I’ve been looking at a small fabric collage in my studio this week, and seeing in it some of the magic properties of transparency.

In creating fabric and rice paper collaged pieces, there are a few transparency tools in my toolbox. First, is using fabric that is itself transparent. (Generally, I use polyester sheers.) Second, is using the acrylic paint in a transparent way – usually by mixing it with matte medium. Finally, printing wet is a watercolor-like way to get transparency.

Here’s some of what I’ve been looking at. This is a section of the collage that I rust-printed onto polyester sheer.

This section is made of several separate pieces collaged on top of each other. The transparent fabrics blend beautifully.

Next, I added an overlay of transparent acrylic over the rust-printed fabric, along with a section of monotype printed rice paper next to it.

I have to admit, this just makes me crazy with excitement. The warm orange adds a wonderful depth to the fabrics beneath it. When I am unhappy with this method, it is almost always because I mixed the acrylic too opaque. Here, I felt that I got it right. Even the interesting print marks on the rice paper show through the orange acrylic.

Here, the orange transparent acrylic is printed over a section of opaque muslin.

It does not have the same luscious effect as when printed over other transparent fabric. But, I think the effect is interesting, and works to create some variations in foreground-background.

This section of teal fabric was printed as a monotype, and I kept everything pretty wet.

Variations in wetness are in the printing plate, the fabric and the paint itself. Thinning acrylic with water creates a different effect than thinning it with medium.

Here’s the composed collage: “To find the breath for song.”

 If you’d like more information about this collage, it’s on my website HERE

I enjoy mixing my studio practice between creating large, quilted wall pieces and creating smaller pieces mixing paper and fabric. What I learn in each kind of work always opens up doors to seeing something new when I return to the other work.

COUNTDOWN! i’m looking forward to exhibiting in three outdoor festivals this Fall. To readers near Central Florida, I hope to see you there!

Winter Park Autumn Art Festival… October 12-13
Maitland – Rotary Festival Under the Stars… November 8-10
DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts… November 23-24

Thank you for reading. I always enjoy questions and comments.
--Bobbi

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