| There is a new revolution in the world of textile art. A | | | | in the photograph provided, as you can experiment |
| simple way to make your fabric come alive. After | | | | with using mirroring to create an entirely new image. A |
| centuries in the wilderness people are finally waking up | | | | top tip is to get a small hand mirror to see what your |
| to Block Printing. | | | | pattern will look like before you commit yourself to |
| Block Printing is one of the easiest ways to liven up a | | | | printing. Try altering the point around which you mirror |
| dull bit of material, even a plain bit of white cotton can | | | | your image, some could be very close, while others |
| be made exciting with a wooden block and some | | | | could have more space. Let your own imagination |
| fabric paint. So why has Block Printing been ignored | | | | inspire you. |
| for so long? The problem is that people are afraid to | | | | Rotation |
| start printing because they think their patterns will | | | | Rotation, again, works best with an image to print |
| come out wrong and the fabric will be ruined. Not any | | | | rather than a geometric pattern. Choose a fixed point |
| more, we have provided a quick and easy guide to | | | | on your fabric and rotate the Block around it. Using this |
| Pattern Theory. Following the basic techniques of | | | | technique you can create fabulous shapes out of the |
| Pattern Theory means you will never go wrong, | | | | individual blocks. If you vary the distance from the fixed |
| however much you print and believe me, once you | | | | point you can make, triangles, squares, hexagons, even |
| see how great these ideas look, you will be printing | | | | up to something close to a circle. Try picking different |
| day and night. | | | | distances from your fixed point within the same |
| Pattern Theory divides into eight subcategories and, | | | | pattern to create a star. |
| once you have mastered these, you can combine | | | | Random |
| them to make hundreds of styles each one different | | | | Random does exactly what it says on the tin. After |
| from the last. | | | | keeping so rigidly to individual pattern theory |
| Rows and Columns | | | | sometimes it is nice to print as your imagination takes |
| The first and most obvious technique is rows and | | | | you. The most important thing to remember with this |
| columns. This is just what you expect, placing your | | | | technique is to be bold and follow your heart. If you do |
| block prints along a horizontal row or down a vertical | | | | that you can't go wrong. Mistakes are part of an truly |
| column. | | | | individual pattern so embrace your errors, don't panic |
| Things to try are; playing around with the spacing | | | | over them. |
| between the individual blocks or between the rows/ | | | | Block on Block |
| columns. A top tip is to use a ruler to make it easy on | | | | Block on Block is also known as over printing. In this |
| yourself and keep the spacing accurate. Vary the | | | | style you place another image over the first printed |
| spacing between blocks and rows and see what | | | | image. A top tip for this technique is to make sure you |
| inspires you. | | | | use a lighter colour for the first image otherwise you |
| Brick | | | | will not be able to see your second print clearly. Try |
| Again, this technique is fairly self explanatory. If you | | | | changing the orientation of the image for the second |
| look at a brick wall you will see that each row is offset | | | | print, or use a different image all together. |
| from those above and below it. See if you can mirror | | | | Shadowing |
| that with your printing. A ruler is definitely handy for this | | | | Shadowing is the most difficult of the techniques to |
| style. | | | | master, but probably the most effective when you get |
| Half Drop | | | | it right. The same principles apply as for Block on Block |
| Half drop works on the same principle as brick but the | | | | but this time the second image is moved only |
| pattern is turned through ninety degrees. So, with this | | | | fractionally across the first, to create the effect of a |
| technique, it is the columns that are offset rather than | | | | shadow or ghost. Obviously for the 'shadow' to work |
| the rows. Half Drop and Brick patterns work really well | | | | the image must be in the same aspect. Try to keep |
| with both square geometric designs (the space | | | | the direction of the shadow consistent across the |
| between the blocks looks incredibly effective) and | | | | fabric so that the shadow effect is constant. |
| circular blocks. Circular blocks, particularly give an | | | | That is all there is to Pattern Theory, once you have |
| amazing visual impact. | | | | got to grips with these simple styles the world is your |
| Mirror | | | | oyster. Combining techniques can create really exciting |
| Mirror patterns turn the block through one hundred and | | | | patterns and if you experiment with colour you will |
| eighty degrees to form a mirror image of the initial | | | | soon be the proud owner of some gorgeous fabrics, |
| block at a different point on the fabric. Mirror pattern | | | | totally unique to you. |
| works best with actual images, something like the tree | | | | |