Creating Texture with Paint - part 2 (tree bark, shibori forest)

One of our guest artists this month, Ann Scott, shares this tutorial with us on how she hand painted tree bark on fabric. Thank you, Ann!

Steps to hand painted Tree Bark fabric.

Used Jacquard Textile Colors and water, the entire process is done while the piece is still damp (no waiting for drying time until the end). I lightly wet the brushes before using.

Fig 1 – After spraying the white fabric lightly with water I brushed with thinned black textile paint, letting the bristles create lines. I let the fabric bubble and push in a few wrinkles.

Fig 2 – Next brushed thinned white paint on in the same way.

Fig 3 – Using different browns and the tips of an old, inexpensive paint brush, I dabbed to achieve a mottled and rough texture.

Fig 4 – Using half of a coffee stirrer stick, I brushed paint onto the thinnest edge of the stick and stamped, pulled up and down and dragged the stick crosswise – hoping to create the nooks and crannies in the surface. I repeated this same process using white paint again, working on highlights.

Just be careful with this process and know when to stop so as not to end up with a muddy grey piece of fabric.

Fig 5 – I heat set, then rinse out (I really rub hard on the painted surface and wad/wring out as much water as possible – this give a neat suede kind of texture and softens the fabric), iron again to dry the piece.

I’m happy with the results and think I will be cutting it up to make many small trees for miniature landscapes.

(Kelly's Note: Here is a photo of a background like this that Ann used for a completed work)

Thanks again, Ann! I love the look of the bark piece! Very realistic and very textural!

From a big tree to a forest.......

I used this shibori/paint technique to create an ash forest. It was a 3 day tutorial on FIRE in July of 2013. 

Here is a link to the first day.  Click HERE

And here is the finished piece inspired by the poem "The Road Less Traveled"

That should keep your creative brains excited until tomorrow!! There is more planned for tomorrow!!

Looking for those creative textures with paint photos!  E-mail to:

Kelly@KellyLHendrickson