July 14, 2018

Experiments in SolarFast printing - part 4

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I am continuing with my experiments combining SolarFast solar dyes with DyeNaFlow textile paints, making prints from botanical subjects onto cotton sateen. I started this batch with a reliable subject, a painted fern frond.
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My coneflowers, echinacea, are blooming now so I set up two prints using them. Flowers are trickiest to print from when using long exposures, in my experience, because the petals can wither and shrivel fairly quickly. I kept these two in partial shade to help mitigate that situation.
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I am still working from my remaining stock of red, scarlet and violet SolarFast, combined with various greens and turquoise in the DyeNaFlow. This time around I tried to loosen up further, applying the colors in broad gestural strokes.
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I used a hosta leaf, specifically the August Moon variety, and a plume poppy leaf.
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Going back to that bit of un-weeded garden, I pulled up a length of bindweed and combined it with another plume poppy leaf on a larger 16" x 20" print.
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I let them expose, covered with glass, for around three hours. Temperatures were in the mid 80s F, with about 50% humidity. Here are the exposed, unwashed prints.
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Let me add again that I am ignoring/modifying the instructions for both of these products. If you are new to them, I would recommend learning the rules before bending them.
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The SolarFast produced a lot of good detailing around the flower heads.
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This time I curbed my impatience better, and let the damp prints dry overnight in a dark space.
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I then briefly ironed them on the reverse, to further set the DyeNaFlow, before washing with textile detergent to set the SolarFast.
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As a result there was much less wash-out then the previous batch. Here are the finished prints:
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They are very vivid and colorful.
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There's a nice balance of color integration and fine detail.
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They are going to work very well as subjects for added stitching.
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This bindweed print is especially making me happy. I am already designing an art quilt featuring it in my head.
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As always, thanks for reading and commenting!

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