Add Flash with Foil ~ Playing with Stencils 8

January 25th, 2010
by Susan Stein

foil_LMDShiny foils are a wonderful way to add glitz to your fabric art project. Foils will adhere to fabric with a special adhesive or with fusible web. Please note the care instructions at the bottom of the post, as foils are not as durable as many other embellishments.

Supplies:

~ Maple Stencils [Cedar Canyon Textiles]
~ Fabric
~ Foil for fabric [www.LauraMurrayDesigns.com]
~ Foil Transfer Adhesive [www.LauraMurrayDesigns.com]
~ Sponge or sponge brush
~ Spray adhesive like 404™ [Spray and Fix]
~ Iron, preferably one with Teflon™ coating
~ Ironing surface

Step 1

foil_1_adhesive

Spray adhesive on the back of the stencil, let dry, and press onto the fabric.  Fill in the openings in the stencil with foil transfer adhesive.  As with all liquid products, dab up and down when stenciling, so as not to push paint or adhesive under the edges of the stencil openings.  Let dry thoroughly (several hours).

Step 2

foil_2_iron

Place the prepared fabric on the ironing surface and lay a sheet of foil- color side up- over the adhesive design.  Using the side edge of the iron, burnish over the foil sheet three or four times.  Let the fabric cool a bit and then peel off the foil sheet.  If there are some areas of adhesive not foiled, take a second color and repeat the burnishing process.  It works well to use foil sheets that are beat up and have only thin layers of foil left on them so that the image has nuance and more colors can be used.

foil_3_results

Here are a two fabrics with foil applied.

Care Instructions

Care for the foiled fabric by hand washing.  Do not dry clean.  Always use parchment paper or a Teflon press sheet when ironing over the foil.

Foil with Fusible Web

Another way stencils can be used with foil is to use them to cut out shapes from Wonder Under.  Trace a design on the paper side of the fusible web using the stencil, cut out the motif, iron it to fabric, remove the paper, and foil the adhesive as described above.

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Gelatin Printing with Stencils ~ Playing with Stencils 7

January 18th, 2010
by Susan Stein

knox_gelatine_01

Gelatin printing is an fun and process that allows you to make interesting, more organic images from stencils, found objects, and paint. The images produced are not as clean and crisp as images created from other techniques – but that’s the point! For a delightful day of image making, make yourself a gelatin printing pad and have a great time with your paints.

Supplies:

~ Various stencils [Cedar Canyon Textiles]
~ One box Knox® unflavored gelatin
~ 8” square cake pan or similar
~ Textile paints with body like Lumiere™ or Neopaque™ [Jacquard]
~ Retarder or open acrylic medium for paint (allows longer working time)
~ Sponges or sponge brushes
~ Fabric
~ Spray bottle of water
~ Soft paper towels
~ Knife or palette knife

Step 1

gelatin_print_1

Make a gelatin printing pad by pouring one cup of cold water into an 8” square pan.  Pour the contents of all four envelopes from the Knox gelatin box into the pan and stir to partially dissolve.  Add one cup of very hot water to the pan and stir to completely dissolve the gelatin.  Refrigerate the pan until the gelatin is set.

If your pan has low sides, you can work without removing the gelatin but if your pan has high sides, run a knife along the edges of the gelatin to introduce air underneath and dump the gelatin onto a plastic covered table.  If your pan has a pattern on the bottom, turn the gelatin over to expose the smooth side.

Step 2

gelatin_print_2

Mix a small amount of paint with retarder, which will keep the paint viable longer.  With a sponge or sponge brush, cover the gelatin with a layer of paint.  If using a brush, be careful not to drag it over the gelatin, causing the gelatin to break up sooner.

Step 3

gelatin_print_3

It is possible to get three prints from each set up of paint:
Place the stencil over the painted gelatin and drop a piece of fabric on top.  Rub gently with your hands to transfer the paint to the fabric and carefully lift the fabric off the stencil and gelatin.  Place to the side to dry.

Lift the stencil off the gelatin.  Since it will have paint on the back, it can be used to make a negative print.  Carefully drop it down on a piece of fabric and rub the paint onto the fabric with your hands or a brayer.  Remove the stencil and allow the fabric to dry.

The gelatin will now have paint exposed in a negative pattern with a faint amount of paint in the positive area of the design.  Drop a piece of fabric down on the gelatin and rub over it with your hands.  Pull the fabric off the gelatin and let dry.

If there is any paint remaining on the gelatin, either leave it to add interest to the next paint set up, or spray lightly with water and wipe clean with a paper towel.  When your painting session is finished, return the gelatin to the refrigerator for another time.  When the gelatin starts to deteriorate, (sooner in hot weather) tear it apart and continue to print with the pieces.

Step 4

Heat set the painted fabric by ironing it for 3 minutes.

results_leaf_stencil

This photo shows the gelatin prints from the large Birch leaf stencil.

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Alcohol Ink on Copper ~ Playing with Stencils 6

January 11th, 2010
By Susan Stein

Some coloring agents are not meant to work on fabric, but that doesn’t mean that quilters can’t play with them! In today’s lesson we’ll be using Alcohol Inks, which are made specifically for non-porous surfaces. These inks are very different that the textile paints that we are more familiar with, so take some time to play with them. I’m sure you’ll find ways to integrate them into your personal art!

Supplies:

ai-shellpink~ Birch Leaves stencils [Cedar Canyon Textiles]
~ Thin copper sheeting [hobby or art store)]
~ Ball point pen or pointed stick
~ Alcohol ink, 3 colors [Adirondack]
~ Acrylic felt 9” by 12”
~ Tool for embossing metal (optional)
~ Goo Gone™ citrus cleaner
~ Q-tip
~ Spray fixative

Additional Supplies for Wall Hanging

~ Fabric (border, binding, backing)
~ Sewing machine
~ Thread
~ Batting

Step 1

alcohol_ink_1

Lay the copper piece on the felt and adhere the stencil to it with tape or spray adhesive.  Draw around the stencil with a ballpoint pen or pointed stick to indent the metal.

Step 2

alcohol_ink_3

Paint the copper (either side) by dripping alcohol ink onto the leaf motif.  The ink works differently from other paints, so play with the possibilities.  If some ink goes outside the lines, wipe it off with a Q-tip and Goo Gone.  Let dry.

Step 3

Heat the copper if you like brighter color by holding a heat gun over it until it changes color.  Spray the metal on both sides with fixative to seal the copper and prevent it from oxidizing.

Bonus – Create a small art quilt!

Art Quilt Step 1

Add borders to the copper piece, using a long stitch length and sharp needle.

Art Quilt Step 2

alcohol_ink_finished

Layer with batting and backing.  Quilt across the borders and copper around the leaf, which will raise the leaf slightly higher than the background.  Bind the edges.

Art Quilt Step 3

alcohol_ink_4

Use the embossing tool to make patterns on the background of the copper if you like.

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Elegant Copper Patina ~ Playing with Stencils 5

January 4th, 2010
By Susan Stein

Copper mesh may not be at the top of your quilting supply list, but it’s a great addition to your art quilt tool box. Yes, you really can stitch through copper mesh (and thin copper sheeting) without damaging your sewing machine or needle! In today’s lesson, we’ll create a patina on the copper mesh with Liver of Sulphur and then turn the embellished mesh into a small art quilt.

Supplies:

liver_of_sulphur~ Birch Leaves stencils[Cedar Canyon Textiles]
~ Liver of Sulphur [www.DickBlick.com]
~ Small spray bottle
~ Stamped copper wire mesh [hobby or art supply store]
~ Masking tape
~ Spray adhesive like 404™ [Spray and Fix]
~ Dust mask
~ Artist’s fixative like Krylon™ [hobby or art supply store]

Additional supplies for small wall hanging:

~ Double fold black bias tape, ¼” wide
~ Three fabrics to coordinates (one for binding)
~ Backing fabric
~ Sewing machine
~ Walking foot for sewing machine
~ Black thread
~ Thin batting
~ Copper leaf button (optional)

Step 1

Dilute the Liver of Sulphur according to the directions on the bottle.  Place it in a small spray bottle and label with masking tape.

Step 2

liver_of_sulpher

Tape the copper mesh to a plastic surface.  Work in a ventilated area or outside.

Step 3

Spray the back of the stencil with adhesive and let dry.  Press the stencil onto the copper mesh.  Mask off any areas with tape that you don’t want to use. (In the photo above, the mesh appears to be on top of the stencil, but it’s not. It’s just that the stencil is very translucent.)

Step 4

Wearing a dust mask, spray the openings in the stencil with Liver of Sulphur.  Let dry and then wash the copper with soapy water and dry, being careful of the cut edges.  Spray the copper with artist’s fixative on both sides to protect the copper from further color changes over time.

Bonus! — Create a small wall hanging from your stenciled copper mesh.

copper_mesh_sample

Wall Hanging Step 1

Cut the copper mesh with an old rotary cutter to the desired size.  Encase the edges of the mesh with double fold bias tape, mitering the corners and leaving a tail of bias tape.  Sew along the inside edge of the bias tape all the way around the copper piece.  Use a “sharp” sewing needle (it will not be damaged) and a longer stitch length.

Wall Hanging Step 2

Layer a background fabric, batting, and backing fabric.  Pin or use fusible batting with steam to hold the layers together.   Add a smaller accent fabric to the background, sewing 1/8” from the edge of the accent fabric through all the layers.

Wall Hanging Step 3

Lay the bound copper piece on the accent fabric, extending the tail of bias tape to the edge of the background fabric.  Topstitch the outer edge of the bias tape all around the copper piece and on both edges of the tail.

Wall Hanging Step 4

Bind the edges of the wall hanging and hand sew a copper leaf or other embellishments on.  Sew two small rings on the back for hanging.

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Merry Christmas from Cedar Canyon

December 22nd, 2009

As the year comes to a close, I wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas and a warm and wonderful new year. Here at Cedar Canyon, we’ve been making the rounds to our usual holiday gatherings, taking a day here and there to visit with old friends and new. It makes for odd hours at the office, but the smiles and laughter are a wonderful addition to our daily routine.

Whatever your plans, and wherever you are, I hope you are able to take some time for yourself, spend time with friends and family — or simply do the things that give you great joy.

If you are looking for a warm and thought-provoking book to curl up with, I’ll give two thumbs-up to Have a Little Faith, by Mitch Albom. I picked up a copy before Thanksgiving and finally sat down to read it this weekend. I even got up early this morning to finish the book before I came to work.

Have a Little Faith tackles some of the big questions in life, and lends a wonderful perspective that I found particularly fitting for the holiday season. It warmed my heart. May it do the same for you.

Merry Christmas – Happy Holidays – or in the words of Tiny Tim ~ God bless us every one!

Shelly Stokes

p.s. We’ll be back with our regular entries after the holidays.

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Discharge with Stencils ~ Playing with Stencils 4

December 14th, 2009
Susan Stein

Many of the techniques and tools we use every day allow us to add color or pattern to fabric. For a change of pace, let’s look at a couple of ways to remove color from fabric using discharge agents. In today’s lesson, we’ll use dishwasher gel and discharge paste along with our stencils to add patterns to our fabric while removing color.

Supplies:
~Leaves stencils [Cedar Canyon Textiles]
~Cotton, silk, or rayon fabrics in dark colors (see special considerations)
~Dishwasher gel with chlorine as the active ingredient
~Bleach Stop™ neutralizer powder [www.DharmaTrading.com]
~Discharge paste by Jacquard [www.DharmaTrading.com]
~Sponge brush (see special considerations)
~Spray adhesive like 404™ [Spray and Fix]

Special Considerations for Working with Discharge Techniques

  • Work outside or with good ventilation.
  • Avoid this technique if you have respiratory problems.
  • Always do test swatches before beginning a large project- sometimes results are surprising, even on plain black fabric.
  • Do not use a natural bristle brush or sea sponge with chlorine-based discharge agents.
  • Do not use chlorine-based discharge agents on silk.

Discharge with Dishwasher Gel

The first technique uses dishwasher gel to remove color from the fabric. Purchase a dishwasher gel that contains chlorine bleach. (It should be clearly stated on the label.) And be sure to test the gel on a piece of fabric to see that it will, indeed, remove color from your fabric. (If the gel has been sitting on the shelf too long, the bleach may not be strong enough.)

Step 1

Prepare a neutralizing solution using a recipe of a solution of one teaspoon of Bleach Stop to one quart of water. Place the solution in a container near your sink.

Step 2

Place a piece of fabric (use only cotton or rayon for any chlorine discharge) on a plastic covered table.

Step 3

Spray the back of the stencil with adhesive and let dry.  Press the stencil onto the fabric.

Step 4

1_oak_cascade

With the sponge brush, fill the openings in the stencil with dishwasher gel.  The bleaching action will begin right away so work quickly. Remove the stencil and watch to see when the desired amount of color removal is reached.

Step 5

Immediately wash the fabric in warm, soapy water to remove the gel and then soak for 15 minutes in the neutralizing solution to stop the bleaching action.  Rinse and dry.

2_finished_oak

In this example, you can see a dramatic change in the color where the gel was applied.

4_finished_maple

This photo shows the back side of a batik fabric after it was discharged using the Maple stencil. Sometimes the back is more subtle and harmonious with the color of the fabric.

Discharge with Discharge Paste

Discharge paste is an amonia-based product. It is safe for discharging all types of fabric, including silk and synthetics. Discharge paste is manufactured by Jacquard Products. Note that you will not need a neutralizing solution for working with discharge paste.

Step 1

Place a piece of fabric on a plastic covered table.

Step 2

Spray the back of the stencil with adhesive and let dry.  Press the stencil onto the fabric.

Step 3

5_silk_dischargepaste

Using a foam brush, fill in the openings in the stencil with discharge paste.

7_batik_dischargepaste

You won’t see any change in the fabric at this point, just a wet look, as shown on the batik fabric in the photo above.  Let the paste dry.

Step 4

After the fabric is dry, take the fabric to the ironing board and set the iron for the fabric you are using.  Using steam, iron over the discharged areas, keeping the iron moving to avoid making impressions of the steam holes.  Continue ironing until all areas have changed color.

Step 5

Wash the fabric in soapy water to remove any odor.

8_finished_batik

Batiks work very well for this process, as they retain a faint version of the waxed-in pattern while the background color changes drastically.

6_finished_birch

Silk noile will have a very textured look, due to the nubby surface which doesn’t absorb as much paste.

Extra Credit

Use the same fabric with different discharge agents and compare the results. Discharge paste and bleach-based products will often create a different result. You may also see a difference in the results using two different bleach-based products!

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Needle Felting with Stencils ~ Playing with Stencils 3

December 7th, 2009
By Susan Stein

While we usually think of stencils as tools to use with paint, they are very useful any time you want to create a specific shape, regardless of your materials. In today’s lesson, we look at how to use stencils with needle felting. Whether you work by hand or machine, stencils make it easy to create beautiful shapes with your fibers.

Supplies:

~ Ginkgo Leaves Stencils [Cedar Canyon Textiles]
~ Wool roving
~ Hand-held needle felting tool [Colonial Needle Company or Clover]
~ Thick foam pad
~ Needle felting machine or sewing machine attachment (optional)
~ Masking tape
~ Firm piece of black felt- 9” by 12”- or other background fabric

Step 1 – Attach stencil to background fabric

Tape the stencil onto the black felt and place on the foam pad.

Step 2 – Create an outline by hand

1_create_outline

Using a single felting needle, punch wisps of wool into the background around the edges of the openings in the stencil. (I remove one of the needles from my punching tool to do this.)

Note to felting machine owners: Do the outlining step by hand — the stencils are tougher than they look — and you’ll break needles if you get too close to the stencil.

Step 3 – Fill in the open areas with roving

2_fill_in_openings

Once the outlines are complete, remove the stencil and fill in the leaf with more roving, either by using the hand-held needle felting tool with several needles in it or by using the needle felting machine or attachment.

Colonial Needle Company makes a felting tool that holds up to 6 needles, and Clover has a spring-loaded tool with multiple needles.

For those who wish to work with machine felting, Bernina makes a needle felting attachment that fits a number of their machines. There are also a number of dedicated felting machines on the market, such as the Baby Lock Embellisher and the the HuskyStar from Viking Husqvarna.

Step 4 – Punch from the back

After the leaf is filled in, turn the felt over and punch from the back to bring some of the black background through to the front. This also helps to lock the fibers into the background.

3_felted_ginkgo_leaf

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Expandable Paint & Glitter ~ Playing with Stencils 2

November 30th, 2009
by Susan Stein

Here’s a wonderful way to create textured snowflakes on fabric using paint, glitter, and the new set of Snowflakes stencils from Cedar Canyon Textiles.

Supplies:

expandable_paint_setacolor~ Snowflake stencils [Cedar Canyon Textiles]
~ Black fabric
~ Sponge brush
~ Expandable paint [Setacolor™ by Pebeo]
~ Fine glitter, silver [Art Glitter]
~ Piece of copy paper
~ Heat gun (from the craft store, used for embossing) or powerful hair dryer
~ Heat resistant surface
~ Spray adhesive [404™ Spray and Fix]

Note: assemble all supplies and have them ready, as this technique requires working quickly.

Step 1 – Prepare the stencil

Spray the back of the stencil with adhesive and let dry so the glue does not transfer to the fabric.  Stick the stencil onto the fabric.

Step 2 – Apply paint

apply_paint

With the sponge brush, fill in the stencil openings with expandable paint.

Step 3 – Remove stencil, apply glitter

apply_glitter

Immediately remove the stencil and sprinkle glitter over the wet paint.  Don’t be afraid to sprinkle extra glitter on the fabric because you can reclaim it later.

Step 4 – Clean stencil and brush

Quickly wash the stencil and brush as the paint dries fast and cannot be removed when dry.

Step 5 – Reclaim excess glitter

Fold a piece of copy paper in half and shake the excess glitter off the fabric into the fold.  Pour the glitter from the paper back into the container.

Step 6 – Expand the paint

expand_paint_with_heat_gun

Place the fabric on a heat resistant surface.  With the heat gun or hair dryer held about 3” above the fabric, heat the paint until it puffs up. The paint dries very quickly once you begin the heating process, so there is no need to wait for it to dry before you expand the paint.

More about expandable paint

The Setacolor Expandable Paint is referred to as a medium on some art supply sites. It can be mixed with (or used underneath) other paints to make them expandable. Mixing the expandable paint with another textile paint will produce a pastel version of the color and it may be quite dull. Applying the expandable paint, and then another color over the top will keep the colors bright.

If you are using the expandable paint with glitter, there is no need to mix it with another color. The paint is simply acting as an adhesive for the giltter.

Resources

Learn more about stencils from Cedar Canyon Textiles here.

Art Glitter can be found at ArtGlitter.com.

Setacolor Expandable Paint can be found at FiberOnAWhim.com, joggles.com, or DharmaTrading.com.

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Playing with Stencils — A Series by Susan Stein

November 23rd, 2009
Susan Stein

Susan Stein

I’m thrilled to introduce a new series of short lessons involving stencils and non-traditional materials. This series has been put together by Susan Stein of White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Susan is a talented quilter, author, instructor, and recently retired quilt shop owner. Susan’s most recent books are Fabric Art Workshop and Fabric Art Projects, both from Creative Publishing, International.

Susan traveled to Houston with me in October to help out at Fall Quilt Market. She brought a number of fascinating samples made from our new stencils, most made with techniques and materials that are not a part of main-stream quilting. I’m so glad she was willing to put this series of lessons together for us. So, without further ado, here’s the first installment in the Playing with Stencils series!

Liquid Frisket through a Stencil ~ Playing with Stencils 1

by Susan Stein

This technique is for working with paper, not fabric.

Supplies:
shiva_liquid_masque~ Cedar Canyon Textiles stencils
~ Shiva® Liquid Masque™, commonly called liquid frisket (actually latex)
~ Disposable sponge for frisket
~ Sponges and sponge brushes for paint
~ Spray adhesive like 404™ Spray and Fix
~ Heavy paper, colored, marbled, or printed (fabric does not work)
~ Watercolor paper, white
~ White eraser
~ Opaque paint like Lumiere™ by Jacquard
~ Transparent paint like Dye-na-Flow™ by Jacquard

Step 1 – Prepare the stencil

Spray the back of the stencil with adhesive.  Let it dry so the adhesive won’t transfer to the paper.  Stick the stencil onto the paper.

Step 2 – Apply frisket to paper

apply_liquid_masque

Apply frisket to paper through openings in stencil

With a sponge or sponge brush, fill the stencil openings with frisket.  I use a sponge and very light application, which gives a less defined image-use the mask more heavily if you want a perfectly shaped image.  Pull the stencil off immediately so the frisket doesn’t lift off the paper with the stencil, and then let the paper dry.  Rub the excess frisket off the stencil with your finger or an eraser.

liquid_masque_on_white_paper

Liquid Masque on water-color paper

Here’s another photo showing frisket applied to white water-color paper.

Step 3 – Paint the paper

paint_over_liquid_masque

Apply paint over entire paper

Paint over the paper, using as many colors as you like.  You can paint right over the image, since the frisket will act as a resist.   Let the paint dry.

Step 4 – Remove frisket, add additional colors if desired

With a soft eraser, remove the frisket.  If you are using white watercolor paper and transparent paint, dilute a contrasting color and wash it over the white image and into the background.  Let the paint dry.

Note: papers vary greatly and the only way to predict your results is to do a test sample.

Finished Samples

finished_samples_using_liquid_masque

Left: Frisket applied to colored paper using Oak Leaves stencil. Paper painted with copper paint, then sponged with a second paint. Frisket removed to reveal paper.

Center: Frisket applied to dark, marbled paper using Birch Leaves stencil. Paper sponged with copper paint. Frisket removed to reveal paper.

Right: Frisket applied to white textured paper using Birch Leaves stencil. Paper painted with copper paint. Frisket removed to reveal white paper. Paper painted with translucent paint.

Learn more about stencils from Cedar Canyon Textiles here.

Shiva® Liquid Masque is available at art supply stores and online sites.

404 Spray and Fix adhesive is available at quilt shops and sewing stores. Or check the list of retailers at JT Trading for a source.

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Fabulous Faces Tutorial

November 16th, 2009

A few months ago, I posted some of Lauren Vlcek’s Fabulous Faces. Lauren has been suffering through computer problems, but she was able to send the information and photos for a tutorial. So without further ado, here’s Lauren.

Paintstik Portraits, by Lauren Vlcek

cover_faceI fell in love with Shiva Paintstiks the very first time I tried them.  They are reminiscent of the big fat crayons that I used when I was young.  Just looking at them takes me back to a time when art projects were about exploration and play!  Paintstiks are a stick form of oil paint. I love the freedom of oil paints since they don’t dry out quickly.  They are smooth and wonderfully fun to blend with your fingers.

I love any art project that includes fabric and the paintstiks are designed for fabric.  To make the paintstik portraits, you apply them a little differently than the traditional methods.  The faces on my art journal pages are painted on a separate piece of muslin and then cut out and collaged onto the page. However, you can use the same method directly onto an art quilt or even a canvas.

Supplies

01_supplies_small

  • Shiva Paintstiks- antique white, dusty rose, beige, mauve, meadow green/wedgewood blue
  • muslin
  • gesso
  • fine pencil
  • extra fine line artist’s pen
  • Decocolor white paint pen
  • gel pens
  • spray fixative

Step 1

02_gesso_small

Tape a piece of muslin to your work surface with masking tape.  Using a high thread count muslin works best.  Paint two layers of white gesso on the muslin. Allow the first layer to dry before adding the second.

Step 2

03_face_outline_small

When the gesso is completely dry, remove the masking tape.  Draw a faint outline of the head and neck with pencil.  Spray lightly with a workable fixative or your pencil lines will be smudged when you add the paint.

Step 3

I like to use the paintstiks from lightest to dark.  Fill in the outlined area with antique white.  The area covered with antique white can be spread smooth with a filbert brush or your finger.

Step 4

04_beige1_beige2

To add some shadow around the outer edge of the head and in the eye areas approximately halfway between the chin and the top of the head, use a beige paintstik.  Again, this paint can be smoothed with a brush or finger.  While you are smoothing the eye areas drag the inner edges of each straight down to create a shadow along the sides of the nose.

Step 5

05_rose1_rose2

Apply dusty rose paintstik to the cheek areas and blend with a brush or finger.  This color can be dabbed between the beige and antique white around the face to give the face rosier complexion.  Then smooth as before.

Step 6

If you lost most of the antique white areas during the smoothing, you can put them back in by adding some more right over the top using the paintstik and then smoothing them out with a brush or finger.  It is nice to have some white highlighted areas at the forehead, along the bridge of the nose and on the chin.

At this point your face will have color, shape and shadow and is just beginning to resemble a face, but there are no details yet.  The paint needs to dry for 24 hours. When the paint on your face is fully dry, spray it with a workable fixative.

Step 7

06_feature_outline_small

Draw basic feature outlines with an extra fine micron pen in black or brown.  Draw the eyes, nose, brows and lips.  Spray lightly with workable fixative.

Step 8

07_eye_lip_color_small

Using a meadow green, wedgewood blue, or chocolate paintstik put a dot of paint in the iris area and smooth with a small brush.  Don’t worry if you lose some of the detail line at this time.  Use the mauve paintstik to dab some color on the top lip and dusty rose for the lower lip, again, blend with a small brush.  Allow the paint to dry.  These small areas don’t usually take 24 hours, but overnight is a safe bet.

Step 9

08_finished_face_small

The finishing details of the face are quick and easy.  Replace any detail lines that were obscured with the extra-fine micron pen and draw in a black pupil.  If you want you can outline the iris in a gel pen that matches the eye color you chose in step 8.  Use a fine, white Deco paint pen to put in the whites of the eye and tiny highlights on the tip of the nose and along the top tip of the upper lip and in the center of the lower lip.  You can also put a small dot of white in the eye where the pupil meets the iris at about 1:00.  This brightens the eyes and gives the illusion of a light reflected off a wet surface.  Be sure to spray the entire face a final time with fixative.

sunny_day_small~ Lauren Vlcek lives and teaches various classes in the Colorado Springs area, including one on her lovely faces. She’ll be teaching this class at the 2010 Textile Evolution Art Conferences. (You can visit www.TextileEvolution.com for more details.) Lauren is co-author of a new book called Fabric Embellishing: The Basics and Beyond from Landauer Publishing. It has just been released.

Shelly’s Note

Many thanks to Lauren for providing us with this wonderful step-by-step look at painting faces with Shiva Paintstiks! Have a question? Post a comment!

And as always, happy painting…

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