Application: Used primarily for printing on synthetic fibres (polyester) and blends (which are mostly composed of polyester). Additionally, it is unsuitable for prints on cotton.
DIY Sun Printing on Fabric
Sun printing on fabric lets you use the plants in your garden to create beautiful patterns, and the resulting fabric can be made into clothing or a framed work of art. We teach you how to make a cyanotype with step-by-step instructions. By Anna Laurent
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The finished products: a summer dress and framed print.
Rose cuttings were used to create the patterns on the dress.
For my dress design, I pinned the leaves tightly to the fabric, but did not flatten the rose petals, which produced blossoms with a nice depth.
I am thrilled with my new dress! The pattern I chose highlights the silk’s tendency to drape and billow.
My living room is now decorated with the breezy forms of some very large seed specimens.
Sun printing on fabric is a wonderful way to capture the summer sunshine and your favorite flowers, leaves, or seed pods. The chemically-treated light-sensitive fabric is available in silks and cottons, and is an incredibly easy canvas on which to design gorgeous botanic prints.
Sun prints are also known as cyanotypes, an early photographic process that was refined by Anna Atkins, a botanist who used the light-sensitive paper to reproduce images of plant specimens. It’s easy to make your own fabric cyanotypes—I’ll show you how in this article.
Two things to remember: First, there are lots of fabrics (and plants!) to design with, so experiment with test fabrics to get a feel for how different types of plants will print; second, watch the weather! Plan around wind, clouds, and, of course, rain.
That said, all you need is a sunny day and several tools:
- Sunprint fabric (I used charmeuse silk for my dress and framed print*)
- Plant cuttings
- Pins
- Foam core board
- An iron
- Plexiglass (optional), for holding the plants flat against the fabric
- Thimble (optional), to help with pinning plants to the fabric
*The sun print fabric is available from Amazon, which sells cotton and paper sunprint material.
Project 1: Silk Summer DressPrepare your materials in an indoor space with no direct light. Cut the fabric to desired size, then iron to remove any wrinkles, as any variation in the fabric’s contour might cast shadows on the final exposed print. Pin the fabric to the foam core board, keeping the surface slightly taut.
Step 1.
Make sure your plant cuttings (I used roses) are completely dry, and arrange them on the fabric. Pin them in place. It’s worth experimenting with how closely the objects are secured to the fabric—a slightly raised flower will produce a soft outline and sense of depth, while a tightly pinned leaf will become a crisp silhouette. A thimble is useful to press in the pins if you are pinning many specimens, or those with tougher stems. (My rose pattern took an hour and almost 100 pins!)
Step 2.
My silk and roses thus secure, I brought the arrangement outside. Keep the board flat, and, if you are hoping for sharper outlines, do not move it during exposure—any shifts in the specimens’ positions will result in softer silhouettes. Expose the fabric for the specified length of time (cottons generally requires 15 to 20 minutes, while silks take 8 to 12 minutes).
Step 3.
Bring the fabric indoors (avoiding sunlight once you’re indoors). Remove pins and cuttings and dash to a sink or bathtub to set the fabric. Rinse your fabric until the water runs clear.
Step 4.
Lay flat or hang to dry. Colors will set in 12 to 24 hours. To get darker colors faster, dry fabrics in a clothes dryer. If, at any time, the image appears to fade after being in the sun, you can place the printed fabric in a dark place over night, and the colors will deepen.
Step 5.
Once my fabric dried, I began to cut, tuck, and sew the lustrous silk charmeuse to make a summer dress. I followed my own pattern, but any simple pattern for a silk sundress would work as well.
Project 2: Framed Dandelion PrintFor a second project, I wanted to experiment with very thin details, and I was curious whether I could capture the breezy dispersal motion of a dandelion seedpod. I was incredibly excited to find these giant specimens of a Giant Dandelion (Showy Goat’s-beard, Tragopogon pratensis).
I used Plexiglass to secure the airy heads (and to prevent them from blowing away), and then, as an additional flattening measure, and I used boards and weights to hold down the edge of the Plexiglass to press the thin seeds against the fabric.
After 12 minutes in the sun and a thorough rinse, I hung the fabric to dry.
The detailed seed clusters were exactly what I had hoped for!
Types of printing – choose the right method
Fabric printing seems to be surrounded by many “myths and legends”. Our clients often have problems with understanding and choosing the right method of fabric printing , which has a colossal effect on the final result of their work. Whether your project turns out exactly as you planned depends on the choice of the right printing method, medium and type of dye. Since we have not found a comprehensive and substantive summary of types of printing anywhere on the Internet, we decided to collect everything in one place. We really hope that we will make your choice much easier!
Division into analogue and digital fabric printing methods is the basic way of categorisation of the printing methods. Below, we will try to explain different methods and their characteristic features.
Analogue printing – screen printing
Screen printing is an analogue method of fabric printing. Screen printing involves pressing the paint through a printing screen (made of a steel frame and a nylon mesh) and thus making a print. This operation can be performed manually (the paint is then squeezed manually through the screen) or with a machine (the paint is automatically pressed by the machine through the screen).
Preparing the screen in screen printing resembles preparation of a template, where individual parts of the grid are covered, and a specific shape is obtained on the fabric. By means of screen printing, one colour is printed at a time as each colour is a separate layer. For this reason, screen printing is not particularly recommended for multicolour prints – in such cases, digital printing will work much better. Screen printing method can be used both with material beams (in such instance a rotational screen is used) or on ready-made clothing items (T-shirts, bags, accessories).
Screen printing – what to print?
Screen printing imposes very many limitations linked to what you want to print – this is mainly due to the way the colours are applied. In screen printing, each colour is applied individually on a separate screen during a single machine cycle. In the case of screen printing, it is very difficult (and sometimes even impossible) to perform smooth tonal transitions in print (smooth/seamless transition from one colour to the other). It’s difficult to achieve, for example, a two-colour gradient. Screen printing works best when printing relatively simple (e.g., geometric) shapes with a small number of colours. What is more, it is basically impossible to print pictures using the screen printing method as shading, tonal transitions and accurate reproduction of details are not its strongest point. In turn, it allows for overprinting coloured (colourful) fabrics – screen printing can be used to print, for example, white patterns on black fabric.
Types of screen printing:
- Flat screen printing – most often used for printing on ready-made objects (t-shirts, bags)
- Rotary screen printing – used for printing on entire rolls of fabric. As far as this fabric printing method is concerned, the initial cost is high, because the preparation of cylinders significantly raises the price
- Hand-screen printing – introduced to the studio by Andy Warhol, it has been quickly accepted by the independent artists who often screen print manually in their workshops using homemade constructions. You can read more about the hand-screen printing here.
How does printing with rotary screen printing arise?
So when should you opt for screen printing? For example, when you want to print 1000 linear metres of black material with white dots. To carry out a project with such an uncomplicated design, the method of screen printing will be ideal. Currently, there is no better method available on the market for printing such graphics on fabric. The basis may be a black-coloured fabric on which white dots are applied with a single screen. Therefore, the conditions to be met are a large volume (which cancels out the cost of preparation of the printing screens), undemanding patterns and the necessity of putting colour on a very dark background.
Rely on your clothing as an art form
Clothing has been a form of self-expression for centuries. From traditional ceremonial wear to modern streetwear, clothing has always had the ability to convey messages, showcase cultural traditions, and communicate personal identity. Today, the concept of clothing as an art form has taken on a new meaning, as more and more people are using their clothing as a canvas to create unique and expressive outfits.
The rise of the fashion industry has played a significant role in this shift towards viewing clothing as an art form. Fashion designers and artists alike are pushing the boundaries of what clothing can be, experimenting with unconventional materials, shapes, and colors to create wearable works of art. This trend has also been fueled by the growth of social media, which has given people a platform to showcase their own creative fashion choices and connect with others who share their style.
One of the most significant benefits of clothing as an art form is the opportunity for self-expression. Just as a painter uses a canvas to convey their emotions and ideas, individuals can use clothing to express their personality and style. Whether it’s a bold statement piece or a subtle accessory, clothing can communicate a lot about a person without them ever saying a word.
Another advantage of viewing clothing as an art form is the potential for creativity and experimentation. With an infinite number of styles, fabrics, and accessories to choose from, there is no limit to what can be created. This allows individuals to break free from traditional fashion rules and explore their own unique sense of style.
However, the concept of clothing as art is not without its challenges. One of the main barriers is the accessibility of high fashion and designer clothing. Many people cannot afford the expensive prices that come with high-end fashion, limiting their ability to express themselves through clothing as an art form. This is where the beauty of thrift shopping comes into play, as there are numerous unique and interesting pieces that can be found at a fraction of the cost.
Furthermore, the traditional norms and stereotypes surrounding gender, age, and body size in the fashion industry can limit creativity and self-expression. It is important to break down these barriers and promote inclusivity in fashion to allow everyone to express themselves through their clothing.
In conclusion, viewing clothing as an art form is a trend that has been gaining momentum in recent years. The potential for creativity, self-expression, and experimentation that comes with this concept is vast, and it offers individuals a unique way to showcase their personality and style. While there are challenges to making clothing accessible and breaking down traditional fashion norms, the benefits of clothing as an art form are undeniable. So the next time you’re getting dressed, don’t be afraid to think of your clothing as a canvas and create your own wearable masterpiece.
