Botanical Printing

Botanical Printing  –  a fun workshop to learn a foundation textile art skill.

Botanical Printing is a fun workshop to learn some easy textile art skills. Celebrate the beauty of nature without being able to draw by making prints from leaves or feathers. Then you’ll make your prints into a beautiful botanical-themed embroidered artists book or picture.

Watch my promotional video for a sneak peak.

Course description

Monoprinting is a quick and easy way to create decorated paper or fabrics. It’s used by textile artists, quilters and for general crafts such as cardmaking, or art journals and sketchbooks. It’s a whole heap of fun and it’s much easier than it looks. It will inspire designs for embroidery and collage. You can print your own paper and fabric for use in other crafts, or for use to make an Art Quilt. So if you like any form of craft, quilting, or patchwork then you need to give it a go.

Firstly, I’ll show you how to make your own mark-making tools and printing blocks using everyday items.  Then I’ll demonstrate various mono-printing techniques using the amazing gelatin plates to create colour and pattern on paper or fabric (gelli printing). Gelatin plates pick up subtle textures and marks. Because of that, I love to use ‘found’ objects from nature, such as feathers and leaves.These unique prints will enable you to totally personalize your work.

You will create your own collection of printed materials (papers and/or fabrics). Then I’ll show you how to make up your prints in to an ‘artists book’.  This is a folded, concertina to display your prints, or you can make a collaged picture. Finally, we’ll look at how colour and pattern can inspire stitch. You can use hand or machine embroidery to embellish your book.

This class will free you from having to buy commercial printed papers and fabrics. It will add a whole new dimension to your work. It’s the easiest way to learn how to design your own unique artworks.

Level: All (although  hand embroidery, basic sewing machine or free-motion embroidery skills would be an advantage)

Who is this aimed at?

Anyone who enjoys crafting, not just textile art.  Monoprinted materials can be used to make book covers, cards, gift labels, wrapping paper and in mixed media art.  You don’t need any art or drawing experience.

What will I learn?

• how to make your own print blocks
• what papers and fabrics can be printed on
• what you can use as a print plate
• how to assemble your prints into a collaged picture or a folding book (artists book).

Course arrangements

When you come to Botanical Printing and see how easy and fun it is to make your own gorgeous collage materials, you won’t want to buy commercially-printed paper or fabric ever again.

All the printing equipment is provided but I’ll advise the paper/fabric requirements when you book.

For inspiration, why not take a look at this website of one of my favourite textile artists.  Hilary Beattie often uses monoprinting techniques in her work.