet posted links to my sources for gelatin printing.

My favorite, and primary source, is Linda Germain, and her blog Printmaking Without a Press. Linda does lovely, delicate work. She has answers to frequently asked questions, and videos on YouTube for those who want to see what she's talking about.

The Sketchbook Challenge blog also has a tutorial, and some pictures of the process.

I have really enjoyed having the gelatin block around to experiment with this month. It has been a lovely cool way to spend time working with fabric and color. I found it easy to get started. The gelatin block was fun to make and fun to hold (and fun to make wiggle! think industrail strength Jello Wigglers…) The materials I used were things I had on hand (white fabric, fabric paint) so the project scrimmage was small. 

It took me a lot of experimenting to come up with truly lovely things, making me uneasy until I hit my groove. I am also not entirely sure what to do with the pieces I don't love. I finally decided I'd hold them as potential blocks for stitching together into a lightweight coverlet or unfilled quilt. Or maybe I'll just give them away. It is a good year for it!