4.10.13

Printing with leaves - it's autumn you know..



I've been printing fabric with blocks made from oak leaves from our local park and it is just such fun!

First, leaf collecting is compulsive - finding the perfect specimens (not too crispy, not too mushy, similar size to all its friends...) and it is really hard to decide that you have enough and should stop collecting now.  Picking them straight from the tree is not permitted, some would say that it is cheating, this is an Autumn leaf project NOT an any old time of year thing...

Second, gluing them all to make printing blocks - that is fun too, do I need to explain?  Gluing leaves to card, theraputic, satisfying and you get to peel all the glue of your skin at the end, keeping you occupied while the leaf blocks dry out.  Maybe have a cup of tea while pulling the glue/skin layer off?

Third, rolling ink all over leaves - this is art all by itself isn't it?  The leaves were a really good colour already but I do like green and making my very own leaf green was a good thing (my picture makes these look greeny black, but they aren't in real life, they are zing green, my very own shade)

Fourth, printing on fabric - good fun, great results and very hard to stop.  How many metres of leaf fabric do I NEED?  But look, every print has subtle differences, little nuances so I must continue all day until the leaves have had enough and I have enough fabric to upholster a tree or maybe a whole woodland.

Fifth, return to woods/park/wilderness to collect more leaves....

6 comments:

Tracey said...

Love your print what fun.

Julia K Walton - Fire Horse Textiles said...

What a great result! Thank you for sharing the technique. Julia :)

John said...

Looks like fun! Just came across your website so thought I'd say hello from a fellow lino-cutter. Love your work. :)

Melanie Wickham said...

Thanks for your comments all, it was a great fun project and has made some suprisingly nice fabric!

And glad to 'meet' you John, so pleased you like my work and I love finding other lino cutters on line, v.inspiring.

drusilla cole said...

Hi from me too..another printmaker! I'm also in Dotty Dog gallery and when I went to the opening today I bought your Flat cat print ..which I love :-)
Nice website and blog too! All the best Drusilla Cole

Melanie Wickham said...

Thanks for buying my print Drusilla, so glad you like it - can't wait to get to Dotty Dog Gallery myself, hearing so many good things!