Relational Colour – 25/01/18

I was able to take part in the fabric dyeing workshop and made a huge series of contrasting colours and shapes, using a variety of skills. We were first taught how to prepare the dye baths, that needed to be 100 degrees, only a teaspoon amount of dye powder and then finish it off with salt and vinegar. I chose to use plastic shapes, held down with clamps to create funky patterns onto my piece of silk, and they came out looking incredibly colourful without even letting them become fully dyed. I also experimented with a tube shape, wrapped my fabric around it and then wrapped string around the fabric to create an almost tiger-like pattern.

These are what they ended up looking like after experimentation;

We were then introduced to fabric paint and how to use it. At first, the colours didn’t look vibrant when painted onto the paper, but when it was printed onto the soft fabric under the heat press, they became incredibly bright and contrasted really well together, with very crisp lines and edges, really adding a professional feel to them. I decided to make patterns that were very geometrical, like Patrick Heron, and also a few expressionistic patterns, that corresponds with Howard Hodgkin’s work.

Here’s a collection of images of the prints I was able to make during this session;

Briefly, we were shown fabric lazer cutting, by using a software that allows you to make any pattern onto your computer and have it cut into your chosen piece of fabric.