I'm a follower of Mamacjt blog. It is written by a talented artist named Carol, who lives in Wisconsin. I have enjoyed reading about her projects, and have been especially intrigued by one technique in particular...her fabric coloring with crayon process.In search of more information, I read back a number of posts and found my way to her tutorial. It seemed to be a technique I would enjoy, so I assembled my supplies and set about trying my hand at it.
I needed freezer paper, fabric, a pencil and a box of crayons. Yes. You're right. I spent part of my day Sunday coloring!I downloaded the designs - called mandalas - from another blog called eyepopart. Carol was kind enough to provide the link. (I'll add the links to Carol's blog and the mandala art at the end of this post.) Once I downloaded the free coloring pages, I could get started.
I followed Carol's instructions and began my project by taking a piece of fabric - I used a white cotton with a tone-on-tone design, cut 22" square - and placed it on my light table with one of the mandala designs taped underneath. It helps if you locate the center of the fabric first and mark it with a faint pencil dot. I then traced the design onto the fabric.Once the design was traced, I ironed the fabric to a piece of freezer paper (waxy side against the wrong side of the fabric). It provides a measure of stability for the fabric during the coloring process. When I had finished coloring the design onto the fabric, the freezer paper easily peeled away from the cotton without leaving any residue.
I have more to do before this project will be complete, but the first image in today's post is as much as I've done so far. I'll share my project as I work my way through the tutorial.
If you'd like to try your hand at this, you can read the full tutorial at Carol's blog. Click here to read more. Click here for the link to the coloring pages on eyepopart's blog. (You'll need to scroll down the right sidebar to find the download link.)
One thing that Carol mentioned - and it's important - is to keep your crayons sharp. For a person who usually colors outside the lines, I needed to control my urges! Sharper crayons would have made it easier. I'm not sure how much I'll love my very first effort (it's a bit messy), but I can assure you that I'll be making a second and third, or more. A woman could feel like a girl again, losing herself in the fine art of coloring with crayons.
Donna, this looks like fun. I always did like to color!
ReplyDelete~ Sarah
Fun! Oh how I do love to color! (even though I love white, hee,hee,hee)
ReplyDeleteI have a whole book about mandalas. They are so interesting.
Can't wait to see more of what you do!
xx, shell
In the 80's, when it was lucrative, I used to sell my work at local craft shows. One of the items that went over big at Christmas was wall hangings I did in a primitive style. Each had a saying and the art was colored with crayons then ironed to set the wax. A VERY fun project that was well received.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm off to check your links.
BTW, nice piece you did, and thanks for the post.
Ok, I went over there. OMGosh, I'm gonna be lost. Isn't her art a hoot. Anyway, thanks for that link. Those calling birds gave me a great start to the morning!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas
WOW!
ReplyDeleteCarol is such a sweet person, and so very talented!
ReplyDeleteI love your first project using this technique. I recall my grandmother doing this type of work. She would often color designs, and then add hand embroidery. Makes me want to go pull out the crayons!
Oh thank you so much for sharing all of this fun with the links of how to. Every year I get a new box of crayons as I love the smell and to feel young again. This is a wonderful way to actually use my new crayons. Yours looks amazing. Happy coloring...
ReplyDeleteI did something similar to this with my daughter's class when she was in second grade. I ironed the muslin rectangles to freezer paper. Took them to school and each child drew something for Mother's Day on their rectangle. I took them back home and sewed a backing on them leaving an opening for stuffing. Took them back to school and each child stuffed their pillow. They then stitched the opening closed using a needle and thread (with some help). I still have the one my daughter made for me. She is now 18! Lots of fun memories from volunteering in the schools. This would be an easy Christmas project with grandchildren as well!
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Donna, you gave me something else to get excited about today! I absolutely Love crayons. They were my favorite toy as a child and I guess I never lost my love for them. This looks like so much fun! Thanks! Twyla
ReplyDeleteHi Donna, this sounds like so much fun and it is really a beautiful piece of art. great idea.
ReplyDeleteDebby