One of the few art projects that I distinctly remember doing as a kid was placing flowers on white sun paper, letting it sit outdoors for a few minutes and then rinsing the paper off to find the flower outlines transferred onto an indigo blue background. When looking for an online source for sun print paper recently, I was intrigued to find that the technology has now also been applied to fabric. I had to try it. The cushions above that I just brought into the shop are the result. I traced antique penmanship art images onto a sheet of clear celluloid and then sewed the results into cushions with linen backs. I had to experiment a bit with time and placement, but I eventually managed to get the images to transfer clearly on the rich indigo color that I love so much. Here are a few more ideas via Pinterest for sun fabric projects.
I recently bought a tattered old book called The Business Guide; or Safe Methods of Business by J.L. Nichols, A.M. With headings like "Practical Maxims for Getting on in the World" and "How to Apply for a Situation", it makes for an interesting read. But reading wasn't my real purpose for buying the book. Instead, it was the bookplates of ornamental penmanship inside that drew my attention. The fact is that I'm a sucker for good penmanship. I would easily hang one of those chalkboard menus we associate with Parisian bistros on my walls and call it art (a future post may well celebrate unintended cafe art). I've been known to spend hours in Word putting various fonts through their paces. So to me these images of once popular penmanship drawings constitute the perfect marriage of writing and design.
(Images from The Business Guide; or Safe Methods of Business by J.L. Nichols, A.M., published by J.L. Nichols & Co. Naperville, ILL., 1896 and available at amazon.)
