Make Your Mark

Use Markal Paintstiks to create rich surfaces for embroidery.
by Ruth Issett
photos by Ian Cole

Markal Paintstiks are unique in the world of fabric colouring and decorating. These oil and wax crayons in a thick card sleeve offer instant colour that can be applied to any porous surface such as fabric, unglazed terracotta, plaster, wood and paper - and with heat-fixing they become permanent! They are available in rich iridescent colours as well as bright primaries and rich transparent artist's colours such as ultramarine and purple - these are something not to be without

If you are willing, initially, to be generous with your time, thought and application, once you are familiar with Markal they are very easy to use.

using masking
Calico masked with masking tape and brushed with a range of 'Professional' Markal colours and 'Iridescent' turquoise. Embellished using simple machine stitching to enhance the colour further. See more...

Let's start simply and address some of the many questions asked: what type of fabric, how to make the colour permanent, how to apply it to fabrics, what type of design, how do I choose the colours - I can hear all the questions coming!

Markal can be applied to any type of fabric, any fibre, synthetic or natural. Virtually any weave will take Markal, but obviously very textured surfaces do not give such even colour. You do not need to choose a white fabric; 'Iridescent' Markal will work really well on dark fabrics, and bright 'Professional' colours such as azo or cadmium yellow and napthol red are opaque enough to be applied to a coloured fabric.
To make Markal permanent on fabric, always allow it to be absorbed into the fabric for 48 hours and then iron it thoroughly for 4 minutes, so that the heat really penetrates through the fabric. To protect your iron and ironing-board cover, place the fabric between two sheets of greaseproof paper. Markal can even be used on suede and leather, where it becomes permanent by absorption.
Markal is kept fresh by a thin skin forming over the tip; this should be cut or rubbed away before use.
Markal Paintstiks are available in 52 'Professional' colours, 14 'Iridescent' colours and gold.

using markals
Top: Mauve polyester fabric masked and worked with 'iridescent' Markal - turquoise, light gold, bronze and white.
Bottom: Red viscose satin with masked bands of 'Iridescent' turquoise and gold. See more...

using markals
Left: Black polyester using a torn paper mask and brushed with iridescent white, bronze, pink, orange, purple, blue, turquoise.
Right: 'Iridescent' Markal - leaf green, silver, gold and purple - on black acetate satin using rubbing technique over a lino-block. See more...

What you need

Markal Paintstiks
(colours of your choice)
Masking tape
Cartridge paper
Old toothbrushes
Textured surfaces
(see method 2)

Applying Markal

Method 1 - using masks

Attach your fabric with masking tape to a smooth board or surface, making sure it is taut and flat.
Select a design:
- a series of lines or areas of colour can be created by using masking tape to divide the fabric, or
- cut or tear a strong piece of cartridge paper and use the edge of the paper a s a mask
Select the Markal colours that you want to use and some old toothbrushes to help you apply the colour. It is useful to have one brush for each colour, as this prevents the colours from becoming contaminated.
Cut or rub away the thin skin over the tip and apply the soft rich colour directly onto the masking tape or paper mask adjacent to where you want the colour. Apply a generous amount so that the paper or tape changes colour.
Select the matching toothbrush and brush the colour from the mask onto the fabric - it is best to brush away from you with firm, even strokes. Keep brushing until the Markal has been transferred from the mask onto the fabric.
Choose another colour and apply more Markal to the mask, brushing over the first colour so that they blend together. To create different effects, the mask maybe repositioned either adjacent to or opposite your previous colour. Keep brushing the colour away from you, as that will give an even colouring. You can always turn the taped board around to reach other areas.
To mix colours, apply them simultaneously, or by applying one colour onto another. You can shade the colours by applying paler shades - such as the 'iridescent' ones, white or pastel colours like slate blue, sandstone or dusty pink - over dark colours.
To assess your progress, lift a short section of the tape or mask to see how the colour is looking. If it is rather pale or uneven, then you need to be a bit more generous with the Markal; the finished effect is very dependent on the thickness of the fabric, the closeness of the weave and your application!

using markals
Cotton calico masked into squares and brushed with 'Professional' Markal colours, including azo orange and yellow, napthol red, ultramarine blue, wedgewood blue, and dioxazine purple.
See more...

using markals
Hand painted fabric, viscose satin, with additions of Markal using slivers of masking tape and a range of 'Iridescent' Markal colours.
See more...

Method 2 - as a rubbing

Select a raised or patterned surface such a textured or patterned wallpaper, a piece of crocheted lace, or a printing block. To create your own printing block, stick everyday items such as washers, paperclips or even kebab sticks to a board to give a raised surface. The block must be firm so that the texture can easily be felt through the fabric.
Tape your fabric to a flat surface, again making sure it is taut, but only tape it on three sides.
Carefully slide your textured surface between the board and the fabric, so that the texture is underneath the fabric.
Slice the end off your Markal stick so that it is completely uncovered and flat. For an even application of colour, use the Markal in a vertical position at right-angles to the fabric surface.
Stroke the fabric with even strokes of Markal in one direction. Working backwards and forwards tends to give curved uneven lines of colour, rather than a flat even application of colour.
By rubbing the Markal onto the fabric, you are applying the colour directly onto the surface. You need to apply sufficient colour to show on the fabric, but take care not to let the Markal get too thick so that it becomes stiff and cannot adhere.
As you work the rubbing you can use different colours so that the same pattern can take on a variety of different effects: light, dark, muted, bright or even metallic.
You can always mix more than one pattern or texture, but take care that the piece doesn't become too confused. Try using the same pattern, but alter the angle or change the colour.

using markals
Left: Small sample on polyester cotton twill, using textured and
patterned wallpapers and a lino-block for a rubbing.
Right: Green-dyed cotton poplin with rubbing using 'Professional' light green, dusty pink, wedgewood blue, yellow citron and sandstone. See more...

Beyond the basics

Enhance a bought printed fabric by brushing additional colour onto the background so that the fabric becomes more individual but still has the formality of the previously printed pattern.
Maybe you have a piece of dyed fabric that you are not really happy with... attach little strips of masking tape across the dyed surface and then work contrasting 'iridescent' Markal into the fabric. When you pull up the masking tape the original colour is beneath but is surrounded by the rich new Markal colour, framing the original colours.
Use masking tape to create a simple geometric grid and work the piece with a combination of both brushed techniques and rubbed patterns.
Markal is wonderful for drawing big, bold ideas onto large sheets of a good firm paper. The thick rich colour will apply easily from the stick, and it makes an excellent resist for applications of inks, allowing striking effects to be created quickly.
'Iridescent' Markal can be worked into strong pliable surfaces such as brown paper, or pelmet vilene, to give lovely pearly surfaces. Work the Markal over the surface, mixing the colours together and rubbing it in with your fingers, to almost polish it.
There are two blending sticks designed to extend the pure Markal colours. The 'Professional' blending stick can be used to thin the colours and ease application. The 'Iridescent' blending stick makes the pure 'Professional' colours iridescent; for instance, blending it with grape gives a rich pearlised purple;or with navy it creates an iridescent denim colour.

using markals
Painted viscose satin, with 'Iridescent' Markal patterns created from
brushed-off masks and rubbings from a block made from garden plant ties. See more...

And finally...

Once the fabric has absorbed the Markal for 48 hours and the colour has been fixed by ironing, it may be washed and ironed to make it easier to handle for sewing, quilting or embroidering.

markals markals

Supplier

Markal Paintstiks are available by mail order from Art Van Go, The Studios, I Stevenage Road, Knebworth, Herts SG3 6AN (send 33p in stamps for a catalogue), tel. 01438 814946; www.artvango.co.uk.