monotype print

Right now we are in the middle of the Monoprinting Fabric printmaking course. One of the projects that we do is cover a journal with some of our hand printed fabric.

I love the soft feel of a fabric covered journal. I do my morning pages in a composition style notebook everyday. So I go through a lot of journals.

I primed the journal with gesso, so the design on the original cover would not show through the fabric.

I like to add some simple hand stitching to the fabric before I attach it to the journal.

I cut another stencil inspired by the Everybody Kirigami book. I cut it on a fold. I used a roll of tape to draw the half circle. Then I made one petal and used it as a template for the other petals. And I used an X-acto knife to cut it out.

You know I was impatient and wanted to print with it right away. So I did not take the time to make it strong and durable with lots of coats of mat medium. But it is easy enough to cut a new one for the next project. I used both the masking stencils and the traditional hole stencil.

I was able to add some blue layers and shapes to some fabric prints that I did last year. I intentionally print off the edge of the fabric and use different size portions of the stencil to create interest.

I love how a simple stencil can transform a piece of hand printed fabric. The unique quality about this monoprinting with the gelatin plate process is that it is very fast and spontaneous. This printmaking technique allows for quick layering of slight different marks.

If you have not played with printing with the gelatin plate then check out my FREE recipe and make the plate today!

I noticed that even though I am not the traditional sketchbook artist, I have lots of sketchbooks.

Sometimes I get a new book and think it is too precious to use. Hmm? That is crazy.

The book is my tool to feed my image creation. I guess that crazy thinking comes from wanting all my marks to be perfect. And yet I know that 80% of what I do is just clearing out the chaos.

So when I make a new book I try to jump right in with my daily marks. The process of using the book is what is precious. Take a look at some of my artist sketchbooks.

Do you love your sketchbook?

Do you use your sketchbook to feed your image creation?

Sometimes simple works. I am inspired by textures and shapes that are all around me, yet to create a pleasing print I often need to simplify.

Monoprint on Fabric – recycle a print from last year and added 3 flower shapes

Another gelatin plate print on fabric.

Monoprinting with the gelatin and glycerin plate on fabric is always an experimental surprise. You can pull prints very quickly  and I often work on 10 or more pieces of fabric at once.

I like to work parts of the plate or fabric, rather than covering the whole print at one time. Recently, I discovered that it is a good idea to have plenty of fabric with coordinating colors, so that I can put the pieces together for a final project.

Enjoy a short video of the prints I pulled today.

Today I made a couple of pillow covers with some gelatin printed fabric.

I simply cut the fabric 1″ bigger than the pillow form. Sewed 3 sides with the machine.

Sew 2″ in on each edge of the 4th side. Insert form and whip stitch the rest by hand.

Happy with the results!

If you would like to learn to make hand printed fabric for your fiber projects then check out the details and join us in the next session of Monoprinting Fabric – with the gelatin plate. It is an easy experimental process that can give a wide range of printed marks.

This online printmaking course is for anyone who wants to learn to gelatin print on fabric. We will start with the basics and go from there. If you already are familiar with gelatin printmaking, then you will develop nuanced marks and details that are possible with this process.

Read more on the printmaking workshop page. Registration opens soon.