Printmaker Steve Edwards will be joining us in the Handprinted Studio to teach Multi-Block Etched Lino on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June 2020!
How and where did you learn to print?
Hello my name is Steve Edwards, and I make prints. I was
a part-time graphic designer for many years but have always had time and access
to a studio to pursue my artwork. I come from Bristol, but have lived in London
since 1979 when I began a BA in textiles at Camberwell School of Arts and
Crafts. During the degree we studied printmaking as a subsidiary subject. That
was when I became captivated by printmaking, particularly silkscreen printing
and monoprinting.
In the mid 90s I decided to re-engage with printmaking so
I joined a taster course at the City Lit, and this time it was etching that
captivated me. I continued signing up for courses at both City Lit and Morley
College to gain access to the equipment and fellow printmakers until I saw a
poster on the wall at City Lit asking for new keyholders to join East London
Printmakers (ELP). This was a key moment in my printmaking journey, as I needed
a space I could work in more frequently and develop my own practice. I continued
to etch until about 2003, but being at ELP and seeing other keyholders and
their practices was influential in my switch to lino.
At Camberwell I had loved using colour in my prints, then
the language and processes of etching had grabbed me, but using colour in
etching is not as easy as in other techniques, so I started my linocut journey.
I dug out some notes I had kept from Morley College on lino techniques and
discovered a recipe for caustic soda etch. Having been an etcher I was
intrigued by this idea, so after a while I started experimenting. Also around
this time ELP had organised a group show called Love Letter to London and my
response was to depict a view from Waterloo Bridge looking east, my first
landscape.
Why printmaking?
I believe that the combination of human hand/eye/brain/soul creates the most exciting and revealing art that we can create, from early stone age wall paintings to Peter Doig. For me, all artistic practices have their own languages, and printmaking has several very distinct ones. There are so many things about printmaking that appeal to me: using the machinery, inks, equipment, processes, multiplicity. In my own practice I like the combination of the relatively controlled process of carving the lino with the more unpredictable lino etch process, which creates marks and textures that I find exciting.
Where do you work?
I am still a member of ELP and try to work there 3 or 4
days a week. The studio is very well run and organised as a co-operative, and
it has excellent equipment. Also my fellow printmakers at the studio offer a
supportive community and inspiration. A typical day will usually involve
working on one or two projects, either creating a new print or continuing
editions of older prints. I tend to do my editions in batches of around 10, and
let them run out (which can take a while) before I do the next batch. Because
of this and the techniques I use, I create variable editions.
What inspires you?
I think that I am inspired by the whole printmaking
process. I love being in the studio with other people being creative together.
I think that creativity which involves utilizing the hand/eye/brain has a
therapeutic quality which I embrace. My prints are all based on photos that I
have taken. In my work I want to try to capture a particular view and the
atmosphere created by the light and elements. For me, looking at the sky or a
landscape can open me and connect me to nature and the beauty of existence, and
I want to express this in my work.
Where can we see your work? Where do you sell?
I am a member of several printmaking groups. I have
already mentioned ELP, but I am also a member of Greenwich Printmakers, a
printmaking co-opertative who run a gallery in Greenwich Market. Also I am a
member of the Printmakers Council. These three groups offer opportunities to
sell my work, including stands at the Affordable Art Fair at Hampstead and
Battersea. I also submit to open call exhibitions like the Woolwich
Contemporary Print Fair and The Masters/NOPE. My work is also available to buy
at a gallery in Ealing called For Arts Sake.
What will we see from you next?
I have been commissioned to create a London landscape, a
view from Woolwich Arsenal of the Thames and the London cityscape. I am
starting this January 2020.
Steve will be joining us in the Handprinted Studio to teach Multi-Block Etched Lino on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June 2020!
Mono-screen printing is a great way of loosening up your printing style and producing a series of quick, spontaneous prints. Use as a standalone technique or in conjunction with photographic exposed screens, paper stencils and more.
We are using a screen that has been exposed using photo emulsion to leave an open rectangle of mesh in the centre. You could tape around the edges to form an aperture in the centre instead. Our screen is attached to a board using hinge clamps to keep it in place. Before starting your design, place a black piece of paper (the same size as your printing paper) under your screen and position it in relation to the open area of the screen. Lift up the screen and mark where the paper sits on the board. This will show you where to place each piece of paper when you print.
Hold the screen a little away from the board by placing a pencil or paintbrush underneath the frame at the end without the hinges. This will keep the ink off the board and paper until you’re ready to print.
Using acrylic screen printing inks, paint a design onto the open area of the mesh. Be sure to use inks, not straight acrylic paints – you can make acrylic screen printing inks by mixing acrylic paint 50/50 with acrylic screen printing medium.
The design needs to fill the entire open area with no gaps at all. Any parts that you wish to remain white on the paper need to be painted with plain acrylic medium.
When the design is ready, use a brush to paint a row of acrylic printing medium along the top edge of your design, where your squeegee will start. You may wish to rotate the screen and drag your squeegee along the other direction. We are printing in this direction because of the vertical design of the trees.
Life up the screen and place a sheet of paper on the board underneath, using your registration marks as a guide.
Remove the pencil or paintbrush holding up the screen and place the screen down. Starting with the squeegee above the line of acrylic medium, drag it down the screen at a 45′ angle. You will need to press quite firmly and should hear a zip sound.
Lift up the screen to reveal the print underneath.
Between each print, be sure to clean the squeegee so no unwanted colours contaminate the print.
There will still be some residue of the painted design in the mesh which will show up in the next print. This can create some really interesting layered designs. We are going to print a ‘ghost print’ by printing the residue through the mesh without adding any more to the design.
Add a little more screen printing medium to the top of the screen, replace the paper and print through the screen as before.
This ghost print is a much paler version of the previous print.
As well as making ghost prints, the design in the mesh can be used as a layer for a more complex design. Below, we have simply painted the screen with strokes of ink.
When printed, the previous layer and the new layer combine to make an interesting print.
Interesting results can be achieved by adding water to a paintbrush or drizzling plain acrylic medium onto the screen – experiment to find new marks and textures.
The marbled ink from your monoprint session can be collected and used for interesting marbled effects on other prints!
Ideas come first and they can come from anywhere! Landscape and the immediate natural environment is a constant source. I draw and refine and draw again. I collect colours from nature, from magazines, from other people’s work. I like to mess about with different print methods and don’t get to hung up with the ‘right and wrong way’ idea of process. Experiment, try things, discard, eliminate, start again.
How and where did you learn to print?
Did
some basic work at Art College back in the day, but always wanted to try again
and didn’t do that until I retired as a graphic designer – a bit of a wait!
Then I did a few day courses, went to a studio space in Portsmouth and then on
to Handprinted – what a fantastic resource virtually on my doorstep! Then
teaching myself by trial and error and talking to other printmakers.
Why printmaking?
It’s
a wonderful counter balance to painting. I’m also an oil painter and a very
messy one at that. Printing is another discipline. You need to approach it in a
different way. More precision, more working things out and planning, being
clean!
Where do you work?
When
I want to print bigger than A3, I go to Handprinted and use their fabulous
space and facilities. For smaller screen printing work, I use the kitchen
(luckily I have a big kitchen space) and last year I bought a 70×50 etching
press which is housed in my extremely cramped garden shed. BUT it makes you get
organised and makes you tidy. I like to keep my printing space separate from my
painting which is in another studio just down the road and can be much messier.
screen print, lino print and collage
Describe a typical day in your studio.
I
usually do my ‘planning’ in the evenings, so that when I get to the ‘doing’
stage I can crack on and try out the ideas that have been perculating. If
making a plate-collograph or lino mainly, I will have already prepared that. If
using photo screens, I will have got that already done so the screens are ready
to go. I then like to set up the equipment, prepare the space, cut the paper
etc, all of which gets your head in a calm space. I like mixing colours and trying
out sample prints as part of the process and may not try any actual ‘finished’
prints until much later or even another day.
collograph and screen print
How long have you been printmaking?
I
started about 10 years ago but haven’t done it all that time as the painting is
very important to me too. Now, the year tends to split and I print more during
the winter months. I do like to refresh my practise with short courses when I
can as you always learn something new which then feeds back into the work.
What inspires you?
Anything!
I love looking at other people’s work and trying to work out how they have done
it! The outdoor environment is a constant source. Walking and being IN the
landscape will always set me off with some ideas. I love simple texture and
like the way different kinds of print making can be combined.
What is your favourite printmaking product?
Blimey, I don’t have enough knowledge to really say. I will always ask advice from those who do, depending on what I want to try and achieve. I love my heavy roller and tend to use Akua intaglio inks at home and System 3 Acrylic and medium for screen printing.
screen print from photo exposures of drawings
What have you made that you are most proud of?
That
will always be changing. I was pleased with a series of prints a couple of
years ago about seeds, which led on to me using further ideas incorporating
collage. At the moment I am quite pleased with some books I have made (after
some courses, one of which was at Handprinted), which again require a different
discipline. The main reason initially, was to use up all those printing scraps
we accumulate and have sitting in folders and boxes, but now I seem to be
obsessed with the actual books!
using pieces of old prints and papers in stitched books
Where can we see your work? Where do you sell?
I usually do the Chichester Art Trail, the first two weekends in May at my home and in my studio. I am involved with 2 Art Groups, ARTEL and OCTAGON who exhibit annually, usually at the Oxmarket (In July and September respectively). Wills Art Warehouse in Putney have my work (mostly paintings) and have taken me to the Bristol and Battersea Art Fairs in previous years. I will have work in the Clarendon Gallery in Mayfair from 17-23 January 2020 as part of the Sky Landscape Artist of the Year Exhibition, in which I was a finalist this year. Otherwise, I post venues as they happen on my Instagram and website. I am always happy for people to come round and see my work with ABSOLUTELY NO OBLIGATION to buy, they just need to get in touch.
using pieces of old prints and papers in stitched books
What will we be seeing from you next?
I
am off to New Zealand at the end of January which I know will provide lots of
inspiration, but no idea what! I want to try out more experiments with print
work developing ideas and process and looking to simplify and contrast.
Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?
Just
DO IT! Process is the key and ideas come from engaging and drawing, always go
back to drawing as the starting point and then draw again!
This is a really quick, easy and inexpensive way to change the look of your indoor potted plants. Create a streamlined paper cover printed with your own design. Read on for full instructions or scroll to the bottom for a video of the whole process.
You will need a large piece of stiff paper or card. This will need to be large enough to roll the plant pot along in one full revolution. We are using a piece of A1 Snowdon.
Mark the plant pot with a line at the top. Draw a line (or stick a piece of tape) straight down the length of the pot and draw another mark at the bottom. Starting with the marked edges to the paper, trace the curved path of the pot as it rolls along the paper.
Trace both the path of the top edge and the bottom edge each time you turn the pot a little.
When the marked edge makes contact with the paper again, mark the paper at the top and bottom matching the marks on the pot. Continue to trace the path onto the paper for a few centimetres to create an overlap for the paper cover.
Use a ruler to join the marks on the top and bottom lines at both ends of the shape. Cut out the paper, leaving a little extra at one end for the overlap.
Check your paper cover by wrapping it around the pot.
Create your stamping block using an acrylic stamp block. Mastercut printing stamps are self-adhesive and so can be stuck onto the block and used immediately. Sticky foam could also be used. Make sure to stick to one material per stamping block as the height of the raised areas must be consistent.
Mastercut blocks can be cut using a scalpel or with scissors. We are cutting each circle into six wedge shapes. We will use these to create a scattered repeat pattern.
In order to make our pattern repeat but not leave obvious grid lines between prints, it can be helpful to create a shaped paper template. Begin with a paper rectangle the same size as the acrylic block. Cut a curve off one edge, move it over to the other side and trace it. Cut off the other side so they both have the same curve.
Repeat this process on the top and bottom of the paper.
Place the paper underneath the block. This gives us an area to fill with pattern that we know will fit together well, giving an even scatter pattern without large gaps or crowding whilst also disguising the grid of the repeat.
Peel the paper backs from the shapes and stick them to the block.
Place the block face up and, using a Versacraft Ink Pad face down, pat the stamp block to cover all of the raised areas with ink.
Press the block face down on the paper. A slightly padded surface can help ensure the prints are even. We have placed our paper on top of a sheet of newsprint so that we can print over the edges.
The transparent block will enable you to see where each print is being laid down in relation to the prints around it.
Continue to build the repeat pattern until the whole template is covered.
To print another colour, gently wipe the ink from the block, being careful not to detach the Mastercut. Ink up the block with the new colour.
We have flipped our block upside down in order to shift the pattern whilst maintaining a regular repeat that will print evenly.
The lemon yellow and wisteria coloured inks overlay to create ochre as a third colour.
When the ink is dry, wrap the paper around the plant pot and mark where it overlaps. Take the paper off the pot and use tape to secure the two pieces together on the inside. Glue the two pieces together on the outside of the pot cover.
Sure the ends together with clips until the glue dries.
We have had a huge selection of amazing printmakers for year’s Meet the Maker feature. Take a look through our 2019 list to remind yourself of our makers and catch up of those you may have missed. Start 2020 with a dose of inspiration by reading through all the advice given out from all our talented printmakers:
Alexandra Buckle
Try things for yourself, find out if it works for you, if it doesn’t try something else.
Be particularly wary of anyone telling you ‘you should create more of this’ or that or the other… If you enjoy creating it, carry on, if people enjoy buying it, even better.
Create. Do it for the sheer joy of it, do it for yourself, do it because the creativity is fiery in your bones. But also make the time and effort to grow in your skill because a lifetime of learning is the way to stay fresh and humble in what you are doing. You don’t need expensive tools and materials as much as you need an attitude of perseverance. Start with what you have to hand.
Take your time and find the medium for you. I tried all sorts of things, most of which I didn’t really get on with. Book on a workshop or two and see what takes your fancy. I also think it is important for creative people to do what you enjoy, not what is currently in fashion. If your heart isn’t in it you won’t last long.
I am currently attending an evening drawing class at Northbrook College. The tutor (Steve Carroll) has his own mantra which is ‘just leave it!’. What he means is that if you make a mistake, then don’t worry about it, just move on, live with it, and adapt to it. Make it work into your piece. Don’t be so precious over every tiny little detail. That has really stayed with me, as it not only applies to drawing, but to printmaking too. If you happen to carve something away but you weren’t meant to, just leave it! You cant undo it, so go with it. Sometimes it’s really hard, but you have to.
So, whether it be drawing, or carving, if you do happen to make a tiny mistake, it’s okay, just leave it. It’ll be fine. The world won’t end! It has taken a while for me to learn that, and I’m not 100% certain that I have completely yet, but I’m getting there!
Main advice would be just to go for it! In my experience, the best way to learn is to try something new, even if it scares you and feels overly-ambitious. You’ll make mistakes but that’s the best way to learn.
Find your own voice – being distinctive will serve you well, because the people who like your work will like it for the right reasons, and will stick with you to see what you do next. Don’t chase trends all the time, but if you do, make sure to do something unique with them that could only have come from your brain. Practise. A lot. Don’t give up when things go wrong – invent solutions, seek advice, share your mistakes for a laugh… and don’t stop.
Just jump in and go for it! I spent years using a full-time job as an excuse not to find time to create and now it’s such a nice balance to be able to make something from scratch with such a hands on process.
I find I have to remind myself that everyone has their struggles – none of us are alone in that and I know that I have a creative crisis of confidence at least once a month! That’s really common for creatives – self-doubt – but I guess the challenge is to try and focus on the positives and learn from the negatives. So I guess my advice is to be kind to yourself and don’t be afraid to ask questions – there are lots of great peeps out there who are happy to help you through a print problem or just to give a few words of encouragement. Print nerds love a print problem!
When I was at art school, printmaking – and especially wood engraving – was considered highly unfashionable and not an area of art that any self-respecting artist should have any interest in. I had great support there from the printmaking tutors but regular criticism from tutors who weren’t involved with printmaking and who spent much time criticising my practice and encouraging me to make large-scale paintings instead. In the end, whilst weighing up whether or not any criticism you may get is justified, I do think you ultimately need to work at whatever feels truest to you, whether or not it’s ‘fashionable’ or ’trendy’. It’s impossible, really, to predict what will be the next ‘in’ thing in the art world so there’s not much point in trying to second-guess it. All you can do is make work that comes from your heart and that you believe in. Hopefully, in either the short or the long run, that integrity in what you make will be appreciated by a discerning audience so, stick with it and don’t be downhearted if the sphere of art you have chosen to work in attracts criticism or even disinterest – working as an artist is a long game and you have to enjoy making what you make and believe in it or your life and career may not feel fulfilling. I feel very lucky to have had a long (ongoing) career doing something I truly love and I am delighted that, over the years, my work has built up a strong audience.
Neither hide nor hoard your talents, but share them, and accrue to them by enquiry with other artists and makers. Celebrate life and remember that the world is full of hosts – there are just not enough guests. So travel, overland, with your sketchbook and not with a camera.
Stop worrying about things going wrong and just go for it! It’s so easy to put stuff off that you’re unsure about, but you never learn until you give it a go.
Work hard and keep going – stamina is just as important as talent.
Try and learn something from everyone you meet – everyone has something to teach you.
Find good people to work with – the ideas you have together will nearly always be better than thoughts you have alone and they will be there to keep you going when you run out of steam.
Stay active in the studio, take advantage of every minute you have – don’t just wait till you have a big block of time to work, and lastly be willing to reach out for opportunities – don’t wait for them to come to you! and VERY LAST – HAVE FUN !!!
I think the main advice that has helped me is that just getting on and doing is better than overthinking what you are going to do and what it will turn into. I had no idea where drawing again would take me. I had no idea what was going to happen when I picked up a Lino cutting tool for the first time. I now teach beginner Lino cutting workshops from time to time, and that is my main message; don’t worry too much about the results. You learn so much just by doing.
Create things for yourself. Make things that you want to own and things that make you happy. If you do that, then you’ll pretty much never be disappointed.
Good cutting tools make a huge difference as do good inks, so visit a specialist supplier and slowly build up your equipment, better to have a few good quality materials and add what you need as your confidence builds. Start on smaller projects and spend time really planning. The online community of artists and printmakers on Instagram has been such a positive experience and really supports my practice. I would recommend setting up an account and following printmakers you admire.
I encourage people to make the work that interests them, rather than what seems fashionable. Work on the craft of printing and do not be discouraged if the results do not match the image in your mind. Learn from it and start the next one. Finally, enjoy those happy accidents that happen to improve a print.
If you finish a print and aren’t entirely happy with it, put the edition away in a drawer – it usually looks much better after a few weeks (not always though).
When it seems that everything you touch is a disaster just keep going, don’t stop and then get out there and be inspired by what other people are doing.
Never ignore your gut instinct, when it comes to choosing exhibitions, deciding which products to make or just which colour to work in that day, you know your work better than anyone so try not to be led by what others think you should do.
Keep walking towards your goals, even if the path is not straight or easy, because you will always learn something, and the journey is going to be full of surprises.
Don’t try to copy someone else’s style just because you can see its working for them. Be your own person and trust your instincts for how you want to create, I know it sounds cliche but it’s so true!
Also never be afraid to try something new, even if it’s completely different to your normal practice. New things can help you grow and develop your style, but it’s also a lot of fun to experiment with a new technique or process and see how you can introduce it into your own work.
If you’re printing for a client, it’s important to be thorough. Clarify every detail and check back with your client whenever you need to. Ensure that everything is in writing and that nothing is open to interpretation.
If you’re printing for yourself, when you have the idea, just go for it. Doing is the most important thing, you’ll learn as you go.
We’ve had another fantastic year in the Handprinted Studio. We are so grateful to everyone who supports us by attending workshops and events, using the studio or teaching with us – thank you!
Here are just a few examples of the amazing work made in the studio this year. This small sample shows examples of screen printing, relief printing, intaglio, textiles, dyeing and more:
Use vegetables to print name place cards and gift tags. This quick, easy Christmas make is a perfect way to get the kids involved! Raid your fridge and grab a few veggies for this quick printing project.
Carefully slice your chosen vegetables in half (adults only please!) Cutting them through the root or stem should give you the best profile for printing.
We are printing with a brussel sprout, a baby chantenay carrot and a shallot!
Ink up the veg by pressing it gently onto a Versacraft Ink Pad. You could also use paint and a piece of sponge.
Press the veg onto your chosen printing surface. Here, we are printing name cards for the Christmas table. Printing on top of a padded surface will help you achieve a good print. Versacraft Ink pads are suitable for printing onto fabric too!
Blend the colours by inking up with several Versacraft pads. For this brussel sprout, begin with Spring Green.
Gently dab the Forest ink pad around the edge…
…and dab the base gently with Lemon Yellow. These small ink pads are particularly useful for blended inking like this.
This shallot is being inked gently around the edges with Wisteria with a touch of Spring Green at the root and Lemon Yellow at the top.
Decorate your Christmas table by slotting the cards into pinecones!
Try printing your veggies onto gift tags or wrapping paper too!
We have worked exclusively with eco-friendly water-based inks since the very early days in 2006 and screen print and digitally print most garments. We still print some garments by hand but also have an automatic screen printing carousel now, which means we can offer eco-friendly screen printing for large scale print runs. We offer digital printing (Direct-to-Garment) for small print runs, one-offs and full-colour printing. The inks are still ecologically sound and it’s still great quality – it costs more per print but there’s hardly any set-up time so ideal for smaller orders.
How and where did you learn to print?
We’ve mainly learnt on-the-job by trial and error, over the years. Neither Pete nor I (co-founders) had any printing experience outside of college before we started. Water-based inks were particularly unforgiving but we persevered and learnt so much that we now offer technical advice to other printers looking to make the switch.
Why printmaking?
We get great satisfaction from
taking an initial design all the way through to the completed article. We
spend time making a PDF proof to ensure that artwork size and positioning is
correct and match all colours carefully. We love getting emails from
clients who are so excited to receive their first print run of a new design and
to see their idea realised.
Where do you work?
We have a large studio in an
industrial unit in Frome, North Somerset. We have two print carousels
(one auto and one manual), two DTG machines, a paper printing table and a lock-stitch
machine for labelling. There’s some smaller rooms off the main room
(office, DTG room, kitchen, sewing room etc) and a big mezzanine for storage
and paper printing. We have a glass skylight and a giant roller door,
which is so good to open up the front of the print shop on a sunny day.
Describe a typical day in your studio.
There are seven of us here now,
working various hours and days, so life is very different to how we started
out. There’s always a coffee and production meeting to start the day and
then we all get on with our various roles. It’s nice to have our own
responsibilities but great to work as part of a team. We mostly have
lunch together and finish at 5pm. We try to organise the timetable so
that we don’t have to work late as it’s so important to have the evenings to
recharge.
How long have you been printmaking?
Since we started in 2005,
printing from our house in Nottingham. We could only fit two arms on the
carousel because the bedroom it was in was so small, we exposed screens in the
cellar and washed them out in the shower. It was an exciting time but a
tricky way to try and work. It was only a few months before we got our
first studio in Nottingham.
What inspires you?
We really appreciate seeing
something that stands out. We’ve printed so many great T-shirts, over the
years but still get amazed by a certain colour combo that we haven’t seen
before or a particular design
What is your favourite printmaking product?
We especially love the Permaset inks. They’re great quality, the colour and durability are amazing and they contain no harmful solvents so are really nice to use. We are also trialling a new organic water-based ink from another company that stays wet a little longer and has a really great, solid white.
What have you made that you are most proud of?
Over the last year we’ve been
working lots with the Tate, which we’ve been enjoying. We printed some
T-shirts for a US artist called Jenny Holzer a few years ago and she remembered
us. When she had an exhibition at the Tate, she told them they could only
do T-shirts of her work if they used us! That was a very proud moment,
when we found out.
Where can we see your work? Where do you sell?
We’ve taken a break from selling products as we found that we really enjoy producing high-quality garments but didn’t have time to spend marketing them. However, we are planning a new range of garments, with some of our favourite artists, for Spring 2020 so watch this space!
What will we be seeing from you next?
In 2020, we’re planning to
introduce a plastic-free embroidery service and are really excited to be adding
to our eco-friendly garment decoration services.
Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?
If you’re printing for a client,
it’s important to be thorough. Clarify every detail and check back with
your client whenever you need to. Ensure that everything is in writing
and that nothing is open to interpretation.
If you’re printing for yourself, when you have the idea, just go for it. Doing is the most important thing, you’ll learn as you go.
Shirley’s star garland is a beautiful and colourful addition to your home this Christmas!
Begin with several sheets of stars – print Shirley’s star template A4 page here. This long garland used 8 sheets of stars. Use whatever paper that can go through your printer – Shirley is using Kent which is thin enough to go through our printer but sturdy enough to create a stable garland.
Use A3 newsprint to create a stencil. Concertina fold the newsprint into long strips. Tear semi-circles along both edges and open the paper out to reveal the stencil. Make one stencil for each colour layer you would like to use.
Place the printed star paper onto a hard surface. Shirley is using a board fitted with hinge clamps. Place the stencil over the top.
Tape off the area of the screen outside of the A4 printable area. Shirley is using an A3 90T screen exposed with an A4 aperture.
Holding the screen slightly away from the paper, spoon a row of acrylic screen printing ink (ready-mixed or acrylic paint mixed 1:1 with acrylic medium) along the bottom of the screen. Holding the squeegee at a 45-degree angle, push the ink up the screen to flood the mesh. Place the screen flat onto the paper and then drag the squeegee, again at 45-degrees, down the screen to push the ink through. You should hear a zip sound.
Lift the screen, replace the star paper with another sheet and repeat until there are enough to make a garland of your chosen length. When the sheets have dried, flip them over and repeat the print on the back to make double-sided stars. Dry them with a hairdryer if necessary as we don’t want any ink to dry in the screen.
Peel off the stencil and clean the screen with a soft sponge and cold water. When the screen has dried, repeat the process with a fresh stencil and a new colour.
Vary your colours, to create lots of beautiful colour combinations! Don’t forget to print the backs too.
When the ink is dry, cut out the stars.
Carefully feed the stars through the sewing machine using a fast running stitch.
Hold the sewn end of the garland as it comes out to maintain the tension and feed it through.
Every year we buy so much gift wrap that is only enjoyed for seconds before being thrown away. Bridget’s furoshiki fabric wrapping can be used over and over again and makes a great addition to a gift! Furoshiki is a beautiful Japanese way of wrapping parcels for gifts and travel. Use scraps of fabric leftover from previous projects for extra eco-friendly bonus points.
Bridget is using a thermofax with a snowflake design to enhance the fabric. You can find the template for Bridget’s snowflake thermofax here.
Pin a large square of fabric flat onto a padded surface. Spoon a row of ink along the top edge of the thermofax. Using a thermofax squeegee at a 45-degree angle, drag the ink down the screen. You can pass the squeegee over the screen a couple of times to make sure enough ink has been pushed through the mesh. Bridget is using Speedball Fabric Screen Printing Ink in white. This white ink is slightly opaque and so shows up well on this fabric.
Lift the thermofax and place it in another area of the fabric. Print wherever you like for a scattered snowy effect.
This beautiful red lustre coloured ink was mixed from Permaset Textile ink in Copper and Red. it shows up beautifully on this dark green fabric (an offcut from a handmade school skirt!)
When the ink is dry, iron the fabric on high heat for about 30 seconds to heat set the ink. This will make the print washable.
When ready to wrap a gift, lay the fabric print side down.
Place the gift in the centre. The fabric needs to be quite a lot larger than the item you are wrapping.
Fold one corner over the items and fold in the corner. If the item is not square, begin with one of the covers nearest the longest edge of the items.
Repeat with the opposite corner, tucking the end in.
Fold in each of the sides as in the picture below.
Pinch the sides together and bring it upwards around the edge of the gift.
Gather both ends in your hand.
Tie the ends into a knot at the top of the gift.
The ends can be tucked in for extra security or left loose.
For this project you will need:
Fabric in various size squares (much larger than the object you are wrapping)
