by Kris Hurst
Did you miss our Painted Fabric class that featured content from Creativebug? No worries! Free art classes with Creativebug app are available everyday with your library card. Access them at home or in the Ignite Studio. This was such a fun and easy project that I thought I would share images as well as tips and tricks from the class.
Free Art Class With Creativebug App
First off, accessing Creativebug. Through HEPL’s website, scroll down on the homepage and click See All Databases. Click on Creative bug. You will be asked to set up an account using your library card number and entering an email and password. Once you have done this, you can access hundreds of classes, with short to multi-step tutorials in a variety of mediums from crochet to painting to making perfume. They also have a Daily Practice Series that featuring small prompts and activities to turn creating into a daily habit.
I was drawn to the DIY Room Décor: Painted Fabric Wall Art class because it appealed to my abstract sensibilities, seemed easy to understand and could use up a lot of the leftover acrylic paint we have in the studio! We used 100% cotton muslin and wooden hoops in a variety of sizes and shapes. In the video, the artist uses about 2 yards of fabric while we used about 2 ft. Other materials included spray bottles, paintbrushes, and a utility knife.
Patrons were given pieces of fabric to experiment on before moving to their bigger pieces. To get the fabric ready, we used spray bottles to wet various areas with water. Once that was done, it was time to lay on the paint. As you can see from the pictures below, everyone had a different way of doing this. Some let the water distribute the paint, while others went for an opaque look with thick brush strokes. Using a foam brush allowed for repeated patterns and shapes. Some pieces were abstract and some were a bit more representational. Everyone chose a variety of colors, and we used anything from house paint to metallic craft paint.
Once patrons were happy with their results, we were able to speed dry them using a heat gun. At home, you could let them dry overnight and then set them using an iron.
The final step involved framing part of the piece with a hoop. There were so many fun areas that it was hard to decide exactly where to put the frame. To cut off excess fabric, scissors and a utility knife were used.
Check out some of the results from our patrons below!
I encourage you to check out Creativebug on our website. If you don’t have a library card yet, click the link on the homepage to apply online for instant access to our digital resources. Hope to see you in Ignite!
