"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas, I'm frightened of the old ones." ~John Cage

New ideas of ways of working on things continue to flood my mind, and I think it is slowing be down quite a bit sometimes. But I'm grateful that I have time to experiment and try to merge new ideas with what I've been working on. My most recent idea is with the peas in the pod and using new ways to transfer images. I keep reading about transferring images on to fabric using a 'blender' pen or marker in these fabric surface design books from the library. (FYI, no I didn't draw these peas in a pod, but found them an old copyright free image catalog and then played with them on photoshop.)

And WHACK. This always seems to happen - I'm reading about a medium of art and techniques specific to them and instead of applying it to that medium, I go to some other realm. Example with the fabric photo transfers and the peas in the pod. I work in fibers, how cool is this, I can transfer images easily and fast on to fabric, without the bulk of iron on transfers and such. However, the ENTIRE time I'm reading about it, I'm thinking of if it will work to transfer the image onto a block of linoleum for printing. You know, it takes forever to transfer drawings in reverse onto the block and the pencil rubs off so easily, why, this would solve many problems... let the photocopier do the work, use the blender pen and then get carving! To my amazement - IT WORKS SO WELL!!! Not only did the image transfer crisp and cleanly, but it doesn't rub off, AND even after test printing and scrubbing it with soap and water, the images stays on the block, which is super helpful is reworking the plate! So here's the plate, it's been inked a few times already, so it a getting stained, but you can get a good idea of how well the image transferred. I'll post the finished print posted once I get there, the proofs, are simply that, and show were I need to rework.

Okay, I'll show a proof, so you can see what the print 'looks' like, bear with me as it is not on the best paper for this image and it also need a lot of work, but these things take time!


As you can see, it's quite rough, for a few different reasons. So as I work on this, I've been reading printing books, and translating them into the fiber world and am energized by doing so. Currently warp is being prepared for weaving and my mind is spinning with how exactly I'm to do what I'm envisioning in this project, we'll see how it goes. Until then I wait for a cone of cotton to arrive to I can get weaving!