Block Printing with Vega Brennan, Linden Print Studio

Our fabulour school display showing our printing



On on the 27th February, Vega Brennan a local artist and printmaker joined us.



Vega talked to us about Stead McAlpin's printing processes, showed us a video of a rotary printing machine and explained about the block printing process they used 150 years ago.
 
She then told us about tessellation, what it is and how it can be used in the print making process.

Using precut shapes Vega brought, we chose shapes and explored how these could be placed together - tessellated -  without any gaps to form a pattern.  We learned that one shape - the pentagon  - would not tessellate and could not be used to make a pattern without any gaps.






Once we had decided on our pattern, we drew out our design on paper, then transferred this to the fabric.




We then chose matching acrylic blocks Vega had prepared for us, onto which we added our own individual design using sticky back foam.



We worked in small groups and once we were happy with our designs on the acrylic blocks we were ready to print!

Trying out our print




Printing onto calico fabric, our patterns grew quickly.........








 
We thoroughly enjoyed our day, produced our own amazing printed fabrics and look forward to doing more block printing on fabric after Easter, when we shall start on the design for our School's banner for the exhibition later in the year at Carlisle Library.

Well done everyone!

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