Wednesday 3 March 2010

Nature Does Not Hurry.......

Mixed-media piece using the digital collage image from my last post.

I'm still struggling to get a really good reproduction into fabric. I've tried a few different ways and spent a fair bit of money!! Has anyone got any suggestions? This one isn't too bad.....its from Crafty Computer Paper and its on cotton lawn (you put it straight through the printer).

The circles are pieces of my needle-felting I cut up. The lace is from an old cotton tablecloth my mum gave me.......I ripped it into loads of pieces and dyed them all differently.

I'm not sure whether its finished or not - I think it needs more stitching.


More playing with Photoshop.....

30 comments:

Micki Wilde said...

Love this piece it's gorgeous!!

Micki x

Terri said...

Linda, I think this is beautiful!
Your design is so fab. I love how you used the pieces of tablecloth from your mum. That makes it more than art, it makes it history!
I can see the printed image well, are you hoping for more color and sharpness? I haven't tried much of this so I am sorry to say I don't have helpful info. I am sure you have tried everything I could suggest. I hope someone comes along with great advice.
Hugs,
Terri

Jo said...

Oh wow! I'm lost for words, Linda. Your mixed-media creation is gorgeous - but then, I knew it would be! All the different inclusions go perfectly. :0)

Know what you mean about printing images onto fabric though. Am keen to do this too but am reluctant to have to keep paying out for seemingly expensive special bonded fabric. Tried other 'cheats' with gel mediums but only small-scale, so am keen to find out with other folk use too. So eagerly await the response!
Hugs xx

*jean* said...

i'm not savvy about the fabric printing but you could add a few highlights of paint mixed with fluid medium to deepen your colors..like glazing - if you've been experimenting you probably have some scraps that you haven't used so you could experiment with that...i love the colorful samples too...they would be fabulous printed out on fabric and then glazed with paint...

Sandy said...

OMG Linda this is really unique.
Stunning work my friend.

Rika said...

Gorgeous piece Linda!

Heavens2Betsy said...

This is a beautiful mixed media piece. Particularly love the felting pieces.

Heloise said...

Beautiful mixed media piece, it is very peaceful.
I have tried a few different ways of printing onto fabric and have found that I get the best results from InkAid.

The images that you have created in Photoshop are beautiful.

Christy said...

It is beautiful. I like the suggestion Jean made to glaze a bit (or try some watercolors) to deepen just a few of the colors a bit. Also, maybe a little freehand stitching at the top over the lace or the bottom corner around the flower?
I don't really think it needs anything, it is very lovely just the way it is.

Maggi said...

A lovely piece Linda, if you think it needs more stitching go with it. You will know when it feels right.

I always use any PFD fabric and attach it to a piece of printer paper with a spray baste (something like 505) and never have any problems. I don't use the special fabric sheets that come ready backed as they are far too expensive. If you want more saturation make sure that you set your printer settings to 'Media type - Plain Papers' (I know that it might seem that matte is more appropriate for fabric but trust me on this one. 'Print Quality -Photo'. if you find that you get any jams just cut off a tiny corner of the leading edge on the side it jams.

Gay Denesse said...

I print on the prepared fabric sheets, but I like to use the regular cotton ones. Nothing fancy. I find if the fabric is not too fine and thin, the image shows up better because the fabric underneath is obscured. If I use silk or something thin, I will back it with white cotton. You could also try bumping up the color intensity in Photoshop before printing, since your print will probably never be as intense as it looks on the computer. you can also curb cost by treating your own fabric with Bubble Jet and cutting it to printer size. Hope this helps.

Lynn said...

What don't you like about the printed image Linda? I think it looks great, but maybe you want a deeper color?
In the book 'Image to Stitch" (I know you have it), Maggie Grey recommends something to brush on fabric, maybe you could find you book and check it out. I don't remember what it is now.

I love what you have done with this collage, great work my talented friend, and lookie at all the different versions of that lovely flower in PSE... woo hoooooo

Anne Gaal said...

Hi, Linda! Beautiful mixed media piece! And Photoshop play, too! :-)

I have never personally tried it, but Golden Artist Colors (Golden Paints) has a new product called Digital Ground. It is an ink-receptive coating intended for use with ink-jet printers. You coat, let dry, and subsequently print on a variety of things including paper, canvas, metal, etc. using ordinary computer printers and inks. It comes in a white and a clear version. You can find more information about it here: http://www.goldenpaints.com/products/gessgrnd/grounds.php. Hope this helps!

Barbara said...

I love this piece Linda. Its a great idea mixing your computer images with other media. I've been interested in reading the suggestions everyone has been giving to. The other photoshop images are beautiful. There are just so many possibilities. These are all lovely.

Diane said...

I love it the way it is--I love when the image is more faint--just like this!!

Judy S. said...

You might want to check out Pat Winter or Allie's in Stitches, both of whom use transfers onto fabric in their crazy quilting. I'll bet they'd answer an email also. I've used the above mentioned sheets, and it helps to have a newish color cartridge.

Heather said...

This is beautiful Linda - I am not too confident with collage design but would a bit of the green lace down the left hand side look good? I love your Photoshop images too.

LME said...

Love the roses are we allowed to use them in our own art please :)

Emma said...

wow, I can hardly keep up with you!the collage & multicolored flowers are gorgeous. You know i love a bit of contrast, but ALL I would do is add a bit of treasure gold wax to the brown part - it brings up the veins in the hydrangea beautifully - & possibly gold paint &/or wax to the lovely bit of your Mums cloth, so they get knocked back a bit & so 'brought down' to the same lovely softness of the image. As said above, practice on a spare bit. Now, don't mind me, I'm a bit of a fiend with gold highlights!

Oh, that turquoise & pink makes my mouth water! x

ShabbyChicShaz said...

the colours of this piece just draw me in, as well as the image, just divine

Caryl said...

Oh Linda this is beautiful. How did you print that on fabric? All my art things are in storage and I am so envious of the stunning work everyone is doing. Love this.

~*~Patty Szymkowicz said...

I adore what you've created Linda!
GORGEOUS!!!
You may want to read about Lesley Riley's TAP

http://www.lesleyriley.com/store.php?cat=1

I am getting ready to try some.
oxo

Jacky said...

Another beautiful piece...love the little felted circles you have used to embellish and the stitching.

Jacky xox

Gini said...

I switched off word verification on my blog and within two hours I was being asked if I wanted to enlarge my man parts!!!
For about 5 seconds I thought it was funny what with me not having any :-(

I hope you can work something out to get fabric prints just the way you want them from all these suggestions without having to send yourself up chimneys to fund your project. If I had a chimney I'd let you practice on mine!

If photoshop was a guitar you'd be making it wail right now :-)

I love the different colour ways with the flowers!

Gini
xx

Rosie said...

Just gorgeous Linda - you constantly amaze me with how you go from strength to strength. There's nothing like art as therapy is there?

Janny said...

Really beautiful!

Lorraine said...

I have had good results using bubble jet set to print on thin cotton..you soak the fabric in the solution leave it to dry then attach it to freezer paper or plain paper with masking tape then feed it through your printer. My friend Pat (laugh in colour) has had good results using very thin pva glue used in the same way as the solution

Shashi Nayagam said...

It is beautiful Linda. I can't find any fault with it. Your photo shop images are lovely but my favourite is the 5th one from the top. It has contrast depth, varying shades and detail too. Love it.

LazyKay said...

Looks gorgeous to me as it is - lovely gentle feel to it.

xxxxxxxxx

Mescrap said...

You produced very beautiful collage.

I still have no time to practice the photoshop....arggg..

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