Torn Paper

There's nothing wrong with something as simple as torn newspaper resists. I like the soft edges and the fact that it is almost impossible to determine the exact tear, so unexpected shapes and lines are the outcomes. And it is cheap enough to keep trying until the shapes look right.

Below is some simple lines printed on to a new piece. As the white pigment is very opaque (to cover any dark substrate) I have blotted the print with a paper towel after printing.

All positioned and taped ready to print

First print...

Second print, detail only

And just for fun, a dancing figure torn from paper....

...and here it is printed

Several new exhibitions opened at Pataka, Porirua, this week. Second Life displays five artist projects using recycled everyday materials, the detritus of contemporary society, into works of art. Lots of challenging concepts to consider. Also on show is Fiji Masi - Cloth of the Gods. Masi is commonly called barkcloth or tapa and there are some wonderful examples on display. Well worth a visit. And the cafe is great too.....

Art Cloth v Fabric Lengths

I have now finished the fabric length I have shown over the last couple of blogs. I have added some more text and it seems to have balanced the whole length. The text is from a photo sensitive silk screen I prepared sometime ago and it has become quite useful. I used the words Figures In the Mist which are somewhat vague and romantic at the same time. I prepared the original with different fonts and font sizes, and when screening I am able to select portions.

This is a sample print from the whole screen

The completed fabric length, 2 metres x 112cm wide (2yds6in x 44in)

A detail from the completed fabric length

Giving titles to the type of work we do is important. I concentrate on two areas ie. my art pieces (WholeCloth Banners) and hand-dyed fabric lengths (Uppity Fabrics). Often a length of hand-dyed fabric is refered to as Art Cloth but I consider Art Cloth and my fabric lengths to be quite different. Both are lengths of fabric but whereas an Art Cloth is usually displayed and seen as a whole piece, a fabric length needs to be envisaged as made into a garment ie cut pieces draped, seamed, tucked with darts etc, and of course must be capable of laundering.
Pricing of my fabric lengths is always difficult. I nolonger just consider the amount of fabric in a piece ie width and length, or the type of fabric (usually silk) but how many dye applications there has been, and how complicated each was to do. In other words, it is the time and skill spent on producing the length that dictates the price.