Here Comes Santa Claus

Actually here comes Father Christmas! 2 classes this fall ( one Houston, one a guild) will offer students a chance to create their own story upon the winter coat of Father Christmas.  Here's my sample of the finished quilt, but students get to put whatever they want  on their coat and in his bag.   The one you see here, I created for my British friend, thus their flag.   Should be fun.

To do this class in one day, I deliver students the full sized piece of see thru white pfd(prepared for dying)  fabric with the face ready to go.  There's just no time to teach portraits in this class.   I'm prepainting faces so thought I'd show you the steps in one painting.    I begin with the laser print black and white line drawing under fabric.

First things first... I filled the skin tone area in with Tsukineko no. 95 (Tuscan Beige)  all purpose craft ink.

Since I used this pale ink near full strength...it's wet, and thus I need dry/heat set it before moving on. One could  go to the ironing board and iron on dry cotton setting ( cover with tissue or paper if you do)  but I use a heat embossing dryer so I don't have to move the fabric. The heat tool throws out a small circle of real heat ( careful... too close and you could scorch). A hair dryer would work too.   Move the dryer quickly and often and again not too close to fabric. I will use this several times as I progress through this piece but will only show here. When to use?... If the ink on fabric is wet... and you are about to put something like another ink atop it.. get it dry underneath lest your goal is to allow 2 to mix.

Using a light Fabrico marker ( no 152) Sand to lightly outline eyes, nostrils. again... get it dry before next step. ( I will darken eye perimeters later. ) 

Add some baby blues

I'll use the same image to explain 2 separate steps. 

I used a red Fabrico( 114 Poppy)  to add lips, a brown Fabrico (use either Truffle 155 or Chocolate 154)  to darken upper lids, and a small black pigma to add the eye pupil

 I used a very dry brush Tsukineko ink no, 52 (sand) to add a soft contour to his face, eye, nose   and very dry brush 15 (Cherry Pink) for his rosie cheeks 

A black Fabrico marker( no 182)  to darken inside the mouth 

And lastly either white (no 80) ink or a simple acrylic to add a highlight on the lower lip and soften any edges you think in need ... eg the right side of his lip above was too strong. 

This should be a fun class... Starting to prep supplies for  October 27 class at Houston Int'l.