EXERCISE

Printing Vintage Lace Textures

Vintage lace fabric screens can be used like stencils and masks with spray inks or painted with acrylic pastes to create textured surfaces. In this exercise we make a print with a lace embroidery hoop screen.

Creative Toolbox

fiber paste

deli paper palette

fluid acrylic paint

trowel palette knife

vintage lace

embroidery hoop screen

gessobord

mixed-media paper

ink sprays

STEP 1: Create Colored Paste

Place a dollop of fiber paste onto a piece of deli paper palette. Pour a few drops of paint on top of the paste. Mix the paint and paste using a trowel palette knife.

STEP 2: Apply Paste

Place the lace embroidery hoop screen with lace-side down onto the gessobord surface. Using the palette knife, spread the fiber paste mixture onto the back of the screen. This will adhere the pattern to the board. Apply more fiber paste and a few more drops of fluid acrylic onto the back of the screen.

STEP 3: Spread Paint

Use the palette knife to spread the mixture through the rest of the screen. Apply more paste if needed to cover the entire screen. Let sit for 10 minutes.

STEP 4: Lift to Reveal Print

Lift the screen to reveal the textured design.

STEP 5: Ghost Print

Use up the rest of the paint paste mixture. Place the wet screen onto a piece of mixed-media paper and use the palette knife to press the back of the lace. This will transfer the leftover paint onto the paper. Move the screen to another area of the paper, then spray over the top using ink spray.

STEP 6: Cover Surface

Continue to move the lace screen around the paper and spray with ink until the surface is covered to your liking.