Foiling and Flocking

Ideas of creating more textural surfaces lead to some initial investigations with foiling and flocking techniques today.

Unfortunatley, the flocking would not take to the silicone surfaces. This is a shame as I feel that the soft, textile quality of the flocking would be an unusual and interesting contrast against the synthetic, rubberised texture of the silicone.

Ideas to apply flocking to a PVA surface could involve: exposing a screen with a 'negative' of the intended flocking pattern, printing the negative onto a spare surface (paper/fabric... whatever), applying the flock to this surface - this would remove the negative aspects of the apttern from the flock backing, apply the flock backing then to a surface of PVA glue - the positive elements of the pattern will then be applied to this PVA glue base as the negative aspects were previously removed fromt he backing in the initial print.

18.04.12

Todays progress; I began creating a selection of pieces on acetate as I have produced the full amount of Kodatrace samples that were planned. I may go back to Kodatrace is there is time.

Acetate produces a much more transparent effect; opposed to the frosted/clouded opacity of Kodatrace. I enjoy the contrast that is created when placing these surfaces together.

Layering out drawings to trace from - 

underneath acetate

PVA and squeegee

Spreading a base layer of PVA

 

Using a squeegee to ensure an even surface before

applying threads to the sample.

 Another aspect that I explored further today was the use of composition within my work. I created this smaller panel with the intentions to keep one side completely plain, with all illustrations justified densely to one side of the work.

I really like this use of composition and may play with it further introducing colour or monofilament knitting into the PVA.

16.04.12

Today's developments with my final pieces:

Considering scale and composition within a smaller sample

Detail

Using many layers of PVA to built depth

Depth is noticeable when looking at the threads

Some are much closer to the surface than others

Painting a screen with remazols for monoprinting

Panel with remazol monoprint and futher layer of PVA glue

Easter Holidays

Today I produced the largest panel so far; PVA glue with remazols monoprinted to add colour. I will not be adding any threads to this as an alternative/complementary piece to my other final samples.

 Unexpected colours and formations transferred

to underpaper whilst painting my screen up.

Scanner

To get a new persepctive on things I tried scanning my silicone samples with the scan lid open...

Easter Holidays

Working with moulding silicone - the risk factor!
Yesterday I produced a sample from silicone in a huge scale. I haven't even sampled other drawings at this scale before so it was quite a risk using a media that I had only experienced once before.

  

5.5 kg moulding silicone

Spread out on print table

Loosely tracing lines from underneath

Once this layer was tacky, I mixed another batch of solution to pour over the top, both sealing in the threads and giving a wet base to add colour to. As with my smaller sample, I used disperse dyes (suitable for synthetic media), to add colour to the piece. This turned out much worse than expected and I left at the end of the day thinking I had wasted a whole day in print (and a lot of money).

However returning to uni today with fresh eyes, removing the silicone from its backing perspex and rolling it up for storage, I noticed that the colours appear a lot nicer together when layered up. This is not the effect I was initially trying to achieve however perhaps I can salvage something from the disaster...

Huge scale - weak/ugly colours!

Folded in half.



Easter Holidays

Using invisible thread on the knitting machine to make a swatch, then setting PVA glue to produce a subtle layer of texture.

Easter Holidays

Work that I produced today in print:

Using coloured yarn as opposed to black/white.

Very large scale acetate & PVA drawing - 2m x 1m.

This was harder to produce than my smaller samples,

which was rather unexpected. I hope that the integrity

of the sample is not impaired due to its size. This can only

be confirmed once dry (1-2 days)

Easter Holidays

I have half a table booked for the first and last week of the Easter Holidays.
This is a really good chance to produce some larger scale works and begin making for the degree show.
I will be able to leave things overnight to dry, so it will be easier to create more detailed pieced needed extra layers of application etc.

Detailed plans

Getting started in print

Moulding Silicone

After reflecting over my previous samples, I decided that the blue moulding silicone from this post may be interesting to revisit due to its self levelling properties. Silicone sealant has the flexibility and translucency that I desire, however its viscosity and inability to smooth out impairs my work.

Therefore, I located a translucent moulding silicone on ebay as opposed to the blue that I have previously worked with.

To mix the silicone; 10:1 ratio silicone to catalyst.

Using thick card to set a mould/frame on a perspex sheet

Pouring the mixture onto the surface

I used a squeegee to drag to the edges - 

the silicone then self levelled to a smooth surface

Insetting yarns

Extractor fan for good ventilation

Disperse dye to add colour

This left an interesting effect

Very flexible once removed from perspex

Potential for unconventional/catwalk fashion

Results: This material is everything that I have been looking for. Highly flexible and almost gelatinous in texture - everyone who has touched this sample has mentioned in some way that it makes them feel uneasy/uncomfortable (this is something that I have been wishing to achieve). The surface is completely smooth and self-levelled, and very glossy. The only unpredicted aspect of using this silicone is the many small bubbles that have appeared around the yarns and the disperse dye. However I do not think that this impairs the work as it adds an extra dimension of depth.