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Paper Lamination - Two Pathways

Claire Benn | September 28-October 3, 2014 | • Note: Class begins on Sunday, September 28 at 4 pm

DESCRIPTION
Paper lamination is an exciting process in that it can be used to create artwork, or tools for use with different media. As such, the class has been structured to enable you to experience both possibilities, with time allowed on the final day to focus in on your own preferences.

Days 1 & 2 - exploration of key lamination techniques
During these two days we’ll explore:

• ‘fractured’ paper lamination; using sheer polyester, we’ll make our first laminations using plain newsprint.  This can be used later as a stencil, or potentially worked up to create an artwork.  You’ll then move on to repeat the fracturing process, but this time you’ll use coloured newspaper cuttings and/or your own photographic images or personal imagery.

• full laminations: how to laminate solid areas of imagery.

• art papers & tissue: using fusible web and matte medium as laminating media, we’ll tear and/or cut art papers and apply them to sheers or denser support fabric.

Day 3 - paper lamination stencils
Large-scale ‘paplam’ stencils are exciting tools for laying down pattern or texture and are suitable for wholecloth and/or cloth for cutting and restructuring. Claire will show samples and demonstrate the use of these stencils and the results they can achieve through single or multiple layers of colour and/or value. You will then have ample time to experiment with your own stencils (made on Day 1 or 2), using thickened dye, discharge paste or fabric paint – the choice of media will be yours. You can choose to work with them on ‘virgin’ cloth or use them to build up further layers on other laminated pieces – as with most tools and processes, ways forward are only limited by your own imagination.

Day 4 - paper lamination as artwork
Having got to grips with the key lamination processes, we will explore how to take a laminated piece further through:

• the use of fabric paint/pigment media (on the front and/or back)

• adding paper, sheers or fabric scraps (from behind or on the surface)

• layering laminated pieces: on another lamination, or on to your own or commercial fabrics.

Claire will also show samples of how laminations can be stitched, and even used to create quilts.

Day 5 - personal explorations
The day with start with samples and a demonstration of how to mount and present sheer laminations – something that can be challenging to envisage. You will decide how to spend the rest of your day; exploring paplam stencils or moving paplam artworks forward.

CLASS HOURS
At 4 pm on Sunday, September 28, the class will come together for a short lecture from Claire, accompanied by examples of work that are either paper lamination artworks, or cloth that’s been created using large-scale paper lamination stencils. Supper will be at 6pm. Teaching hours thereafter will run from 9 am to 6 pm, although Claire will be on-site from 8 am in case you have questions pre-class (and for prep work of her own) and be available after supper until 9 pm. No structured tuition or demonstrations will take place outside of the stated teaching hours unless otherwise agreed with the class.

ON-SITE SUPPLIES & MATERIALS FEE
Feedback from previous classes has indicated that many students would prefer to ship or transport less equipment. As such, in addition to supplying the media, we provide access to a selection of tools. The materials fee will include use of the following media and materials:

• Acrylic mediums: fluid matte & gloss mediums and gesso.

• Plain newsprint: we will supply plain newsprint on the roll as this makes large-scale stencil-making much easier!

• Other paper: we will supply acid-free tissue paper and 2 sheets of art paper per student.

• Fabric Paints: a large range of colors, including metallics.

• Procion Mx dyes: 11 key colors.

• Discharge: Formosul will be used as the discharging medium. It can be used in paste or liquid format.

• Chemicals: everything needed for dye and discharge work.

• Tools: a selection of key tools will be provided, including:
  • bristle decorators’ brushes and foam brushes in various widths
  • a selection of bristle & synthetic artists’ brushes
  • monoprinting plates (large & small)
  • credit cards and scrapers
  • needle-nose bottles
  • some rollers

An ample supply of thickened and liquid dye paints, discharge media, Chemical Water & Print Paste will be ready for use on the third day, in addition to a soda-soak tub. As getting experience at mixing dyes is an important part of the learning process, a rota will be established where several people per day will be responsible for keeping stocks topped up. Recipes will be posted to ensure consistency throughout the week. Other media such as fabric paints, matte medium, gesso etc. will be available for use at any time.

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS - WHAT TO BRING (Please label your own supplies)

Newspaper: start looking at the newspaper with a different eye from; cut out photographs that appeal in terms of content, color or texture. Clip articles that interest you and so forth - start a file right now and just stuff clippings in to it - cut/tear fairly neatly as you’ll essentially be collaging from your stash and don’t cut/tear pieces any smaller than the equivalent of 4” square. To pre-prepare, tear or cut off any white edges. One important point to consider is that of copyright. You can choose to end up with fragments of the original source material but you also have the option to integrate whole pictures/images. If this is the case, plan to use your own photographs and imagery, rather than use/copy a picture that someone else has taken.

Printed Paper; this can be newspaper, photocopies or laser prints in either black and white or color. The key requirement is POOR paper stock; no coated paper such as magazines or photographic-quality paper. Consider copying or printing:

• your own photographs: using your own photographic images in conjunction with cloth is hugely rewarding.  If you’re computer-savvy, consider fooling around with some first on Adobe Photoshop or similar.

• personal design work such as mono-prints, pages of marks etc.

• personal documentation; your own journals, poetry, birth certificates, school reports etc.

IMPORTANT NOTE: some inkjet printers bleed with the lamination process but it’s impossible to establish this in advance. As such, we advise that you DO NOT BRING INKJET PRINTS. Print everything on any old 80gsm photocopy or laser paper to any size and bring the equivalent of 50 pages of American legal printed matter. Once printed, tear or cut off any white edges before you come to the class.

If you’re worried about the weight of transporting paper, or running out of material once at the barn, then bring a portable hard drive with your images on it to enable you to get additional prints made at the local print shops in Pickerington.

Fabric:·      

• For large-scale stencils: a maximum of 10 yards of white or cream polyester voile/sheer (such as curtain sheer), which you should be able to find easily at Jo-Anns. Please make sure it’s NOT nylon, as nylon doesn’t laminate easily.

• For laminated stencil and dye/discharge work: a maximum of 10 yards of cotton, pre-scoured.

• For paper lamination artwork: a maximum of 8 yards of very sheer white or off-white polyester (again, not nylon) sheer. Try to find the finest sheer you can and failing that, C2C stocks a very sheer ivory voile at GB £5.50 a metre. If you wish us to bring you supplies, please let us know 2 months before the class. This fabric can also be obtained mail-order from www.handdyedfabrics.co.uk.

• For laminating tissue, art papers and thread: 2 yards of medium-weight plain white or cream muslin or the equivalent - a poly-cotton is also fine.

Other stuff - General supplies·    

• Silkscreen: one silkscreen no larger than 18”x12” - smaller will be fine and one will be enough!! Screens can be purchased from Dharma Trading (www.dharmatrading.com) or Dick Blick (www.dickblick.com). Please do not buy screens that use cord to hold in the mesh as they aren’t as good as glued screens. Please label your screens and waterproof the wood by applying 3 layers of water-based wood varnish. Once dry, pre-scour the mesh by scrubbing it with hot water and a cream cleanser - this is important as otherwise, freezer paper stencils won’t stick to the mesh.

• Squeegee: one Speedball 9” squeegee with a cream or maroon plastic handle and a rubber blade. One grouting tool/spreader (look in hardware stores and kitchen shops) or a credit card squeegee to use with thermofax screens.

• Thermofax screens: again, thermofax use will not be the focus of the class, but it can be worth bringing up to 5 of your favorite thermofaxes. Note: we hope that someone will be able to bring a thermofax machine to the class. If this is the case, Claire & Leslie will organise mesh and frames and provide at cost. Please advise us if you can provide a thermofax. Please note that if a thermofax service is available, you will need your imagery to be in laser print or photocopy format (not inkjet). India ink will also generate a thermofax, as will some pencils. You can photocopy in Pickerington or Lancaster.

• Two dropcloths: please bring dropcloths that are sturdy: drill cotton or denim in a neutral color are best as they are sturdy enough to flip over and use both sides before washing is needed. Old sheets are too thin and avoid heavy-weight muslin or canvas as it tends to hold wrinkles. Please also avoid the plastic-backed decorators’ cloths. Your dropcloths need to measure 5’ x 8’, once scoured and shrunk. PLEASE PUT YOUR NAME ON YOUR DROPCLOTHS!

• Rubber gloves (suggest 2 pairs and label them).

• 1 x box of ball-headed or T pins.

• 1 x black Sharpie for labelling fabric.

• A small cutting mat - just large enough to cut stencils for use on a silkscreen.

• Craft knife (preferably with a nice, pointy, sharp blade – such as an X-acto knife).

• Notebook; handouts on recipes and some process will be provided, but it can be useful to record your order of process on individual pieces, or make notes during general discussions.

• Sketch book or white paper for on-going design work.

• Pen and pencil.

• Cloth apron (or wear the equivalent of gardening/decorating clothes).

• Comfortable, rubber-soled shoes (you’ll be standing a great deal and the floor is concrete).

• A camera as it’s useful to record work-in-progress.

• an iPod and headphones if you like to work to music.

• Disposable gloves (if you don’t like getting fabric paint or acrylic medium on your hands)

• Notebook and sketch book for design work (or a stack of white, A4 paper will do)

• Scissors (suitable for paper and cloth).

• A hairdryer (in case of poor weather).
  
  

If you have any questions about the materials list or the course in general, please > Email Claire

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