Surface Design at Wabi Sabi

On Friday I taught my last class for 2014. For the last three Fridays I've been teaching my Surface Design class in the dye studio at Wabi Sabi. Last weekend I also had a trip to Kingston to teach my "Hosta Leaves" 101 class. There was such a fabric shopping frenzy (both hand-dyes and Northcotts) that I failed to get photographs. But back to my Surface Design class. The concept behind this class is that in each of the three days students are introduced to two Surface Design products and ways they can be used.  

Day 1 of Surface Design was learning to design and cut your own stencils from freezer paper, and then using them with Shiva Paintstiks and foils. Students also learned two other foiling methods (stamping with foiling adhesive and fusible web method).

Foiling in these two photos by Ruth 

Foiling and Shiva Paintstiks by Christine.

In the second class students learned about ways to use Prismacolor Artist Pencils and Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Water Soluble Wax Pastels. They started by shading a flower with artist pencils (starting with one single piece of fabric). I don't typically use artist pencils to create an entire piece, but occasionally I use them to tweak my shadows and hi-lights. This exercise gives lots of practice in how to do this. This is Sylvia's begonia.

Christine's rose

The Neocolor 2 Wax Pastels were used to paint a picture, and then give it a water-colour look by adding water. After it is dry, you can go back in and put some more definite lines if you like. Tulip by Christine.

On the last day, students learned how to paint using Tsukineko Inks and aloe vera gel to control value. Here you can see Christine and Nellie working with Tsukineko Inks.

Ruth, Lois, and Barb. Barb is also working with Tsukineko Inks.

Sylvia

Mary's peony with Tsukineko inks

Barb and Mary beginning work with InkTense pencils and blocks. These pencils and blocks become very intense when you add water. It also enables a more free looking design where the colour seeps beyond the line of stitching (I like to stitch something that looks like a pencil drawing and then fill in colour). 

Barb created this design using an on-line snowflake generating program.

Lois added happy colour to her machine doodles.

Nellie's work with Inktense pencils.

Of course anyone who knows me, knows that a great lunch is part of a great class. So it was lunch across the street at ZaZaZa Pizza.

My husband and I have been packing hosta patterns this past week. We had a little help from Peekaboo :-)

I hope to get in the studio this week!!