Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Thermofax 101 by Lyric Kinard - DVD Review

Welcome to the Thermofax 101 Blog Hop and Give Away.  Here is a link to buy the DVD
Learn how easy it is to create your own screen printed cloth! Thermofax Screen Printing is easy, fun, and well within your reach. Let fun-loving artist, Lyric Kinard, guide you through the basics of what, exactly, a thermofax screen is, and how it’s made. Then she helps you begin your own creative journey as she shows you how to find and design your own imagery and send it off to have a custom screen made for you. Learn all about the basic supplies you will need and then get printing! Lyric will explain the properties of textile paints, how to prepare, care for, and use your screens, and finally how to design and create your own beautiful cloth.

65 minutes of thorough instruction

Chapters:
Getting Started: what is a thermofax screen
Finding Images: find and design your own
How to Print: printing techniques and tools
Designing: creating cloth with layered imagery

April 24 Cheryl Rezendez  http://www.cherylrezendes.com
April 25  Leslie Tucker Jenison  http://leslietuckerjenison.blogspot.com  
April 28  Sue Bleiweiss  http://www.suebleiweiss.com/blog/
May 1 Susan Price and Elizabeth Gibson  http://pgfiber2art.blogspot.com/
May 2  Judy Coates Perez  http://www.judycoatesperez.com
May 4  Linda Stokes  www.lindastokes-textileartist.com
May 6  Jane Davila  http://janedavila.blogspot.com
May 6 Melanie Testa http://melanietesta.com/blog/
May 8  Carol Sloan  http://carolbsloan.blogspot.com
May 11  Susan Brubaker Knapp  http://wwwbluemoonriver.blogspot.com
May 12  Desiree Habicht  http://myclothesline.blogspot.com
May 14  Deborah Boschert  http://deborahsjournal.blogspot.com
May 15  Sarah Ann Smith  sarahannsmith.com/weblog

Okay, this is totally new for me, because I have never used a Thermofax machine, or let alone seen one.  What I liked about Lyric's DVD is that she shows you what this machine looks like and the history of it.  And I've never used a screen to create marks on fabric.  I am a newbie!  I loved learning something new, that I was curious about.  This is the image that I sent Lyric, because a few years ago when I posted this photo on Facebook/Instagram, my friend Cate Prato commented that it would make a good Thermofax screen.   So here we are!

Lyric's DVD begins with some great music, which I enjoyed!  Here is the photo copy image from which the Thermofax screen is made from.  Pretty cool.  Lyric is really good about talking in front of the camera, a natural.  She tells and shows you what it is all about step by step. Then there are words on the screen with hints to help you out.  I took notes, because I am like a fish out of water.

My screen came with a frame.  You use duct tape to secure it tightly in place on both sides.  Silly me, I had only black and white checkered duct tape.  Okay, this has to cure overnight before you can use it.  I had to go back and read my notes.  I am just not that patient, but I followed her directions because I wanted to do it right the first time.  And can you imagine taking that duct tape off if there was some sort of crease in the screen after you put it all on?  Lyric shows some easy ways to put the tape on. 

Here is my canvas drop cloth on a table with a little felt underneath to give it cush, also covered in the DVD.

The fabric that I am using if part of the 1895 Hoffman Bali Hand Dyed Collection.  I love the vibrant colors.  I am also going to use Jacquard Textile paint.  Lyric clearly explains all kinds of paint that you can use.  There are certainly others that I would like to try, but this is what I have on hand.

You use a plastic scrapper to move the paint over the screen.  Lyric talks about all of the scrappers that are available and her favorites.  I used a tool that I have used in making books, that smooths down a fold.  It was the perfect width for the screen.  This is my first run through.  I think it is pretty cool.


Here is another one, and I clearly got too much paint at the top in globs. Listening to Lyric talk about this technique and all of the amazing ways that you can use it, got the wheels in my brain working with the 'what if?' scenario.  This is a good sign.  I want to learn more, and she came through with all kinds of ideas, design tips, using more than one color, unity and personally I think that is the greatest feature of the DVD.  Learning about color and design along with a great new technique.

This is printed directly on the canvas, and it might be my favorite.

Throwing caution to the wind here with doing many prints with more paint.  Gloppy in some parts, but I could use it for something later.

This print was done directly on my concrete floor in my studio.  I was here. I washed my screen, so I can use it again.  Thanks Lyric for making such an amazing DVD, that I could even do!  It was fabulous and I highly recommend this to anyone who loves paint, or needs to get to know paint - it is very fun! The possibilities are endless to what you can do with this technique in your own work.  Click on the link at the start of this blog post to buy one for yourself.  Congratulations Jennifer Scatlebury Vienneau - you are the winner!




15 comments:

  1. I watch Quilting Arts and have seen the demo and would love to try to do it. The fabric comes out so awesome. Thank you for a chance to win.

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  2. I even have a thermofax machine. Would love to win this one

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  3. You are so BRAVE to have printed onto your floor. Very cool that you tried printing on to different surfaces. Glad you had such fun!

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  4. I like what you did. thanks for sharing it with us

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  5. From reading all the blogs on this hop I see how much information there is on this DVD and what a valuable resource it is!

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  6. Lyric is such an awesome teacher!! She played a big part in the beginning of my art-venture a few years back and I am reminded daily of things I learned from her! I have several thermofax screens so this would be a great refresher on how to use them!! I have concrete floor as well!!

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  7. It looks like you had a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing the details about the processes you followed. I'm a thermofax newbie too.

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  8. Wow! Another great lesson! Thanks for sharing this. I love Lyric's work.

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  9. Anonymous12:14 AM

    Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm intrigued to try it myself. -- soparkaveataoldotcom

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  10. I love the screen you had made!!! I love my screens but I think the dvd might be helpful too!

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  11. Really fun to see a review and photos from a beginning thermofax printer point of view. Thanks for sharing!

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  12. great screen. thanks for the give away

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  13. I, along with all the others, would like to win.

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  14. Enjoyed your walk through of the process. You made it look easy and doable.

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  15. Thanks for the chance to win this DVD. I'd love to learn more about thermofax printing, looks like so much fun.
    Grace
    liberalsprinkles at gmail dot com

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