Lascaux Cave Drawing on Silk

Took a real cave drawing from Lascaux, used xerox transfer method (gum arabic, engraving ink) to print on silk, fashioned into this form.

Little Red Racer -- on silk

Printed my photograph of red racing car on silk, stuffed, and becomes a new "vehicle."

Use silk treated with stuff that helps the color copy stick to it.  I secured my supplies from Dharma Trading Company.  They sell silk sheets already treated, but also sell supplies so you can treat your own silk or cotton.  I make a "batch" of fabric at a time using the setting agents (from Dharma)....once it dries, it seems to keep fine, and ready for when the mood strikes you to print away.

a. Use sheets pre-treated to accept a color copy OR treat your own silk..then iron it onto freezer paper.
b. Make sure the sheet fits into your copier.
c. Print whatever you want onto the sheet. (just stick the treated sheet into the paper feed tray....it is backed with freezer paper...it will be skinny (like a sheet of paper with very thin layer of silk on it).
d. Let it dry for a bit, then fix the image with another agent (see Dharma).
e. Use how you like....above image was cut from the sheet...I printed both sides...figured out picture taking so it would work...a little pre-thinking is always  (well mostly) helpful.

Birthday Whatever

Drew birthday cake on plexi, printed drawing on silk, lightly stuffed, made cozy for wine or whatever -- in this case a moose, rendered in felt with machine stitch around sketch lines, for celebrant.

Companions for other Stuffy

Made a couple of versions of the silk animal of my post a few days ago. The textured pinkish one has hand embroidered features, so to be more "mouthable" for younger set, and the black wool one is "classic" mode, you imagine the details.

On Silk, some "finished" applications

"Finished" some xerox transfers on silk. Not sure the fabric on fabric finishing pictured is "there" yet, but do like silk being free, to flutter or whatever with breeze. Vintage photo of my Dad on horse (in frame) lends itself to "inexactness" of xerox transfer of photo on silk with engraving ink. The reddish photo below is of Telc, a town in Czech Republic I have visited a few times.

3D "Cave Drawing" Animal

Liked the idea of having Xerox transfer go 3D, so did simple drawing, xerox transfered on silk, and sewed into doll. Wanted to give him "natural" hair, but concerned that sewing sticks and leaves "out of his head" would not stay intact. Came up with holder for his "fancy dress" occasions...is not a saddle, more like a hat...has little holders in it for sticks, feathers, leaves...whatever he feels like sporting.

Update from late November 2009: Showed original to some people, had requests, so made a bevy. Good learning experience to see how mini mass production works...my past had me in mass production, not by my hand, and doing it by hand in small run was interesting. Pic of "ancestors" of the original placed itself on top of this post.

Silk "Dolls"

Took Xerox Transfer on silk for class assignment calling for book to be rendered in printing technique. Made collage of various elements of "modernization" of Russia under Peter the Great. Stuffed lightly, sewed into "dolls," with "diamond" pendant of PG affixed to ribbon, running through "modernized Russia, attached to doll of Russia pre-PG inside modernized Russia.