My first Fabric Design class has ended, and did I ever have fun! The teacher was kind of quiet (you know those artistic types), but is a free-lance print designer, so should really know her stuff. There were about 15 students, half from the more advanced class – they were doing amazing things. But for the newcomers, she made a very easy assignment.
You should try this, really. I’m sure this would be a fun assignment for anyone, of any age. Because how hard is it to draw your name? Any size, any script, using any brush and black ink. We took a sheet of kraft paper (the kind you might have used, in the past, to cover a box you were mailing) and cut it to about a 14” square. Then, we started writing our name over and over. No pressure at all – just relaxing, because obviously we all know how to write/print/ink our own name – we’ve had lots of practice.
Then we took our rulers, and drew a 2” square grid pattern on the ink drawing, and lightly numbered each square for later identification. Then we took another sheet of kraft paper and ruled out 2” squares and copied, as nearly as we could, the design from each 2” square of the original. Next, we cut the grids apart, keeping the squares from each sheet of paper in separate piles.
All the cut-out squares from the original drawing were placed face down, and mixed up. These were then picked up randomly (not looking at the front) and taped together to form the 14” square of kraft paper again.
Voila! Turn that paper over, and you have the most awesome design. Here’s mine:
Then, we pieced and taped the second stack of squares, using the numbers, to match the first 14” square. By taping the two papers together, you get a “full drop” or repeat of a fabric design.
It was amazing the different designs that everyone in the class came up with. And with such little effort – just play with paper, ink and scissors, and you feel creative.
I was so jazzed – inside I was dancing, saying “you did it, you did it, you made an awesome fabric design”. And so I did.
Next week, we need to bring lots of paint (gouache, whatever that is), so I’m off to go shopping for supplies.
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