Snippets of Dionne Swift Online Screen Print Workshop

Dear Dionne Swift...........

My online learning experience has come to end BUT I will be taking forward the new skills I have learnt from Dionne Swift

This course has given me the freedom to learn in my own time and set up the equipment I can use again and again in my own studio. 

I thought I would miss out not being within a hub of creativity but this really hasn't been the case. Fellow students upload to Flickr so we can all see and comment on each others work. It helped that I had my own project to inspire me but Dionne Swift provides visual inspiration also. 



Dionne Swift shares her wealth of knowledge with helpful hints and tips. As well as being able to provide the materials you will need and has provided information on how to make your printing table. The video for each stage you access via a password comprehensibly covers everything you need to know.  

Session 1  - equipment and setting up a suitable studio space
Session 2 - mixing dyes and printing pastes
Session 3 - printing technique: stencils
Session 4 - printing technique: flour paste
Session 5 - printing technique: monoprinting
Session 6 - printing technique: breakdown
Session 7 - processing your cloth

Mixing of colours

My first attempt at Stencil Printing

A little seepage on lines practice can only make perfect!

Love the colour variation result when adding to each stencil screen print

I tried the Breakdown Printing next

On the left showing the catalogue of marks
To the right after printing with yellow mixed in the manutex

Row of print, lighter ones with clear manutex, other as above

I added a deeper orange to manutex in a few prints then added hand embroidery to embellish

Today I have experimented with Mono-printing and I can see why Dionne Swift describes this as addictive.... I'm hooked!

Screen is painted on and left to dry, you can be really free with this method and use your drawing and mark making skills, the colour will fade with the drying process

It re-appears like magic when the clear manutex is applied. I have only got one print using this method so it makes it really unique and would be difficult to replicate, I agree with Dionne Swift when she says "she loves the qualities and the uncertainty of what will occur"

This image doesn't show how beautiful it really is. I have fixed the colour with a hot iron then washed out the crispy manutex, the colour has faded but it is still as lovely. I have to be honest I have not followed the steam method recommended but I will after I finish playing! ( Again another advantage of working at your own pace!)

I was so thrilled with the result from my first attempt I had to have ago again straight away. Due to the fact the screen had not dried out completely the layered effect I was after bled into each other. I dried with a hair dryer with a diffuser attached so the wet procion dye would not run (my 25 years hairdressing experience never lets me down!)

I screen printed this onto pre-printed vintage linen fabric and I love it......I am going to steam this to fix as I do not want the colour to fade during the wash process

A closer look

All the sessions are delivered within the first week of your course so you can re-visit and try at any time during the month. There are hints and tips you can print as reminders after the course is over....
I still have the flour paste to try.

I cannot recommend this way of learning highly enough.
   I am looking forward to experimenting more with colour, fabrics and techniques to make my own individual mark using this process.


Thank you

Jen x

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