Thick like Honey

In my Saturday Silkscreen on Fabric class we're in the middle of my favorite process- printing monoprints with thickened dye (otherwise known as "deconstructed dye prints"). For my demo I found a piece of hexagonal tilework to coat with Havana Brown and pressed it into my clean screen, repeating until the pattern completely filled the screen. The brown dye was left to dry and harden in the mesh, creating a stencil.

 Once dry, I printed yellow thickened dye through the screen onto pre-soda-soaked cotton. Each of the 5 prints is different as the brown dye stencil slowly reactivates and breaks down the stencil. I like printing with just 2 colors (one for the stencil and one for printing), but more could be used. I love not having to worry about the dye drying out and blocking the screen, and cleanup is so easy!

It was so fun to have this honey-comb-like print and coloring in the demo, as the print paste is often compared to the consistency of honey. Last semester I mixed it too thin, but I've got it right now!

This fabric is destined for a piece I plan on making for the B Square gallery "Insect Invitational" in the Fall. Just looking at it makes my fingers itchy for a needle and thread!