Wednesday 16 January 2013

Start Up

Sometimes I keep things to myself because i need to think a process through before I blab all about it. For a long long time,.... really long,... I have wanted to learn silk screen printing.
I think that the internet is a very liberating place that enables you to be inspired and to delve into processes that you might otherwise feel you can't tackle. Lets face it your average library may have one or two books that are specific to  your theme or topic of interest and maybe get the creative juices flowing.. enough to salivate but nothing to really sink your teeth into.

Linking to others with like interests has enabled to find some of the information that  I've been looking for. I've been following blogs such as Yardage design or Maze & Vale and trying to glean the process that they have gone through to produce such lovely yards of sumptuous material.
I have plenty of ideas and regularly draw in my sketch pads to document my ideas (because knowing me the next day its gone), But translating that idea has been a little harder.

I think if you are keen on printing and design then utilizing methods such as rubber stamping and lino printing is a good and in expensive way to produce some really lovely results on fabric and paper. To convert over to silk screening has been more of a trial for me. Making the decision to actually try it was perhaps the most major decision and then finding the cash to fund that decision. Lets face it , it's not cheap and when you have a family I find that justifying that kind of money spend can be really hard.

Anyway, this Christmas past, I bought myself the most basic screen printing gear: frame ink squeegie and speedball. I've drawn my pattern and have finally sourced overhead transparency sheets to photocopy my pattern on to. So  today, maybe I can actually produce an image on my silkscreen ready for printing.
I really am a chicken shit  I have been procrastinating about this part of the process, maybe because the children are home from school or maybe I just think I dont want to waste my money because it might not work out..blah blah blah...What's that you say just get on with.

So I need to clear some space, find a dark spot for my screen to mature in ( that will most likely mean cleaning under my bed to get a flat space to rest the screen whilst the speedball sets before exposing it to light) and then a place that I can print in peace. You think it will happen...?? Maybe part of the process. I might manage getting the screen ready..
Wish me luck!

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