on today's post
i am going to show (off) the
painting process for a dye swatch
dye swatches are test pieces
before moving on to paint on
the real thing.....
(eg. clothing to be made)
because
the outcome may look pretty different from
how it looks while painting
even the "feel" of dye absorption
varies with each color
can't tell from looking how dark it will come out
until the whole procedure's over
put too much dye on it and
it'll end up looking like an overexposed photograph
but need not be freaked
so what, if it gets a little screwy
that's what the swatches are for
where i left off
the last timedesign's traced with a blue pen with
fade-with-moist ink
fabric is stretch silk satin, using the wrong side to paint
first,
outline with regular painting brush
using just a few hairs at its point
outline all done
switch to a flat-tipped, traditional brush
and test on few feathers
then give the whole thing a general shading treatment
still a bit more..
see how the application is uneven and
the look blotchy
smooth it out a bit with the above flat brush
use it almost dry
now that the shading is even enough
i decided to add some clean edge to each feathers
will look more feathery that way, trust me
using the pointy brush,
before....
....and after
circled is the area i worked on
now it looks like this
hmmmm, a bit more punchy, perhaps
spicing it up with the flat
hold it almost vertically to
push dye particles into grain
done, i said
the procedure to follow-steam setting-
may shrink the fabric
since it is the first time using this particular roll (of fabric)
i marked the measurement, will compare when all is done
one issue:
tracing with a felt-tipped pen
may not be a great idea for this design
although the pen ink will fade when wet enough
outlining with lightly-dipped, fine-tipped brush
doesn't do the trick hence confusing double lines
i decided to try something different for
the swatch #2
done for today!
phew, long post.....
thanks for reading
(((a smile of gratitude)))
