Spring is here!

Spring is here and now is the time to start digging out those old dye vats from last fall that have been hibernating in the basement. First up for this Springs Dye-In will be an Indigo Fermentation Vat. If you've never tried an indigo vat before now is a great time to do so! I'll be posting how to instructions along with video and more.
If you haven't checked out the Natural Surfaces Forum please do so http://naturaldyeing.ning.com/ We've been gaining members daily and natural dyeing discussions are picking up speed again now that the warmer temps have arrived

Image Transfer Workshop and Faux Polaroid Transfers


 
The image transfer workshop went off without any glitches today and fun was had by all!  Some of the transparencies were slick on both sides, the Staples Transparencies (I didn't purchase these so have no idea which ones they were as I didn't see the orignal packaging).  When the students printed onto the Staples transparencies it had a really runny effect and at first glance looked like a Polaroid Transfer.  The image above was one printed off by a student, since she had the original photo (of an angel in one of the local cemetaries) she sent this sample home with me!  Needless to say I'll be making a stop at Staples tomorrow to see about purchasing some of those transparencies as the achieved effect was really exciting.


Image Transfers - Hand Sanitizer Method

I have to say by and large I love love the hand sanitizer method over the CitraSolv (concentrate) method and for one reason - it doesn't stink to high heaven like the CitraSolv does!  Hence no instant migraines. 

Soooo thank you to everyone on the Image Transfer List for discovering and then discussing the hand sanitizer technique!  This is a terrific technique to use that is quick and works everytime, just one more to add to my growing library of image transfers - yes this is a longggggggggggg way from the acetone transfers I was doing back in the early 90's!

Off to paint some papers, do more transfers using paint, my favorite method of all because of the serendipity of the technique, and assemble some books for this coming weekends workshop.

Image Transfers with Hand Sanitizer



Image transfers using the hand sanitizer (alcohol) method.  The hand sanitizer I used was the Sam's Club, Members Mark, sanitizer as I was out of Purell.  I didn't notice any difference between it and the Purell Brand.  I printed the transfers onto Hammermill Transparencies and did the transfer onto 90# watercolor paper. The color was applied with Caran D'Ache NeoColor II watersoluble crayons.

Print your image onto the transparency sheet.
Liberally apply hand sanitizer to the watercolor paper NOT the transparency sheet, using a cotton ball.
Flip your image onto the soaked paper.
Using a spoon or burnisher rub the image onto the paper below.
NOTE:  If your paper is fairly wet and your image fresh you won't have to do much rubbing to transfer the image.

Clip Art Imagery

Epson NX415 All in One Printer

Just wanted to give y'all an update I purchased this all in one printer yesterday from Staples ($59) and have been putting it through the paces ever since, hope I'm not wearing out the scannner ;-)

Anyway... it prints fine on transparencies. In order to print on transparencies you need to go into prefernaces and click on glossy photo paper, I also backed mine with a piece of typing paper which may or may not have been overkill?

Just thought everyone would like to know, I'm off to print on tyvek now. The only thing I have against this machine is it doesn't have a rear feed as well, if it did it'd be perfect.

Spring!

I spent 15 minutes or so outside picking up trash out of the front and side yards, it was great to be out in the sun.  Parts of my yard are still wet, as in mud hole wet, the front yard, however, is drying out nicely.  Looks like it's going to be a beautiful week, am hoping my one garden spot is dry and warm enough by the weekend to put in some cold crops.