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LESSON 12 CREATING TEXTURES ON TEXTILES - II

STRUCTURE

12.0 OBJECTIVES

12.1 INTRODUCTION

12.2 TEXTURES ON THE FABRIC

12.2.1 FABRIC MANIPULATION 12.2.2 RESIST METHOD

12.2.3 PRINTS

12.3 ASSIGNMENTS

12.3.1 CLASS ASSIGNMENTS 12.3.2 HOME ASSIGNMENTS

12.4 SUMMING UP

12.5 POSSIBLE ANSWERS TO SELF-CHECK QUESTIONS

12.6 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

12.7 REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED FURTHER READING

12.8 GLOSSARY

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12. CREATING TEXTURES ON TEXTILES - II

In the previous lessons four types of media/methods for creating texture on textiles were described. In this lesson you will learn about two more methods.

12.0 Objectives

After going through this lesson, you will be able to know about:

• Two more methods used for creating of textures on fabric.

12.1 Introduction

Textures are an important element of design. There are various textures available in nature, which inspire us to create similar effects on textiles hence

adding value to the textile products. In the previous lesson creation of textures on fabrics by using different weave structures, finishes and cave art designs were described. In this lesson the use of fabric manipulation and resist dyeing for creating texture will be described

12.2 Textures on the Fabric

12.2.1 Fabric Manipulation

Fabric manipulation technique can create very interesting textures. Fabric manipulation technique also adds value to the textile products. For value addition, textures are created on curtains and cushion. Some examples of this technique are ‘pin tucks’ (Fig.12.1) that can be seen on the shirts, trousers, salwar-kameez etc. Then ‘gathers’ is one of the fabric manipulation technique, as shown in (Fig.12.2 A gathered frock and a skirt), that gives fullness as well as shape, making the garment a comfortable one. Then there is ‘smocking’ that is used to create elasticity as well as gather and fullness and also style to the apparels like nighties, baby frocks (Fig.12.2), skirts and tops etc.

Fig. 12.2 Gathered frock and a skirt Fig. 12.1 Pin Tucks

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Quilting (Fig. 12.4) is used to give a cozy and soft texture to the cushions, bed spreads and even winter clothes such as jackets and baba suits etc.

Certain embroidery stitches, like Kantha embroidery (Fig. 12.4), chikankari (Fig. 12.5), or phulkari (Fig. 12.6) create interesting textures, each different from the other.

12.2.2 Resist dyeing methods

Batik (Fig. 12.8) on cloth or on paper and the tie and dye (Fig. 12.9) are methods of resist dyeing. The basic idea is to block the permeation of the dye or the colour on the portion where the resist base has been applied.

Fig. 12.8 Batik Fig. 12.9 Tie and Dye

Fig. 12.5 Kantha embroidery Fig. 12.5 Chikankari Fig. 12.7 Phulkari

Fig. 12.4 Quilts Fig. 12.3 Smocking

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Fig.12.11 Stencil printing

On cloth, we apply hot wax, which covers the cloth in such a way that when the cloth is dipped in colour, the cloth takes that colour completely but not on the portions where hot wax was applied. The same concept is taken for paper batik.

Here we use paper in lieu of cloth and wax crayons in lieu of hot wax (Fig. 12.10). You may apply wax crayons on paper according to the design as desired by you and then wash the sheet by a single colour or as many colours as you wish. You should try not to apply too many strokes of brush where colour has been applied once. You can make a composition with the polychromatic colour scheme and then wash the sheet in black. Another composition can be made in white crayon only and then washed in as many colours as desired by you.

12.2.3 Prints

A fabric can be given a texture design by printing. An illustration of stencil printing method is given in Fig. 12.11. Some other printing techniques which will be explained in detail in the next semester of this course are Block printing and Screen printing. Simulated to add surface effects on our printed textiles.

Activity

1. Design a baby quilt using multiple textures. Use only white texture on white. Make the design on white poster paint; paint the lines along which the hand or machine quilting could be done to create the texture on a fabric quilt. (The quilt size 4’x5’ so that the paper art work could be 2’x2. 5’ to be mirror repeated).

Self-check Questions

1. Write the two resist methods of dyeing.

2. Name the other fabric manipulation techniques, which you have learnt.

3. Write the name of four embroideries by which one can create texture on fabric.

Fig. 12.10 Resist method using paper and wax crayons

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12.3 Assignments

12.3.1 Class assignments

i) Using rubber solution and candle drops.

• Rubber solution: The rubber solution tube is available along the roadside shops where the countrymen repair punctured tyres. A tube may cost Rs. 5 to 7.

Make any pattern by dropping the rubber solution on the sheet by tilting the tube a little. Be careful as you may pour too much of the solution on the sheet if you press it hard. Allow the solution to dry for some time. Wash the sheet with as many colours you wish to put in your design in an abstract manner. Allow the sheet to dry again. Once the sheet is dried completely, gently rub of the rubber solution from the sheet with the tip of your index finger.

Let the finger be gentle or else you would scrape off the paper as well along with the rubber solution. Remove the entire rubber solution and discover the design you made. You may add finishing touches in your composition by outlining the rubber solution design with black or glitter

glue.

• Candle Drops: Draw a rough outline of a design / picture / scenery or a figure on a half imperial sheet. Light up a candle and tilt it on your sheet in such a manner that the drops of wax fall on those parts of the design where you wish to achieve a lighter effect of colour in the composition or at places you do not wish to show depth.

Once the dropping of the melted wax is done, wash the sheet in different inks or simply fill different inks according to the need of the scenery. The colour will come on the sheet but will slide over the hardened wax since that portion is waterproof. These little circles of wax would be left uncolored having a texture of its own with a little opaque effect.

Combine the rubber solution texture with drops of candle on ½ white imperial sheet. Paint it over with two different coloured inks. After the inks are dry, the rubber solution can be removed.

ii) Design one cushion cover with a combination of one or two textures of different types (size of cushion 10’x10’).

12.3.2 Home assignments

i) Cut a stencil of monuments and fill it with textures of different types of stones, pulses, grains, and pencil rubbing on different surfaces around you. Make two compositions on 2-quarter imperial sheets. In one composition, you can take the outline of the Taj Mahal for the textured

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effect of a monument. You may fill in each enclosure with a different texture.

ii) Show the texture of different types of pulses, rice etc. separately on half an imperial sheet and work with 6B pencil. Divide the sheet into six equal rectangles after drawing a one-inch margin on all the four sides of the sheet. Make an outline of a transparent jar with a lid and fill it up with the texture of the heap that you see in front of you.

iii) Practice on full as well as half imperial sheets making compositions with all the textures you have learnt. Make sceneries, greeting cards, flower pot, bunch of flowers, butterflies, trees, birds, fish, monuments etc. Show all the effects possible. You may also make an abstract composition. The method of pencil rubbing may also be used. Design in combination of one or two textures of different types and also design in combination of multiple textures.

12.4 Summing Up

This chapter describes the techniques of textile weaving, printing, manipulation and finishing, adding texture to the fabrics.

12.5 Possible Answers to Self-check Questions

1. Batik and Tie &Dye

2. Pin tucks Smocking, Gathers and Quilting.

3. Kantha, chikankari, phulkari and smocking.

12.6 Terminal Questions

1. How can you add texture to a fabric by fabric manipulation?

2. Give some examples of adding texture to fabric at the finishing stage.

12.7 Suggested Further Reading and Reference

1. Anonymous. 2006. The Complete Guide to Drawing and Printing. Quantum Publishing Ltd., London.

2. Susan, M. and Joost, E. 1991. Textile Designs. Thames and Hudson Ltd., London.

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12.8 Glossary

1. Terry towel A bath towel with rough loose pile

2. Twill A weave used to produce the effect of parallel diagonal ribs

3. Gather Small folds or puckers made by pulling tight a thread in a line of stitching

4. Crinkled Wrinkled

5. Seersucker A light puckered fabric, usually striped

6. Crushed Treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance