May 23, 2010

Printing with Water Soluble Crayons

If you are looking for a new way to add a layer of color, try water soluble crayons. They are easy to use, cleanup is a snap and they deliver great results. All you need is a thermofax screen, Jacquard extender and water soluble crayons.
Place a padded surface on your table, place the fabric with the pretty side up and put the thermofax on top. Color all over the screen with the water soluble crayons. If you want saturated colors, press hard while coloring to make sure a lot of crayon is applied. Add a line of extender across one edge of the screen, like you would if it were ink or paint and drag it across the entire screen. I used a bondo applicator tool from the car store, but the best tool depends on the surface you are working on.

This photo shows the fabric before it was printed (left), what the printed surface like as I peel the thermofax back (center) and the thermofax as it's being removed (right).
Here is a section of cloth that shows two pulls. You can use one solid color or mix and match whatever way you choose.
This piece shows the same design printed many times using different colors. I started printing with the lime green color, added some blue and printed, added some red and printed, and then I added some yellow and printed. Each additional color mixed with the color below it to create new colors. You should always work quickly and keep your screen good and wet. Fun experiment, great results!