Category: Artquest 30/30

Artquest 30/30 Day 3 -Reuse, recycle, reclaim

Artquest 30/30 day 3 and the hint is ‘reuse. recycle’ reclaim’ which was very apt for my focus for this challenge which is, as far as possible to utilise existing material that has lain untouched for months. Having started the challenge bleaching and toning, then weaving old cyanotype prints, today’s plan was to weave 2 failed cyanotypes printed onto fabric, one under and the other over exposed. When making cyanotypes on fabric, it needs to be stretched tight to get an even print and one had been made on a 9″ embroidery hoop resulting in the print being circular, so I used this again as it kept the fabric taught as I wove the 2 together. In both cases, the prints had been made using ferns, so, like those used on day 2, they were similar but different. I think the subject matter is more obvious there than it was in yesterday’s piece. To add a little texture I went back to my textile scrap box and ‘reclaimed’ a few contrasting strips. Does this add interest or just confusion? Outside of my comfort zone certainly but I think I like it.

For day 4, I will be going back to bleaching and toning.

Artquest 30/30 Day 2

My first thought when I saw my toned print this morning was ‘Oh dear’, it was quite a lot darker than I had though last night but it is all part of the learning process. I had planned to weave my prints from yesterday and that is what I would do. I have very little experience of weaving photographs so did a little research. One short video I came across, link below, suggested I cut one photograph in vertical strips but keeping the frame intact and the other into horizontal strips. Preparation usually pays off and I felt this would help keep the piece together as I worked so followed this process.

I numbered the horizontal strips so that they were added in the correct order, having taken a photograph of the intact sheet first which proved to be useful as I needed to refer to it on several occasions. This method worked ok until I got near the bottom of the piece when it became difficult to weave the horizontal strips in. Both cyanotypes were made on fairly heavy watercolour paper and it needed to be softer and more pliable for weaving. In the end I had to open up the bottom of the vertical strips to complete the work. Even pulling each stip up as tightly as I could, I was left with 4 horizontal strips which wouldn’t fit in, again, partly I think due to the weight of the paper. I think next time I will leave the top of both sheets intact so that I have a solid top and left side to work from, also print the cyanotype onto thinner paper.

Thinking about tomorrow, I have 2 cyanotypes, both featuring ferns, printed onto fabric. maybe I’ll see what I can do with them.

https://www.google.com/search?q=weaving+photographs&oq=weaving+photograpsh&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgBEAAYDRiABDIGCAAQRRg5MgkIARAAGA0YgAQyDQgCEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgDEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgEEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyCggFEAAYgAQYogQyCggGEAAYgAQYogTSAQkyMjczN2owajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:4d199a52,vid:Lm8Y42T10n0,st:0