Blog Hop | Diane Rusin Doran DVD Digital Surface Design

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I am so happy to be the first stop on Diane Rusin Doran’s blog hop for her new DVD called Digital Surface Design: Simple Techniques for Hand-dyed Fabric Effects and More!

I met Diane in the summer of 2011 in the green room of the studio where QATV is taped. I had taped 2 episodes of QATV and my first Quilting Arts Workshop Dyeing to Stitch the day before and returned to pack up, she was getting ready to tape a couple episodes of her first Quilting Arts Workshop as well:

We became friends on Facebook and have kept in touch ever since. So when I was getting ready for another round of QATV and Workshop taping, she and I were able to plan an actual dinner together. I was done done DONE and she had to tape the next day, but we were able to have a lovely dinner with Vivika DeNegre and a neat little Asian restaurant right across the street from our hotels.

So, I was more than happy to be part of her blog hop where I get to give away a copy of her Workshop AND enter on lucky person into a draw for some beautiful fabrics she designed that are printed with Spoonflower.

As the title or her Worshop describes, she shows you how you can create fabric that looks like it’s been dyed and had various surface design elements like stamping, silk screening, etc, applied; but it’s all done with Photoshop Elements. She shows you how to use pictures of clouds to mimic the mottled texture of  low-water immersion dyeing. Then a little photo manipulation creates digital drip-dyed fabrics. She then shows you how to use digital brushes for  fabric stamping and bleach discharge effects. After she does all this manipulating on the computer screen, she then prints it out onto fabric using either a home printer, or a fabric printing service like Spoonflower.

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She’s used all these techniques to design fabric like this:

Ferns and Leavesand this:

Rainbow Leaves

She walks you through each step on the computer, here’s a 2 minute preview clip:

I need to watch this Workshop again with Photoshop open and try things along with her – although I’ve got CS6 rather than Elements and all the bits and pieces won’t be in the same places, I learned lots of cool tips from her!

Enter the giveaways!

Ok, so as promised, I get to give away a copy of the this workshop: leave a comment telling me if you’ve ever printed on fabric or used a service like Spoonflower before. I’ll leave this giveaway open until the end of the blog hop., January 28. Don’t worry if your comment doesn’t show up right away, I’ve got to approve them first. At that point I’ll use random.org to choose 2 commenters:

  1. The first chosen will receive a copy of Diane’s DVD Digital Surface Design: Simple Techniques for Hand-dyed Fabric Effects and More!
  2. The second chosen will be entered in a second giveaway: Diane will give away 4 fat quarters of her own fabrics printed by Spoonflower:

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Make sure to visit the other stops on the hop for more chances to win!

Don’t forget to comment (answering the question  if you’ve ever printed on fabric or used a service like Spoonflower before) here before January 28 for your chances! 

Congrats Jody and Ann!

81 Responses

  1. how wonderful to meet her in person.
    no I have never printed on fabric or used Spoonflower before.
    I have only been quilting for a year now and am loving it.
    thanks for the give a way and for sharing.

  2. Only analog printing on fabric, not digital… and have heard and known others who used spoonflower, but I haven’t. So this would be a great new experience! Love the boys new quilts by the way.

  3. I’ve had fun printing photos into fabric for a baby photo album for a nephew born overseas, but would never have dreamed it was possible to do anything as beautiful as these!

  4. I haven’t done it yet, but I have a whole supply of printable fabric waiting. This DVD sounds very interesting.

  5. Your blog and your work are beautiful! I’ve never printed on fabric before, because my printer does not have archival inks. I’m very interested in trying out Spoonflower, though, and love the idea of designing my own fabrics in Photoshop. Thanks!

  8. I’ve used fotosonfabric.com several times. I’m pleased with her work. I tried spoonflower once and was unhappy with the scale of the fabric. I probably didn’t follow the directions correctly.

    I’m looking forward to reading the book.
    Tonya

  9. I have printed on fabric, but mostly photos. Would love to use one of the printing services for some great fabric.

  10. I’ve printed on fabric from my own printer but not from a service. I keep thinking I am going to do that someday as I have a friend that does it all the time and her fabric is beautiful! Thanks for sharing this giveaway Candy!

  11. Great trunk show last night at the Arlington QU monthly meeting. I have never tried printing my own fabric but last night was a lot of inspiration to give it a try!

  12. I am concentrating on learning Diane’s technique. I love the effect and would love to have her new DVD.

  13. Wow – this looks like fun! I have printed photos on fabric & have taken a couple of fabric dying classes, but haven’t done any printing like this. Thanks for the chance to win, I think will be a great resource!!

  14. I’ve printed pictures on fabric, but I don’t have Photoshop so I’ve never tried anything like this. The fabric is gorgeous!

  16. Missing the requisite Photoshop, so haven’t had the joy of playing on the computer to make beautiful fabrics like the ones Diane has created. But would oh so love to learn this.

  17. I’ve never created fabric on my computer or used a service like Spoonflower but would love to win the contest.

  18. Yes, I’ve used spoonflower. I had some fabrics printed with my photos, but I didn’t do anything fancy with them like Diane does. That looks so cool! I’d like to try it.

  19. I have printed on fabric before, but I love to dye fabrics and stamp on them too. I have tried printing on fabric using inkjet products, but you can’t beat the quality of Spoonflower. I love them and will use them again.

  20. I have only printed on fabric sheets with my inkjet printer. Creating a design for printing at Spoonflower is a goal for this year.

  21. I have done a little bit of stamping on fabric. I like the idea of Spoonflower but haven’t used it.

  22. Yes, I’ve printed on fabric and used a service to my image put on fabric. It’s not something I’ve done a lot of but I have tried it.

  24. Candy, this is what I have been waiting for (even without knowing it)! I have Elements but not sure really how to use it! I have not printed on fabric with computer but have certainly done it with paint/ink/fiber/etc. Thanks for the giveaway!

  26. I am always on the look-out for one of a kind fabrics for my compositions, but had not considered computer manipulation until now. This is something I should explore. I have not done any digital fabric yet, and I have not used any business like Spoonflower.

  27. Love this concept and the work it produces.
    I have done some digital design and think this DVD will take me farther. So I sure hope my name comes up in the randomness of it all.

  28. I have printed simple black and white photos on fabric but never tried any of my digital art. I have a Spoonflower account but I’ve only used it to see all the creative ideas so far. I’m new to fiber art and have been so inspired reading everyones blogs!

  29. I have never printed on fabric other than make a quilt label out of muslin….I have never used Spoonflower but have been to their website. Love your videos on the QAYG….thanks for the giveaway…

  30. This is great. I was considering getting Diane’s DVD. I have printed photos onto fabric before, but haven’t tried manipulating them as Diane does. I have not used Spoonflower.

  31. I have never printed on fabric or used a service, but seeing Diane’s fabrics is very inspiring. They are so beautiful.

  34. I have printed to fabric, but I am always disappointed in the color, or rather the lack of saturated color…. when I print…

  35. I have only printed labels and photos on fabric, but I was fascinated with Diane’s use of layers and filters in Photoshop to alter images and then transfer them to fabric!

  36. This blog hop is great! I usually don’t make the time to visit multiple blogs, but this encouragement is firing up my creative juices, seeing what other people are doing…and I love the DVD and would like to try creating with it!

  37. I have never used a service like Spoonflower before, but have been tempted! I have only stamped, painted, etc, but really only in classes, not much on my own. Diane’s DVD sounds fabulous.

  38. I am enthralled (yes enthralled!) by surface design. Some years ago I discovered I just wasn’t happy with commercial fabrics anymore, so I began to play. So far I have experimented with low tech, like stamping, stencil, painting and silkscreen. Just starting to look at digital design and I AM SO EXCITED. I would love to win this DVD.
    Thanks so much.

  39. Although I have ALL of the materials to start surface design, I haven’t gotten brave enough to actually do it. I have PFD fabric, paints, stamps, brushes, dyes, Derwent inktense pencils…. I just need courage!!! I have admired fabrics on Spoonflower, but I haven’t used their service.

  40. I have screen printed on fabric and LOVE doing it. I have had Photoshop Elements for years but haven’t taken the time to explore it very much.

  41. I have printed on fabric, but have not used Spoonflower. I would LOVE to win a copy of the DVD.

  42. I am just starting to explore fabric dying and had never heard of Spoonflower before but will be trying some of the techniques. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Mary Elizabeth

  43. I like printing on fabric with my printer. Either printing on plain fabric or lutradur. I havent tried Spoonflower yet but would use it if I had need of a larger amount of fabric than I can use at home. Havent made it that far yet. Dianes DVD certainly looks interesting. And I cant wait to watch your method of quilt as you go…
    Jo

  44. No, I’ve never printed on fabric digitally. I have experimented with screen printing and mono printing.

  45. I have printed on fabric once at a seminar taken at Empty Spools, but I have never used Spoonflower. I have not yet worked with Photoshop Elements, despite having a copy installed. I’ve been waiting for just the right seminar/video to come along and help me figure out the best use. This looks like it could be just the thing. Thanks you for offering it as a giveaway.

  46. I have printed digital images on fabric using my computer, but I’ve not used Spoonflower yet. This inspires me to go take some pictures!

  47. Wow – gorgeous fabrics! I have printed photos onto prepared fabrics. I design my labels in MS Excel, then print them onto prepared fabrics. I once ran out of fabric while making a quilt, so scanned the piece I had left and printed the image onto prepared fabric.

  48. I’ve printed labels and photos on fabric, but I want to use my photos to design fabric. This DVD is just what I’ve been looking for.

  49. I have printed on fabric and just recently found out about Spoonflower. I certainly plan on investigate this wonderful service!

  50. I use Photoshop Elements 9 at the moment, to design images to print on inkjet-ready fabric sheets, but I’m just a beginner. It’s fun to experiment with the images. Diane’s beautiful fabrics are on a completely different scale. Even if I am not ready yet to print a large quantity of fabric, I’m sure Diane’s techniques will help me along.

  51. No I have never printed on fabric or used a service. However, it is a technique I want to try and have been sorting through my vast collection of photos and selecting those I wish to manipulate.

  52. I have not hand dyed any fabric since my teens-I had taken tie-dye and experimented with different techniques as well as drawing with bleach. I have been thinking on how to start experimenting again in my much-smaller-space/ apartment. And I have dreamed of learning how to put my art onto fabric at Spoonflower-I hope I win to get a boost to try it for myself!

  54. No, I have never used Sunflower but am going to at some point in 2014! Really enjoy Photoshop Elements and I think this new DVD sounds fantastic!

  56. No, I’ve not printed on fabric before. My to-do list for quilting seems to be getting longer and longer! Thanks for the tutorials and the chance at the DVD.

  58. I’ve printed only on muslin with words. nothing elaborate like the quilts shown. really beautiful.

  59. I have used my computer and printer to print on fabric once but planning several more projects in the very near future. I do not have Photoshop, I used MS Word inserting pictures then typing names and dates under each photo. It was a mini quilted wall hanging for my son for Christmas.

  61. I have printed on my fabric, but only a couple of times, as I realized that I have so much to learn @ this technique. I have not used any outside services for this yet. To win this video would help me greatly in furthering my confidence and abilities in this process.

  62. I have been admiring the announcements of this book since it came out & telling myself I do not need one more thing to try and learn – but I do Love working with Photoshop and to be able to create my own fabrics from my designs would be awesome!

  63. This would be so much fun! I’ve never tried something like this before but would love to try!

  64. I have done some nature printing on fabric, but I have not done digital before. Thank you for sponsoring the giveaway.

  67. I have printed my own photos on fabric with my inkjet, with only standard edits. Looking forward to being more creative, would love to win the dvd.

  68. I have printed many times on fabric with my Epson C88+ and would love to learn some new techniques.

    virginiaggg

  69. Low brass and Trombone players in general, rock. Been married to one for 40 years. After globe trotting we ‘retired’ to Chile. Althoug I don’t think there is any such thing for a musician or an art quilter. We are just keep doing what we love until we drop I think. I have to make a lot of fabric as there are serious limits as to what is here. I need to get much more friendly with my Elements program to be able to do more than the photos I usually use. I probably need this badly! 🙂 BTW anytime you might want to chat about opportunites in south america let me know. Lots of orchestras down here.

  70. I have done very limited fabric printing. I like looking at the arts quilt in Houston and Paducah. Have not been brave enough yet to try on scale that is on this dvd.

  72. I have never used Spoonflower. However, I love photography as much as I love quilting. I take photos and use them as inspirations for my nature related quilts. I have been an educator for 44 years, and now am beginning to find time to quilt as I’d like and am BEGINNING to get my website together. I use photoshop a lot, manipulate my photos and would LOVE to learn how to incorporate all my loves into one package. SO GLAD she’s come out with the DVD.

  73. I’ve used Spoonflower to print a photo my grand daughter took…but never played with Photoshop or other pgm…would love to learn!

  74. Yes I have printed on fabric but I need lots more experimentation Diane’s cd would be so helpful

  76. So much to experiment with … what a great idea. I have printed photos on fabric and have used Photoshop elements for my photographs but haven’t used Spoonflower, yet …

  77. Hi Candy,

    No, I have never used Spoonflower or tried printing on fabric. It does look interesting though.

    ruth

  78. No, I have never used a service such as SpoonFlower, I have printed on fabric before BUT not like Diane’s! Mine are boring in comparison!

  79. Candy – Thank you for the video clip that you included on your page here! It really helped me see what some of the video is like since I have never used Photo Shop! I’m new to quilting and the fabric arts so I haven’t, yet, used SpoonFlower…but, I can see how I will once I get more training! I can’t believe how many techniques there are for fabric art/quilting! It’s all so inspiring! Love your work since I LOVE color! Thanks for this fun opportunity! Journi

  81. I have used Photoshop, and know about Spoonflower, but have never thought to combine the two and design a fabric. It looks fun! And the quilts I could make…