In this class, Kate will be teaching you how to make a fabric 4-signature 6" x 8" book with wood-based front and back covers. She'll provide instructions for using a coptic stitch to attach the front and back covers and all the signatures. She will also demonstrate how to make gesso and plaster covered fabric for the pages, and how to make lace and fabric borders to trim your pages.

After the book is constructed, you will be working on your pages using mixed media painting and collaging techniques. You will work on your cover using collage, image transfer, drawing, painting with watercolors, gesso, re-inkers and pan pastels. You'll paint portraits, partial figures and flowers. The painting can be painted over the image transfers or can be your own drawings. You'll also start working on your pages with paint, stamps, and applying plaster with stencils to create beautiful textures.

The $25 Materials Fee Includes:

• waxed linen thread
• tapestry needle
• 2 pieces of wood for the cover with holes drilled for binding
• clothespins
• Venetian plaster
• re-inkers and inks
• pan pastels
• assorted stamps and stencils available for use

Additional Supplies to Bring:

• assorted fabrics for the pages (12" x 8"). They can be vintage linens or linen and cotton fabrics of various thicknesses
• laces
• 140 lb. hot press watercolor paper (12" x 12")
• putty knife for applying plaster
• assorted watercolors (reds, blues and yellows)
• Golden open acrylic Titanium White
• matte medium
• gesso
• wood or craft glue
• brushes: 1/4" and 1/8" angular brushes (Princeton Select Golden Taklon) - available at Dick Blick and Michael's
• #0 or #1 pointed watercolor brush for detail work; larger watercolor and acrylic brushes of your choice; a cheap utility brush for applying gesso and matte medium
• pencils and charcoal
• awl for piercing holes for binding book
• for collage and image ephemera transfers, Kate will have a selection of images to offer in class, but try to bring images of faces and figures that you'd like to use for collage or image transfer.

Kate Thompson's work as an artist working with fabric and fiber to create abstract 3-dimensional forms was her focus for many years. She started painting full time in 2009 focusing on portrait/figure work working in acrylics, watercolors and mixed media.

To learn more about Kate, visit her website: fracturedangelics.com