monotype print

Dyeing with Rit Dye

fabric prints, monotype print / /

I cycle through working with fabric at different times. Recently I was admiring indigo fabrics and thought I would give it a try.

shibori dyed fabric

I am super sensitive to fumes and chemicals, so I used the liquid Rit Dye. That way I did not have to deal with mixing powders. I was going to follow some of the indigo recipes and mix black and blue, but I found that I really liked the Denim Blue alone.

fabric dyed with Rit shibori style

I am not sure how long the open bottle will last but I have had it for a couple of weeks and I am still able to get a nice blue. I am not aiming for perfect even coverage though.

dyed and screen printed fabric

Today I dyed a sack cloth that I had screen printed. I dyed the whole piece in a mason jar.

  • Hot water,
  • a bit of salt,
  • 2 teaspoons of liquid Rit dyed
  • and the white cloth was transformed.

hand printed and dyed fabric

I really like how the blue square image pops with the blue dye. The ochre gecko image is a bit dull or mottled but I am ok with it.

screen printed fabric with a paper stencil

This is the sack cloth with just the screen printed square.

The Rit Dye folks have a lot of great information, tutorials and mixing recipes check it out.

SaveSave

Dyeing with Rit Dye Read More »

Gelatin Printing a great way to try out printmaking

monotype print / /

I love that gelatin printmaking makes printmaking accessible to folks who:

  • don’t have a printing press
  • have little experience
  • want to explore printmaking at home

You can see the basic moves in this short video.

On October 14th, at the Museum of Printing in Haverhill, MA, I will be teaching a full day gelatin printmaking class. This is a great opportunity to try out the method without having to buy all the tools first.
I will provide all that you need to explore gelatin printmaking for the day.
Check out the gelatin printing workshop details and join us for this full day on location course.
gelatin print made with found stencils
We will use:
  • water based ink
  • gelatin and glycerin plate
  • stencils, like the ferns above
  • paper stencils and
  • found stencils like feather
  • stamping tools to lift and apply ink
  • drawing paper

You will have plenty of time to explore and experiment. I hope to see you on October 14th at the Museum of Printing. Claim your space today – click here for details and to register.

gelatin printmaking tools

This is a palette with some ink and brayers ready for printing with the gelatin plate.

detail impression and shaped impression pull from the gelatin plate

This image shows the 2 basic styles of impressions that you can make with stencils and stamping tools and the gelatin plate. On the right is the dark blue “shaped impression”. It is the shape to the grasses in white.  I call the print on the left, the detailed impression. This is because it captures the details that the grass made in the ink.

And these are all made quite quickly with mere hand pressure.

 

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Gelatin Printing a great way to try out printmaking Read More »

Saturday – Great day to visit Haverhill – MA

monotype print / /

This Saturday is a great day to come to Haverhill, Massachusetts.

Museum of Printing Haverhill MA

The Museum of Printing is FREE ADMISSION on Museum Live Day and having a Print Fest!

A Great Day for Kids and Families

  • See presses from the 1880s
  • Get a slug from a Linotype, the 8th wonder of the world
  • Type on an actual typewriter
  • See “ancient” computers
  • Print a name in metal type

And I will be there with my gelatin printmaking process. Come see what gelatin printing is all about. You will be amazed! And I will also have some prints for sale.

This video is about my online course, but the images and process is the same that I will be doing a the Print Fest. If it looks interesting to you, then I hope you stop by the Museum of Printing this Saturday, 10 to 4. It’s FREE!

After the print fest you can enjoy the River Ruckus another Family Fun Free Event on Washington St, downtown Haverhill.
Finish the day with a FREE fireworks show.

Saturday – Great day to visit Haverhill – MA Read More »

Working in my sketchbook

monotype print / /

I have made several small sketchbooks, that I can easily carry with me. They are only 16 pages long, so they are very easy to complete.

sketchbooks by linda germain

I love the ability to finish the book quite quickly. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and that makes me want to start the next book.

If I really don’t like a drawing, then I just glue a fresh piece of paper over the parts that I don’t like. So I don’t worry about ugly drawings or mistakes.

tea pot painting by linda germain

I am thinking that maybe I will bind some of the small books into a larger book. For now I am just having some fun drawing the every day like:

  • breakfast
  • tea pots
  • pens and drawing tools
  • farmers market
  • skylines and
  • scenes from my window

I did buy a new watercolor set and it is taking some getting used to. The paint is much richer than my grade school set that I had been using.

watercolor experiments by linda germain

Happy creating!

 

 

Working in my sketchbook Read More »

Gelatin Printmaking Class at the Museum of Printing

monotype print / /

I am pleased to invite you to join us at the Museum of Printing, Haverhill, MA.

Museum of Printing Haverhill MA

This is the first class that I have offered local and in person in quite a few years. It will be a great day of monoprinting on paper with the homemade gelatin plate. Most of the supplies will be provide, so this is a great way to try out the process.

collage of gelatin prints by linda germain

We will use:

  • water soluble ink
  • paper
  • gelatin and glycerin plate
  • stencils
  • stamping tools

Gelatin printmaking is a great way to get into printmaking without a press. Watch some videos on my YouTube channel.

 

Gelatin Printmaking Class at the Museum of Printing Read More »