EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY...AND SILK

As an artist I have found mixed reaction to the use of computers in any aspect of art making. I don't create my illustrations digitally, but my computer is an integral part of my art making process. I've got a full life so anytime I can use the scanner or the computer in some way to view my work or tweak it to see what the next step might look like, I do it. That's the way my process has worked for a long time. I also alter equipment to get it to work the way I want it to.

More than ten years ago I wanted to print my art at home as notecards and I wanted to print my own business cards. At the time I was an illustrator AND graphic designer and having 500 business cards I couldn't change didn't interest me. The thought of publishing my own notecards on a four color press didn't offer any immediate profit. I wanted immediacy and a way to test my market. I also wanted archival capabilities, heavier more interesting inkjet papers, water resistant results, etc. Back then it was hard to achieve what I wanted, but I was determined. Armed with paper from different companies and a spray bottle I began doing tests on samples I printed from my Epson 750. Printing and spraying. Applying coats, spraying, leaving things in the sun. (It was kind of fun!) After being laughed at by Epson (it's Ok they finally got up to speed a little bit) I found archival inks that I could inject into cartridges. There I sat on my kitchen floor carefully injecting inks into the cartridges. Results were pretty good, but it was a hassle. After a few more years I converted my printer into a continuous flow system by installing archival cartridges that were attached by tubes to bottles of ink.

Now, all these years later, paper is a bit thicker, inks are better, and now I want my printer to do new things. For the past several years I have found myself dreaming of printing on raw silk. I have about 100 yards left from a time when I dyed silk almost 20 years ago. After many tests, failed and almost there, I am proud to say I have successfully printed my illustrations on the silk with the results that I was after. They have brilliant color and depth and the feeling of something totally unique and special. This was something I was unable to get from any of my paper prints no matter how much color correction I did or how many profiles I used. There is hardly any correction to do with the silk and I print using the plain paper setting!

I would be happy to share my experience with anyone who wants information. I hope to post a step-by-step example in the fall, but I may be able to swing it before then if there is interest. In the meantime don't let anyone tell you it can't be done when you really want to do something. You are the only one that can decide when to stop. Besides, you might come up with something totally different that you love on the way to the original vision.

You can read more about Raw Silk Prints here at Faery Medicine Boutique.