Wednesday 16 March 2016

WOW: Trying New Things

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays
This week I've been playing around with crayons as a painting tool and technique for brushing over fabrics and prints to create new textures. I've done this a lot with acrylic paints, but not with crayons so it's been a learning experience for me. I always like to try new things and reconsidering better ways to do things I already do. And I really like the idea of brushing over a gentle hue on an existing fabric print. As I make my sweets for Sweet 2016 I have often been faced with a good fabric that is missing some speckling or little touches that would make it perfect. I like tailoring my work to make it fit my vision, so the idea of painting with these crayons really appealed.

Now, I've only just started so I can't give you a review or tutorial yet. So far, I love using paint brushes with the crayons and water to create 'wash' watercolor style touches, but don't love the fact that it turned my white fabric a dull yellow. Maybe I'm doing something wrong but this is a major set back. I'll keep playing and look into this and when I'm satisfied that I know enough to share, I'll put a tutorial up here on the blog for you to see more.

What about you? Have you used crayons to enhance fabrics as a quilting technique? 

What's Your WOW?



14 comments:

  1. Dear Esther

    Prisma colour pencils on fabric, Sandra Leichner give a tutorial on this on her blog. Crayola wax crayons, on Meg Hawkley's blog Crab apple hill studio. Prang crayons, soy based work just as well. Have tried them to add extra details to applique and quilts. As well as embroidery pieces. Great way to get kids to create fabric art work. Your stenciling technique is one I want to try my hand at. Have only done free hand fabric painting in the past.

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    1. How interesting, thanks Maggie. I've used a lot of Prisma products and other crayons, but it's always interesting to see how others are using it, I shall check these out :)

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  2. Esther, did you heat set it with your iron after painting? I don't recall my fabric changing colors but will now intentionally use a really white fabric and try it again.

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    1. Hi JoJo, It's rather odd that it stained like this. Yes I did heat set it and I have used a lot of mediums but haven't come across this yellowing before. The fabric was very white and perhaps it wouldn't be noticeable on a generally light shade, but yes, I am taken aback by this. I will keep experimenting.

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  3. Esther, I like to use a smudging artist tool, the paper ones that are solid, not the wrapped. This will make blending of the colors softer and just beautiful.

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  4. In one of my daughter's grade school classes (many years ago) the children used crayons to draw pictures on squares of fabric (to make a quilt for the teacher). Someone ironed the squares, sewed the quilt, then washed and dried it. I was surprised that it didn't feel waxy and that the images were clear after all that.

    Years ago I bought some fabric painting crayons that worked really well. We flamboyantly painted the cut-out pieces of a Halloween costume for my daughter cut from a sheet. They were water-based and could be used like crayons or used with a brush. I'd forgotten about them till I read this post. Thank you for reminding me of them. I'll have to search and see if I still have them. There are plenty of times when I want to add a little shading to fabric or (try to) color a spot where a dot of bleach touched a piece of clothing. If you're interested in learning the brand let me know.

    --Nancy. (ndmessier @ aol.com, joyforgrace.blogspot.com)

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    1. Oh WOW! I wonder how well those crayon inks would stand up today. I bet crayons today are much weaker pigment wise, but now you've stirred my curiosity and I'll have to check it out for myself! Thanks Nancy.

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  5. I use the Neocolor Ii watercolor crayons all the time and make Art Quilts. I use them for backgrounds but make sure I wet the entire piece so the colors blend and no water marks. If I just want the color in a certain place I use a brush that's sucks up the water in its base and lightly brush the color then dry it with a hair dryer so it does not bleed.

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  6. I made a beautiful quilt for our cabin using crayons to color the pictures and then sewing around the drawings. I simply used Crayola crayons, covered the pictures with a paper towel then ironed. The color set up nicely and didn't bleed or wash our at all.

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    1. I'm really taken by this Crayola idea as Nancy also mentioned this above, it could be a hidden resource hiding in plain sight! I will have to try it myself now! Thanks for the tip, I love trying new things!

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  7. I have used Prismacolor pencils, Neocolor crayons, Inktense pencils and blocks, and regular wax-based crayons. I like using a textile medium instead of water to activate the color because they are thicker and you have more control without bleeding. My favorite is Jacquard's colorless extender #100.

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    1. Yes I have used lots too but always love to experiment with new things. Must try the medium instead of water trick, thanks for the tip Jean, it could really come in useful!

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