Dye Painting

Earlier this week I finally got around to using up some thickened dyes I had in the refrigerator -- from my last deconstructed screen printing session a couple months ago already! Typically I print on soda soaked fabric rather than having soda ash in the print paste/dye, so the thick dyes last a good while refrigerated.

Because I hadn't prepared any fabrics beforehand and because I was going to jettison the leftover dyes after this session, I added soda ash dissolved in warm water to the jars of dye...then I applied them to the fabric.

The first piece was monoprinted, and then I used a foam roller to apply dye to the fabric with a heavy mesh underneath the fabric.

Second piece was direct printed with dye on corrugated cardboard, then I used a syringe to apply the zigzag lines of dye. I sprayed some areas with water, to create softer edges in places.

I used a wide foam brush on this piece. The interesting texture of the dye was from alginate that never fully dissolved when I first mixed the stuff up. I sprayed this with water after applying the dye.

Monoprinted, then random printed using constructing fencing and another plastic thingy as stencils.

I syringed dye here, then sprayed with water so the dye would bleed.

Planning to do more surface design before the end of the month, then on to February's quilt challenges!