#52weeksofsurfacedesign: weeks 3 and 4: relief printing!

i am combining weeks 3 and 4 due to a family visit and a long-awaited 20th wedding anniversary trip to Vegas with my partner @osi_ !

#reliefprinting has been my jam for a few months! some of my blocks are cut out of legit lino block material, but most of them are quick and dirty stamps made from adhesive #craftfoam and scraps of wood (scroll to last photo). for inks i’ve been using fabric screenprinting inks like those made by @blickartmaterials @prochemicalanddyeand @speedball_art — i apply it using a small paint trim roller like the ones used and recommended by @jenhewett.

i also use a padded printing surface, which consists of a piece of plywood, a thin layer of carpet padding, covered with a stretched piece of canvas dropcloth. if anyone is interested, i may be able to do a DIY on how i made said printing surface. it’s modeled after the print tables i used at @textilesatlillstreet.

i have made all kinds of motifs but i have found that simple shapes hold a tremendous amount of possibility. it’s incredibly fun to layer simple shapes and colors and see how said shapes and colors interact with one another and with the base fabric to which they are applied. to simplify and limit my play, i’ve been cutting out stacks of 6” blocks with my @accuquilt Studio cutter and have been applying my motifs in different places and arrangements and seeing what results.