Studio Sunday and Circle Master Template on Fabric

First up, let me apologize for the very choppy video :)  I will get better every time I shoot these, I promise.  This is my first demonstration using the Circle Master Template to create watercolor circles on fabric using Dyna-flo and Lumiere Exciter Packs by Jacquard. 
 

The results from this technique can vary a lot based on how much Dyna-flow is being applied and how damp the fabric is.  To create a more solid circle with less white space, flood the fabric with the paint through many of the wholes in the template to ensure you cover more area.  Check out the video here:


I love the painterly effects that you can achieve from this technique and the more diluted Dyna-flo you use, the more all over watercolor effect you get.  Intensify areas with Dyna-flo at full strength direct from the bottle, spray with water and add swashes of Lumiere for highlights!







I want to give a shout-out to Robin Broitman who was one of the winners from the Free Giveaway!  Robin had sent me a beautiful email to thank me for her win and she mentioned that she had just opened her Society 6 shop to feature her designs on products and said she had learned some of her techniques from my Interweave/FWMedia videos.  So, of course I had to learn more from her because it's not often you hear about the impact that you have had on other people/artists who actually purchase the products and learn from them!  Robin happily agreed to answer a few questions about herself and her art and let me share them with you.

1)     Robin, tell me about you as an artist. What inspires you and the types of art you are passionate about.
 
I’ve dabbled in local community art classes for many years and two years ago I discovered the world of online art journaling.  This opened up a whole new arena of inspiration and learning. In the real world, I find inspiration all around me from nature, shape, color and texture.  Online, I find inspiration from other artists and love learning new techniques and gaining insights from the online mixed media art community.   I’ve learned to use and love a wide range of mediums but my favorites are printmaking, gelliprinting, patternmaking, watercolor, acrylic, inks and pan pastels.   
 
I also spent most of professional career in digital media (web content development and marketing) so I felt a natural affinity for digital artistic expression.  It took me awhile to figure out how to integrate digital techniques with my art and your online workshops/videos helped me tremendously in this regard.  Today I’m most passionate about blending my handmade art with digital exploration.  I enjoy the freedom that Photoshop and other digital programs give me to experiment without fear of “messing up” my art. 
 
2)     Which videos from Interweave did you enjoy and how did they help you in further developing your techniques?
 One of the most fabulous online resources I discovered was the Interweave store and their downloadable video workshops.   One of the first and most inspirational courses I took was your video course - Paint, Print, Layer, Collage.  Being a self-taught artist, I didn’t have strong drawing or illustration skills but I still wanted to create my own personal imagery.  This course opened up a window for me regarding how I could create my own personal imagery with unique masks and stamps even without strong drawing skills.   It also gave me a peek at how I could take images made from my masks and stamps, scan them and further integrate them into my art.   Your teaching style was so clear, supportive and inspirational, it gave me the confidence and skills I needed to start experimenting. I’ve definitely gone back and watched that video several times!
 
I also purchased your Interweave workshop: Digital Design for Screen Printing: Creating Mini Canvas Screens for Surface DesignMost valuable was learning how to create Photoshop brushes from my handmade imagery.   This opened up a whole new world for me.  From one handmade object, I could create a Photoshop brush and experiment with its size, positioning and color digitally. 
 
I also downloaded recordings of your two Interweave Web seminars: Exploring Unique Textile Design: Creating Seamless Repeat Patterns in Photoshop Elements and How To Repurpose Your Art to Make Digital Quilt Designs using Photoshop CS6These two seminars gave me exactly the skills I needed to make repeat digital patterns from my handmade art.  I’ve discovered that this sort of pattern making is something I really love doing.  In fact, I’m sure you know, it’s quite addictive.  I now look at the art I make by hand with a very different eye and am often surprised by how a simple handmade element can come to life in Photoshop using some of the techniques taught in these webinars.
 
3)     As an artist, I feel like I'm always testing different types of media and changing up directions.  Do you feel that way?  What directions do you hope to branch off into in the future?
Yes, I am often overwhelmed by how much there is to learn and try in the worlds of mixed media and digital art -- but in a good way.  One month, I’m knee deep in one medium or technique.    The next month, I’m focused on something entirely different.  
For the past few months, I’ve been focused primarily on making patterns digitally with my handmade art. Recently, I took the first step of setting up a Society 6 store and putting some of my patterns out there – a bit of a scary step.   I hope to continue filling out my store by adding more patterns and abstract art to it.   My husband also bought me a new DSL camera earlier in the year and I am learning to use this and hope to integrate more of my own photography into my art and my Society 6 store.   
Finally, I’d like to get away from the computer a bit more and spend more time in my garage art studio, experimenting and playing with all of my favorite mediums (acrylic, watercolor, pan pastels, etc.) creating new and different handmade elements.  I will definitely look at my creations with new perspective now that I have a fuller range of digital techniques in my toolkit!
 
Thank you, Robin!!!!
 
For those of you who might not be familiar with Society 6, it's a great way to easily get your artwork out into the public eye on a wide selection of products offered for sale using any of your uploaded artwork.  Robin has inspired me to get my shop going. Check out Robin's shop on Society 6 to see some of her beautiful designs.  I've got a mug already on order :)

Come by next Sunday for a new video featuring Margaret Applin Designs Stencil Design Tools!
Have a wonderful weekend and stay creative!

Margaret
 
 

Comments

rgb said…
Thank you Margaret for the shout out! Much success with your new stencil collection!
elle said…
This is definitely a great new way to print fabric. I luv the circle concept and the watercolour effect. I also enjoyed learning about Robin and like those curved vines! :)
ruthanne said…
Exciting! Thank you for sharing your creative talent. Love this latest technique.
Robbie said…
What a fun and cool project!!!