Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

How are you? I hope you're feeling good today.

I'm so happy you're here.

My name is Ms. Afzal, and I'll be your art teacher for this lesson.

I'm very pleased about that because today, we're looking at dyeing materials.

Our lesson is called "Exploring dyeing methods: colour and pattern creation." I hope that sounds interesting to you.

It comes from the unit of work "Foundation workshops: developing skills." So if you are ready with some focus, energy, and enthusiasm, we'll begin our lesson.

The outcome for today's lesson is I can experiment with dyeing and stencil printing techniques to create a patterned fabric design.

We have some keywords in our lesson.

They are stencil, dyeing, and resist.

So, what do these keywords mean? Stencil is a cutout shape used to apply paint or dye in a specific pattern.

Dyeing, adding colour to fabric by soaking it in dye.

And resist, a method that prevents dye from colouring certain parts of the fabric.

So these are our keywords: stencil, dyeing, and resist.

Let's look out for them.

Let's listen out for them.

They'll be coming up in our lesson today.

Our lesson is called "Exploring dyeing methods: colour and pattern creation." And it has two learning cycles.

First of all, designing and making a stencil, and next, dyeing fabric and printing with a stencil.

Yes, we are getting right into it.

We're gonna get so super practical.

So let's begin, though, with designing and making a stencil.

And let's skip ahead to the end of the lesson and take a look at what some outcomes from today might be.

Pause here and share with someone, what are your impressions of these outcomes? Thanks for sharing.

They're so varied, so colourful, so beautiful.

We will be finding our way towards these outcomes through our lesson.

Stencilling has been used for centuries to decorate fabrics across many cultures.

A cutout template called a stencil is placed over fabric and colour is applied.

The method is simple, but the results can be highly detailed, symbolic, and decorative.

Contemporary artists often take the traditional stencil technique and push it in new directions, combining it with modern tools, materials, and concepts.

So we can see the stencil there on the left, and we can see the finished creation on the right.

Adire Eleko is a traditional Yoruba textile from Nigeria.

Artisans cut patterns into metal stencils and brush cassava paste through them onto fabric.

Once the paste dries, the cloth is dyed in indigo.

The paste resists the dye, leaving the stencil design in a lighter colour.

Patterns often have names and meanings linked to culture, proverbs, or important events.

Pause here and share with someone your impressions of this example of Adire Eleko that we can see on the screen.

Thanks for sharing.

Fashion designers combine stencils with resist dyeing like batik or shibori by dyeing the fabric first, then printing through a stencil.

Yinka Shonibare's Dutch wax fabrics use batik methods for bold designs.

Do you know any local artists using stencil techniques? Pause here and share with someone if you do.

Thanks for sharing.

And pause here and share with someone your impressions of these two garments that we can see where the fabric has the pattern created using printing and stencils.

Thanks for sharing.

I like the contrast in the colours and simplicity of the design.

A stencil can be anything with openings for colour or dye to pass through.

Artists use lace, netting, leaves, or mesh to make intricate patterns.

Found objects can add unique, organic detail to a piece.

Pressing lace onto fabric and then adding dye can create delicate and intricate prints, as we can see in this example.

Here's Andeep, "I like using lace because it's a ready-made stencil that acts like a resist.

Collecting different pieces allows me to create varied prints." Let's have a check for understanding.

Which of these statements about stencils is true? A, stencils can only be made from plastic, B, stencils can be made from a variety of materials, C, stencils can only be made with a laser cutter, or D, stencils must always be made from metal.

Pause here while you decide which of these statements about stencils is true.

Well done if you selected answer B.

Indeed, stencils can be made from a variety of materials.

Artists who use dyeing and pattern creation in their textiles include: Aboubakar Fofana specialises in traditional West African indigo dyeing using fermented natural indigo vats to produce layered blues on textiles.

Rowland Ricketts works with natural indigo grown on his farm, creating minimalist patterns through hand dyeing and resist techniques.

Ujjal Dey combines hand dyeing and block printing to produce vibrant, layered patterns inspired by South Asian textile traditions.

And Rob Jones combines dyes and patterns using shibori, katagami stencilling, and embroidery to transform traditional Japanese motifs into contemporary textile compositions.

So we can see there are a number of artists who use dyeing and pattern creation in their textiles.

Artists often start by looking through their research pages or sketchbooks for patterns, motifs, or shapes that stand out.

These might come from observational drawings, photos, or cultural references they've collected.

Here we can see some pages from a sketchbook there with a flower motif.

Artists simplify a drawing into a motif by keeping the main shapes but removing small details.

When simplifying a motif to create a stencil, they often join parts so it's bold, clear, and easy to cut using a craft knife.

Artists cut out selected parts of the motif, leaving negative spaces.

The ink transfers through the spaces to print the design.

What can you notice about the way in which this artist cuts out the shapes for their stencil? Pause here and share with someone.

What do you notice? Thanks for sharing.

Perhaps you noticed channels or bridges allow for details within shapes.

There are some really important considerations when working with a craft knife.

You must concentrate and pay attention at all times, always keep your fingers away from the blade, and always use a cutting mat when using a craft knife so we don't get any cuts into the surface beneath.

So, really important to keep in mind these considerations when working with a craft knife so we can be safe at all times.

Making a stencil can look like this.

Make your motif drawing from your selected source.

Trace the motif onto card and cut out the areas for the ink.

Check that no areas have come apart.

Let's have a check for understanding.

True or false? When cutting a stencil, it's best to include lots of small, detailed shapes for a better print.

Pause here and decide, is this true or false? Well done if you selected false, and now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause here while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this: Stencils work best when designs are bold and simple.

Adding too much fine detail can make them difficult to cut, more likely to tear, and harder to print cleanly.

And now it's time for your first task, designing and making a stencil.

So first of all, simplify a drawing into a motif.

Outline the main shape and ignore small textures or shading.

Reduce details into simple lines or solid blocks of colour.

Join separate parts so the motif is one connected shape.

Repeat or mirror elements to create a balanced, decorative design.

Check scale so lines are thick enough to cut and print clearly.

So pause here while you have a go at this part of your task, simplifying a drawing into a motif.

I'll see you when you're finished.

Next, I would like you to make a stencil.

You should transfer your design onto stencil, card, or thick paper.

Place the card onto a cutting mat, very important.

Review the health and safety guidelines for using a craft knife, essential.

Use a sharp craft knife, cutting slowly along the lines.

Keep small bridges to hold the stencil together.

Remove pieces carefully and tidy edges.

So pause here while you have a go at this part of your task, making a stencil.

I'll see you when you're finished.

Great to be back with you.

So how did you get on with that task? So first of all, simplifying a drawing into a motif.

There are many possibilities, but you may have created something wonderful like this.

Here's Andeep, "To design my motif from my chosen source of a flower, I had to simplify the shape to lines only.

I also removed the tone to help when I make my stencil." And making a stencil.

Again, many possibilities.

You may have created a stencil like this.

Here's Andeep, "My simple motif design worked well when making my stencil.

I was careful when cutting the stencil and made sure I kept all of my paper joined together." Great job.

And now we're onto our next learning cycle, dyeing fabric and printing with a stencil.

Artists create effects on fabric by using dyeing and resist techniques to add colour and texture.

Layering these methods helps produce unique and personal designs.

They might use dyeing methods such as painting, dipping, or splattering to build varied backgrounds or apply resist techniques to leave certain areas free of colour.

Sarah Burns creates hand-block printed, naturally dyed linen using sustainable, chemical-free methods.

Let's have a check for understanding.

True or false? All dyeing methods colour fabric evenly across the whole surface.

Pause here and decide, is this true or false? Well done if you selected false, and now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause here while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this: Different dyeing methods produce different effects.

Techniques like dip-dyeing, tie-dye, or resist create uneven or patterned results, while immersion dyeing can give a more uniform colour.

By experimenting with tools, materials, and application methods, artists develop unique surfaces that reflect their style and creative intentions.

Here's Laura, "I have printed my experimental pattern stencil in different colours on white cloth, and I want to see how they might look on dyed fabric.

Creating a soft dip-dye effect on my background has made my patterned design look more dynamic and experimental.

Some areas of the print are a bit rough because the background is quite absorbent." Pause here and share with someone your impressions of Laura's creation with the dyed background and then the stencil over the top.

Thanks for sharing.

I agree with Laura that it's really dynamic, and I like the variety in this piece.

Let's have a check for understanding.

When printing onto a dyed background, you should consider that the printed pattern will be affected by, A, smooth and even fabric, B, uneven or textured dye effects, C, the colour of the card for the stencil, D, the temperature of the stencil.

Pause here while you decide what the printed pattern will be affected by.

Well done if you selected answer B.

Indeed, the printed pattern will be affected by uneven or textured dye effects.

Artists who explore dyeing and pattern making techniques include: Karen S.

Hampton uses hand dyeing, stitching, and surface printing to explore themes of African American history and identity.

Leah Higgins creates abstract textile art through layered dyeing, breakdown printing, and monoprinting techniques.

Susan Holmes, known for her innovative use of stencil, resist, and layered fabric paints to create vibrant wearable art.

Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings combines silk painting, screen printing, and devore techniques to produce richly patterned, textured fabrics.

So we can see there are a number of artists exploring dyeing and pattern making techniques in their artwork.

Printing your stencil pattern on a dyed background can look like this.

Use masking tape to stick your stencil to the front of your screen.

Select your dyed background and pull ink through the silk screen.

This is one of my favourite methods of creating art.

Repeat this process as many times as you like to create a repeat pattern.

And you can experiment with different colours, different coloured backgrounds, different coloured ink, repositioning your stencil and printing again, and on and on.

There's no end to the exploration when it comes to printing.

And now it's time for your task.

I would like you to print your stencil pattern on a dyed background.

You should select or prepare a dyed background.

Prepare your stencil, making sure it is flat and clean so it can act as a resist.

Tape your stencil to the outside of your silk screen.

Select your printing ink colour.

Use your squeegee to pull the ink through the screen and the stencil.

So much fun.

And then print your stencil, repeating the process to create a pattern.

So pause here while you have a go at this task, print your stencil pattern on a dyed background.

Enjoy your task, and I'll see you when you're finished.

It's great to be back with you.

How did you get on with printing your stencil pattern on a dyed background? You may have created something like this.

Here's Laura, "I'm very pleased with the pattern I've created." I'm not surprised, Laura.

"The dyed background is soft, and the texture gives the repeat pattern more movement.

I could experiment with overlapping the stencil to experiment further." I love the sound of that.

Pause here and share with someone your impressions of Laura's creation.

Thanks for sharing.

And now I'd like you to share with each other your creations and to see if you can offer each other some suggestions on how you could experiment further, where you could take this artwork next.

Pause here while you do this.

Thanks for sharing your suggestions.

And now you can see if you feel like following up on those.

It's all up to you.

In our lesson, "Exploring dyeing methods: colour and pattern creation," we've covered the following.

Artists use stencils to create bold, repeatable patterns on fabric, often layering them over dyed backgrounds for added depth and interest.

Artists may use resist techniques to block out certain areas, allowing the base colour to show through and creating contrast.

By combining stencil printing, dyeing, and resist methods, artists can produce striking designs that are both decorative and experimental.

Well done, everyone, for joining in with this lesson.

It was great to explore dyeing methods, dyeing a background, creating stencils, exploring, experimenting, seeing where we want to go on this creative journey.

I hope you've enjoyed this lesson.

I love printing, and so I've really, really enjoyed this lesson.

And I'm looking forward to seeing you at another art lesson soon.

Until then, stay creative.