Here is number three in the series using fusible web.
Besides creating fibre film and fusing plastics to web, you can also paint fusible web to create beautiful overlays to use in fibre art work.
1. Make sure you lay out some newspaper under your fusible sheet
2. Paint. I use
Dala Fabric paints and KV art fabric liner, but since the fusible web will really be too fragile a surface to wash in your finished work, you can really use any water soluble paint, acrylic paints, high quality water colour (with a good pigment base), not any oil based paint, however. It is best to water down the paint before using, as very thick paint will be:
- difficult to spread without tearing the web
- take a very long time to dry
- Take away from the transparency of the finished product
3. You can use a brush, a soft one as the web tears easily. A large flat painter's brush works well for large areas.
3. You can also use a roller or brayer, best on a hard surface
4. You can use a stencil brush, but don't brush too hard.
5. You can use a sponge, or even a piece of fabric or tissues scrunched up.
6. Notice the texture that happens as the backing paper starts to wrinkle.
7. If this is the way your web crinkles, you can use it to your advantage, to make an excellent tree bark look alike.
8. The wrinkling and the texture differs between;
- brands of webbing,
- types of paint,
- the amount of water added
- the way paint is applied.
The webbing below does not crinkle. The backing paper is quite thick on this sample, and the webbing was applied in a different manner during manufacture. If your local quilt store has several different types of webbing, buy a small amount of each (making sure you write the brand on the back as the assistant is cutting it) and experiment. You can also alter the way the backing crinkles by prewetting, perhaps in small circles, separated. This will also alter the way the paint moves in the web.
9. Wait untill the webbing is completely dry and carefully peel off from the backing. If paint is thick or has not dried properly, it will stick to the backing and will tear as you peel it off. It is best to leave it at least 24 hours before trying to peel it off.
A selection of painted webbing from this session. Store the web flat on it's release sheet, I have folded and scrunched these to show you how transparent they are and the effects you can get from layering them, but until the web has cured a bit, there is the possibility of folds like this sticking, so to be safe, keep them flat.
Just an extra bit. You can also print on fusible web with an inkjet printer, however, the web needs to be attached to a thick backing (like my second type) and needs to be securely attached to the webbing. re fuse your webbing to the backing before you print if your webbing has a habit of peeling off (this often happens in humid or damp areas) I will be covering this technique in a later blog, but thought I would just mention it now, so you can play.
This is a rough, early sample of inkjet printed webbing fused to white muslin.
Eventually I will be showing you how to use surfaces like this to create beautiful effects with FME and other embellishments. but use your own imagination and experiment, experiment, experiment.
For more information, see:
The following three blogs paint and use painted web in very different styles
After midnight again. Naughty me
