Workshop & Lecture Topics
WORKSHOP & LECTURE TOPICS
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WORKSHOP TOPICS
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Alternative Marbling: The Basics
Experience the “oh wow” moments when the paint attaches to the cloth, freezing exotic imagery that is reminiscent of microscopic views of cells, geological forms, and cosmic observations. This class offers a fresh approach to the age-old tradition of floating paint on water and transferring the image to paper or cloth. This class focuses on the principles of surface tension and how to float color, understanding the relationship between the different surfactants to aid floating color, how to mix color, and many pattern manipulation techniques. Each day we will build on the previous days’ work. You don’t want to miss this engaging, fun, and satisfying experience.
Alternative Marbling II: Building a Personal Methodology and Vocabulary
Building on Alternative Marbling I: The Basics, this course explores controlling nuances of pattern through water preparation with carrageenan and methyl cellulose, and the rhythmic laying down of the cloth. Each day includes a series of demonstrations and critiques to push personal exploration. Emphasis is placed on working towards a visual vocabulary using sophisticated layering, color combinations, and personal imagery.
We will explore the beauty of what happens when indigo dye enters cloth. Investigate the wealth of subtle visual details with a monochromatic scheme and this direct and engaging form of dyeing expression. We will spend time preparing cloth to dye in the indigo vat through a variety of shibori methods. I will bring historic, ethnic, and contemporary examples of work for inspiration. Each person will make their own vat with freeze-dried indigo. It is a cinch to use: add water, stir, add the cloth, and dye. The color itself evokes many emotions and lots of imagery, all holding potential for the development of a personal language.
Shaped resist techniques such as tying, binding, pleating, stitching, knotting, clamping, and pole wrapping are easy to learn and offer a limitless interaction of pattern and color. Explore the visual and textural cornucopia known as Shibori using the Procion MX fiber reactive dyes to dye cellulose fibers (cotton, rayon, Tencel, linen, and silk). The class will cover selection and preparation of cloth, and historical and contemporary examples. Shibori has been practiced in many cultures for many centuries. Be part of a living tradition.
Subtractions & Additions: Building A Personal Language
We will explore what happens when color is repeatedly removed and added through sequential shibori techniques. The results produce cloth with luminosity, sophisticated color nuances, and visual complexity. We’ll use the Procion MX fiber reactive dyes, with thiox as the discharge agent, on cellulose fibers (cotton, rayon, Tencel, hemp and linen) as well as silk. We will cover the basics: learn why the different products are used and when to use them. We will also talk about safety, color mixing, fabric selection and preparation.
Itajime shibori, or clamp-resist dyeing, is based on wooden boards held on either side of accordion folded cloth, then dyed. This class is an in depth exploration of how the different folds, and the location, shape, and size of the wood boards, influence the overall pattern. You will leave with dozens of dyed examples and the ability to further explore your personal pattern vocabulary.
Subtracting Color: In the Bath
In this session we will explore what happens when color is removed through shibori techniques, such as stitching, clamping, and pole wrapping. The cloths produced are charged with luminosity and display visual complexity. The process begins with hand-dyed or commercially dyed cloth, such as cotton, rayon, Tencel, bamboo, hemp and linen, and also on silk, and use thiox as the color removing agent. The course will cover studio basics: studio safety, why the different products are used and when to use them.
Subtracting Color: Print Processes
In this session we will explore what happens when color is removed through printing techniques, such as hand painting, screen, block and monoprinting. The cloths produced are charged with luminosity and display sophisticated printing nuances. We will make discharge paste and use commercially made paste on hand-dyed or commercially dyed cloth, such as cotton, rayon, Tencel, bamboo, hemp and linen, and also on silk. The course will cover studio basics: studio safety, why the different products are used and when to use them.
Vat Dyes and Colored Discharge: In the Bath
This hands-on workshop focuses on the magic inherent in a little used class of dyes known as vat dyes. The process begins with laying a ground color on the cloth with reactive dyes - cotton, linen, rayon and/or silk; then work pattern and color through resists on top of the ground color with vat dyes. The interaction of these two dyes produce the characteristic halo as you strip out one color (the reactive dye) while laying down another color (the vat dye) in its place. Explore this exciting phenomenon through dye bath applications. Safety issues are addressed, as are color mixing, and fabric selection and preparation. This is a rare opportunity to work with vat dyes, don’t miss it.
This is a how-to, hands-on thread and yarn dyeing primer using the permanent and versatile Procion MX fiber reactive dyes. Discover a limitless color-mixing palette from a few basic primaries. The result is a basket full of thread and yarn, as you learn methods of dyeing gradations and variegations of color. We will dye, and keep from tangling, various weights of pearl cotton, rayon thread, rayon ribbon floss, silk, and novelty yarns; all appropriate for using on the sewing machine, for hand quilting, embroidery, and knitting. We will cover color mixing, safety concerns, thread and yarn selection and preparation, all through lively and humorous discussions. Don’t miss this unusual opportunity to bring a new dimension to your quilts, garments and knitting projects.
Translating Ideas
You have an inspiring piece of cloth. How do you incorporate it into a design? This class is intended to stimulate your creative juices using the fabric you already have. Learn how to look, respond, and analyze what is in front of you, focusing on your own process and experimentation.
We will look at why we become frustrated, and why we feel we do not always succeed in translating our original vision. We will explore how to approach our work playfully, bringing enjoyment into all aspects of it.
Each day will begin with a series of spontaneous compositions and a short presentation to stimulate creative or critical responses. The goal is to design quilts that communicate each student’s personality whether it is through a traditional, contemporary, abstract, realistic, ethnic, or personal approach.
LECTURE TOPICS
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Subtracting Color: Discharge Explored
Uniquely evocative, discharge synthesizes imagery with the fluidity of shadows and watercolor painting. This presentation includes instruction on removing color using a variety of patterning techniques thorough resist discharge baths and print processes. The reward is a rich visual cloth, with infinite layers of pattern, color and texture. I’ll bring lots of examples illustrating different approaches and results through discharge alone and discharge with over dyeing.
Unraveling the Mystery of Shibori
Travel the world through the eyes of shaped-resist dyed cloth. Shibori, an ancestor to tie-dye, is the Japanese word for a variety of patterns made by shaping cloth and securing it in a three dimensional shape before dyeing. The shaped cloth is given its dimensional form by folding, knotting, binding, or stitching. In turn these different shapes determine the pattern after dyeing. These designs share a softness of blending, subtleness of outline, and spontaneity of line. I have a full range of historical and contemporary samples to show illustrating exciting variations from divergent cultures.
All content © 2009 Elin Noble
