my creative space: traffic jam screen print

I find that I seem to need a specific little project like birthdays, to get me motivated to create designs! I get excited creating something special for someone, so I'm always happy when there are birthdays or special occasions on the horizon which there are quite a few coming up!

Yesterday, I screen printed two tops for a couple of friends little boys!  I have been dabbling with this car scribble design on and off for a while now and came up with "traffic jam"!  It has only three colours, which for me is easy peasy... usually I have loads more! I just can't do one colour!

I am so happy with how it turned out and the screen printing went smoothly with no hiccups!  I was a little worried with how the colours were going to look on the blue top but I think it looks really great.. phew!!! I can't wait to give them to my friends :)

:: 2 little traffic jams completed :)

Here is a little of my process:
Tuesday - I had pretty much finished this design a while ago, I just had to tweak it a bit!  Most of it is hand drawn, scanned and then put into Adobe Illustrator.  The cars do look a little wobbly, I didn't have time to adjust them so I fixed them when I cut the stencils out.

I cut out the three stencils, one for each colour, while I was watching my son eat his lunch, which can take a long time! I always like to do something constructive in that time!
ps: don't worry the craft knife was well away from my little boys, curious fingers :)

:: stencil cutting and a very mangled Vegemite sandwich
 in top left hand corner :)

Most people draw or trace the design onto the stencil paper and then cut it out. I like to print out the design onto paper, then tape it onto the stencil paper and cut directly through both paper and stencil paper, using a very sharp craft knife. I find this way more accurate and much faster! I really wish I could print directly onto the easycut stencil paper but unfortunately it doesn't work! If anyone has any other ideas/suggestions on this.. please let me know :)

:: three stencils for three colours

Wednesday morning - Mixed up all the paint colours needed and then screen printed the first colour, all before breakfast at 7am.

:: a very old screen

I screen printed second colour after a long breakfast with my little boy and the first colour was dry.

:: second colour done

Then after some vigorous jumping (not me) on the bed and pretending to be lions with my little boy, I screen printed the third colour. I'm always really nervous when doing the last colour... there is a lot of finger crossing and hoping nothing goes wrong!! Luckily it was all fine :)

:: third screen printed colour - completed... Yay!!

Hope you all have had great creative week :)
There are loads more creative people over at our creative spaces...