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This space has been created as a way to share, support and inspire those interested in Textiles and Digital Printing here at ECA, as well as across the wider University of Edinburgh.
Speculative land: Digital drawing and textile digital printing, steel square bar. Dimensions Variable. Edinburgh, 2021
For our second Student Spotlight post, we would like to introduce you to the work of Valentina Lobos Munoz. Valentina is one of this year’s graduating MFA Contemporary Art’s students. Over the last year I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Valentina and her work, as we’ve explored fabric and printing options via the digital print facilities here at ECA.
Through her work Valentina aims to create a space where elements such as economic, racial and gender roles, can freely be questioned and reorganised, moving “beyond the perception of the land, water and people as resources or commodities.” By focusing on these elements, and how they are visually portrayed, Valentina has created a representational digital visual archive which can be used to create new and alternative realities, ones that reorganise and rearticulate these pre-existing elements. In Valentina’s own words “The virtual realm offers space for infinite combinations.”
Using both Sublimation and Reactive digital printing methods, Valentina has explored a range of textile techniques during her time here at ECA. Her piece titled Speculative Flag features digital drawings, which have been digitally printed within ECA, onto a beautiful Silk Organza. Bird, cotton and mountain, and Armadillo, are also digitally printed, but this time onto a lovely soft velvet using Sublimation prints.
You can find out more about Valentina and her work, including her recent MFA project here, as well as on Instagram. We wish you all the best Valentina, as we do to all this year’s graduating students! We’re excited to see how you’re work, and this project develops.
Speculative flag: Digital drawing and textile digital printing on silk. 300 x 130 cm. Edinburgh 2021
When it comes to printing onto fabric, there are lots of available options, from traditional methods such as Block and Screen Printing to modern techniques like Digital and Sublimation Printing. Each technique has it’s own unique aesthetic and characteristics, as well as pros and cons.
What method you choice to use will largely depend on fabric choice. In some cases you can combine techniques, to create interesting and dynamic textiles.
Here we will cover the main types of printing digitally:
Transfer Printing
This technique allows you to digitally print onto fabric, from home. Imagery is printed onto specialist paper, called Transfer paper, through either inkjet or laser print household printers. Once a design is printed onto the transfer paper, it is transferred onto fabric with a steam iron.
Transfer paper can be purchased online and in shops making it easily accessible. This printing method will leave a shiny film/surface to your fabric, and is not classed as a permanent method of printing, as it can crack, peel and fade with time.
Pros
Accessible printing method
No specialist equipment needed
Great for sampling/small runs
Easy to print and transfer
Cons
Leaves a shiny film/texture to the fabric
Single use transfers
Limited life span; peels, cracks and fades with time/washes
Limited print quality and resolution as well as colour range
Dye Sublimation
Sublimation printing is a sophisticated alternative to transfer printing. A multi-step process, this printing process is suitable for synthetic based fabrics.
Designs are first digitally printed onto thermal transfer paper called Dye Sublimation paper. This paper is then used to print onto fabric through the use of heat and pressure, permanently bonding the inks on paper to the fibres of the fabric. This step is usual done by using an industrial heat press. Once you’re fabric has been printed, it is set and ready to use. As this process uses dyes, the fabric retains it’s original characteristics.
Pros:
Digitally prints are permanent, colourfast & washable
Dye-based inks allow for a wider colour range and colour brightness
Soft handle and feel to fabric, with original fabric characteristics retained
No post-treatment required
Minimal ink and no water wastage
Cons:
Not for use on natural fabrics
Specialist equipment and dyes required
Reactive Printing
Reactive or digitally printing as we call it, is for digitally printing onto natural based fabrics.
This process uses Reactive dyes, which are suitable for printing onto both cellouse (plant) and protein (animal) based fibres. These dyes require fabric to be treated with a specific pre-treatment before printing. Pre-treated or coated fabric, is rolled and loaded onto a digital printer for printing. Imagery is printed when ink passes through the machine’s printer head, in a similar way to an inkjet printer. Once printed, ink is fixed to the fabric through a Steamer. This moist heat causes the inks to react and bond with the fabric. To complete the process, fabric is washed to remove the pre-treatment coating and any excess dye. Once washed, fabric is ready to use.
Pros:
Digitally prints are permanent, colourfast & washable
Dye-based inks allow for a wider colour range and colour brightness
Soft handle and feel to fabric, with original fabric characteristics retained
Inks penetrate fabrics’ extremely well
Minimal ink wastage
Cons
Not for use on synthetic fabrics, natural and pre-coated only
Fabric requires pre-and post-treatment
Specialist equipment and dyes required
Pigment Printing
Pigment printing allows you to print onto most fabric types, including natural and synthetic, making it a popular and versatile printing technique. Designs are printed onto fabric and are set to the fabric using a dry heat, usually through a heated roller or Heat Press machine.
Pros
Print onto a wide range of fabrics in a variety of weights
No fabric pre-treatment necessary
No water or specialized fixation, steaming or washing process required.
Cons
Pigments sit on top of a fabric’s surface rather then being embedded into the fibres.
Pigment binder leaves a coating on top of the fabric
Colour range not as wide as with dye-based inks
As you can see there is a wide range of digitally printing options available, some more accessible than others with their own unique pros and cons. Currently within ECA we offer Reactive and Sublimation digital printing. Whilst we don’t offer digital pigment or transfer printing, we can offer support and guidance with these techniques for anyone interested. Remember you can always get in touch by emailing textiles@ed.ac.uk to speak to one of our textile techniques.
At the start of a new year, it’s always nice to look back on the achievements of the previous year, especially when it comes to 2020. With this in mind, for some inspiration, I’d like to share with you a selection of work from last year’s graduating students, who despite the many obstacles in their way continued to explore, design and make.
The images below show a selection of work from a range of final year and master students across ECA, who used elements of digital printing from ECA, within their work. For more information on the individual designers please click on the names at the bottom of each image to take you to their individual sites. Enjoy!
Caroline Haraki, MFA Illustration (2020) Digital Print onto Silk Twill.
