Last week the staff in our Stow offices got together for some after-hours creative play-time, making gelatin monoprints on fabric and paper.
I'd been cranking out monoprints for a segment I'll be shooting for the sixth season of "Quilting Arts TV" and everyone else wanted in on the fun.
At lunchtime we prepared the gelatin printing "plates" in baking pans and popped them in the fridge to set.
Here is the basic recipe:
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2 pkgs. Knox gelatin (1 T per package)
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1 cup water
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Pyrex or non-stick baking pan (approx. 8" x 8")
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Protected surface
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Water-based paints or dyes
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Brayer
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Flat or shallow palette
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Mix half the water (cold) with the gelatin and stir until dissolved.
Boil the remaining water and add it to the mixture. Stir slowly to avoid creating bubbles.
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Pour the mixture into the baking pan and pull torn pieces of newsprint lightly across the surface to remove any bubbles.
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Let the gelatin sit for 30 minutes, then place in the refrigerator until it is set. Remove the gelatin from the fridge about 30 minutes before you're going to use it to print.
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Dip the bottom of the pan briefly into a hot water bath (you can use your sink) to help loosen it from the pan. Unmold the gelatin onto a flat surface (such as a protected cutting board or acrylic sheet).
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Cut the gelatin to the desired printing size.
By the time we set out the crackers and crudités at 5:30 p.m., the plates were ready to go.
We threw a drop cloth over conference table and put out the gelatin plates, bins of acrylic paints, brayers, a basket of fat quarters, and some plain paper. We also had some painting tools (like a flexible comb) and found objects that might make interesting impressions: an ash tray with a cut glass bottom, a lacy plastic leaf, the back of a discarded tile, children's shape toys, and so on.
Most of the staff had never made monoprints before, so we quickly reviewed the basic directions:
Step 1. Pour or squeeze drops of paint onto a flat or shallow palette.
Step 2. Roll the brayer in the paint and then roll a thin layer over the gelatin plate.
Step 3. Make imprints in the paint by gently pressing found objects or a paper cutout onto it.
Step 4. Lay the fabric over the paint and smooth it down gently with your hands (trying not to move the fabric around).
Step 5. Gently lift the fabric off the plate and admire your results.
Step 6. Take another "ghost" print off the same plate or start over from Step 1.
At first, some people were hesitant about what colors to use or impressions to make. But pretty soon, the "hmmms" and "huhs" turned to "wows" and "ooohs." Time flew and the floor got covered with prints as everyone got into their creative zone. Some of the people who had the least experience with printing came up with the most interesting effects.
Monoprints, whether made on gelatin, glass, or Plexiglas plates, are an easy and fun way to add surface design to your fabrics. Monoprinting with paint can give new life to so-so fabrics (or dye "mistakes") or create a one-of-a-kind designs on plain fabric or paper.
It's no wonder one of our most popular FREE eBooks is Fabric Painting: 5 Surface Design, Paint, and Monoprint Techniques. This book includes two monoprinting techniques, one from Liz Berg on how to monoprint with paint and one from Fawn Mackey on monoprinting fabrics for textured backgrounds.
You'll also learn from expert artists about fabric painting with transparent paints, making sun and salt prints, creating patterned and painted cloth, and working with oil sticks.
Now that our staff has a bunch of monoprinted fabrics, our next step is to incorporate them into a project. I have a fun idea up my sleeve that's top secret for now. But I hope to reveal the results soon.
In the meantime, why not incorporate some monoprinting into your own quilting adventures?
For example, have you finished your "How Entertaining!" reader challenge entry yet? The deadline for entry is May 3, 2010, so if you haven't started, it's time to get busy. Get all the details on our reader challenge page.
