Tag: pirate treasure map

Derwent Inktense Blocks on Fabric

Ever since I cleared out my art supply collection before we moved, I’ve been thinking about what sorts of supplies really fit my needs.

My default colouring mechanism is watercolour, usually straight from the tube, which is great on paper, if a little slow-drying for the amount of time I usually have to work on things.

Evie 's Treasure Map - hand painted and stitched - Misericordia 2014

I tried watercolours on fabric, but all my successes were tempered by some pretty frustrating failures when the colours bled.

Today has not been the best day ever… #fail #paintrunning #perilsofstarch #badday #workinprogress #wip

A photo posted by Katy Bromberg (@mymisericordia) on

I was searching for a more portable watercolour solution that would let me work on paper in shorter bursts and came across Derwent Inktense Pencils and Blocks. The idea is that you can put them on paper dry and then use a water wash to blend for a permanent colour. They’re great for layering with watercolours, because you can put in a background or base colour and if you work over it with other water-soluble colours, it won’t wash out.

Derwent Inktense Blocks by Misericordia

I thought I’d try out some of the blocks for big backgrounds and colour washes in Little Lion’s baby book and really enjoyed using them. Recently, I invested in the pencils, for more detailed work, but I must admit that I haven’t even taken them out of their box yet!

Derwent Inktense Pencils by Misericordia

I have an embroidery which is languishing while I work out if I can use Inktense bars or pencils on fabric, so I’ve been fiddling about with different ways of making them colourfast.

Heat Setting Inktense Blocks by Misericordia

Washing Inktense samples by Misericordia

I’m not entirely happy with the bleeding I get after washing, but I wonder if:

No heat Inktense samples by Misericordia

a. The bars lay down more pigment than the fabric can hold, which is causing the excess colour to wash away, or

Heat set Inktense bars by Misericordia

 

b. I diluted the medium too much so it can’t do its job. (It was a very unscientific process, I’m ashamed to admit.)

Liquitex Fabric Medium by Misericordia

My next steps are probably to try the medium with the pencils, which is how I’m most likely to use them on fabric.

Inktense heat set samples with medium by Misericordia

I’ll keep you updated!

(If you’d like to profit from more of my colourfast disasters experiments, why not check out my tutorial on how to tell if your thread is colourfast?)

Avast, Me Hearties!

If you yearn for adventure on the high seas, I might have just the thing for you.

Evie 's Treasure Map - hand painted and stitched - Misericordia 2014

I’ve been mulling this idea over for ages, but when I was spurred on by the need to create a really good first birthday present, it all came together.

This piece is even more personalised than usual, the Sea Monsters feature Steve the Octopus (a present to Dragon from the birthday girl’s parents) and Hugo the whale (childhood toy of her dad) and Jolly’s Cove, apart from being a truly awful pun, was named after her mum’s giraffe toy.

Evie 's Treasure Map - hand painted and stitched - Misericordia 2014

I really want to do some more of these, so I’m trying to think of ways to encourage more people to commission them from me. You can see more photos here and be sure to tell your scurvy crew!

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