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Author: Diane555, Contributing Editor
| I've been asked how I create my "fabric paintings". There are as many different techniques as there are artists, but I hope this article will help to illustrate my process for working through one of my pieces.
Anything goes as far as subject matter and techniques! However, if you are new to working with these materials you may wish to choose a subject with simple images to begin with, such as an abstract or something with large planes of color. I began with a photo of a Trumpet Vine taken while visiting a friend in Canada. I knew it was destined for fabric as soon as I saw the picture. |  |
| First, I wanted to enlarge the image and this can be done by hand drawing or with the computer. I used Adobe Illustrator to create a large image because I can specify a custom size and also use the program to draw other things if I choose. The overall size of my piece will be approximately 42” Wide X 32” High.
With this piece, I decided I’d like to chop up the fabric into rectangles and do some threadwork or thread drawing in those pieces later. I plan to re-attach these after the images in them are complete with threadwork and quilting. I chose to do this piece in this manner so I could illustrate a special technique for joining the rectangular pieces later. You can make one complete image or quilt as I often do. To the right you'll see how the planned 'painting' looked when I printed it from the computer. Of course, I had to tape all the sheets of paper together. When transferring this to the fabric, I cut away all the side rectangles and keep them in order of where they belong by pinning them to a design board. |  |
| Materials
Although there are many materials and aids available on today’s market, I’ll just show the basic materials that I use the most for this demonstration. Most people think of fabric stores as a place to buy stuff to make a dress or curtains, but they have become a wonderful resource for the artist as well. If you haven’t been to one lately, you are missing out on all sorts of cool and amazing stuff! In the following photos I have shown most of the things that I will be using to make this piece. The photo to the right shows fusible web (on the left), which is an iron-on glue that comes with a paper backing. You really don’t have to sew a single thing if you choose not to. The heat-fusible webs come in various strengths - I chose “light” since I do plan to add stitching. It is also available in “heavy” for those who don’t want to sew, and can be used as a permanent adhesive for fabrics. I also use either of the two cans of temporary adhesives to hold down pieces of fabric until they are sewn or glued into place. These are nice if you want to ‘try’ things on your piece and still be able to move them around. The small bottle contains a basting glue for fabrics. It will wash out with water if the piece is washed, so don’t use it as a permanent fix on something you plan to get wet. Later I will show you several other useful items for sewing, etc. |  |
| I prefer to use good quality 100% cotton fabrics, but I'm not against trying some man-made blend if it appeals to me. My favorites are hand dyed or batik fabrics. I do some of these myself, but purchase most of what I need. Also shown in the photo at right are some nylon tulles (thin netting) and a pile of various threads, twines etc.
I wash and shrink the fabrics before sewing them, particularly if the quilt is meant to be used. Because this one is meant strictly for show, prewashing won't be necessary. |  |
| I have many varieties of threads for sewing my paintings. Anything goes when it comes to thread: cotton, silk, metallics. It seems that there are never enough threads in differing colors or shades to satisfy me! I do a lot of 'Thread Drawing' on my work, which is basically just like pencil drawing except that I do it on a sewing machine. Having many shades of each color I am using gives me more options for shading or contrast. I also use a lot of yarns, twines, beads, pearls. If it can be stitched down, I'll use it! |  |
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