Fabric Technique:
My technique to create fabric art:
I begin with a raw image of what I want to create. I take and use my own photographs as a guide to the image I want to portray and that is my starting point. From that point I do some drawing to solidify the picture. I make several draft drawings and make changes to consolidate my ideas.
At this point I search for fabric to create my palate. I used to use many knit fabrics and glued the fabric from the back of the swatch to the canvas. A number of years ago I began to use quilting 100% cotton fabric, which allows me to be more creative with layering. The adhesion of the cotton fabric also works very well with the polymer glues that I use.
I hand cut pieces of fabric with a scissors and glue them onto the canvas. I use a polymer glue and paint the glue over the fabric using different brushes. For some pieces I use gloss, for some, pieces I use matte glue.
Over time, as I became more familiar with the fabric, and with more control, I began to loosen up my cutting method, becoming more painterly, and layering the fabric using less drawing.
Once I complete a canvas, I coat the art with gloss, satin or matte UV coating to protect it. If the piece contains more knit fabric, instead of coating I could use UV museum glass to cover the art. If coated, I let the piece dry for several days, at which point I pick a frame.