issue 09 / volume 41

life & style // 17

Construction Site: Diary of amad costume maker

» Building your own silk-screen

Brittney MacDonald
@& Life & Style Editor

M lifeandstyle
@theotherpress.ca

 

N” that the patterning and
sewing is mostly done, and
you have the basics that you'll
be working with, it’s time to
move on to details. I’d be lying
if I didn’t say that the details
make or break your costume.
Unfortunately you can be the
best tailor in the world, but if
your painting or jewelry is off,
then it will throw your entire
costume off. Keep in mind, most
people at conventions are purely
concerned with aesthetics,
therefore if it looks right, it
doesn't really matter how you
achieved it—remember when I
told you about adaptability?

Fortunately this type of
mentality has fostered an entire
community of innovators—
people looking for the best
way to construct impossible
things out of unconventional
materials. Generally members
of the community won’t mind
sharing their knowledge, which
is why there are countless
blog and YouTube tutorials on
everything from prop weapon
crafting, to making wings, and
styling wigs.

In that general vein I’m
going to talk now about a do-it-
yourself print technology you

: can use at home that will save

: you a lot of time and money

: if you're looking to go into

: costume making as a hobby, or
: professionally.

In order to achieve the

: distinct pattern on Yuna’s skirt I :
: decided to doa combination of
: silk-screening and handmade

: fabric appliqués. If you'll :
: remember my first Construction :
: Site, the fact that I would be :
: silk-screening a pattern onto

: the skirt was the whole reason
: I decided to go with a polyester
: blend when choosing fabrics.

With a silk-screen it is best

: to try and utilize one stencil, as
: opposed to matching several

: up to create a large pattern.

: Because of this, I had to build

: anewsilk-screen ina friend’s

: yard, and then disassemble it

: afterward. The pattern I needed :
: required a frame that was
: approximately 4x5 feet.

In the interest of teaching

: you the basics, I would say if

: you're going to try this, make

: one that’s a little more practical
: to keep around.

For those of you who have

: never heard of it, silk-screening
: isa print making technique that :
: utilizes woven fabric, a stencil,
: and some sort of squeegee. It’s
: really simple to do, and will save :
: you a ton of time, as opposed to
: painting.

I learned how to do mine

: froma tutorial available on

 

: Instructibles.com and adapted

: it using other tutorials available
: on YouTube. :
Begin by buying a pre-made :
: stretched canvas. You can use

> a wooden picture frame but I

: find thema little more difficult
: to work with. Remove the
actual canvas—all you want is

; the wooden frame. Be sure to

: choose one witha slightly deep
: well, about half an inch or so,

: in order to prevent the ink from
running out of it. Next choose

: the flattest side that will bethe
: one you cover with woven fabric. :
: Any woven fabric should work
: as long as the ink can bleed

: through it. I have used cheese
: cloth as well as scraps of nylon
: tights. It doesn’t really matter.
: Just pull it tight over the flat

: side, and using a staple gun,

: fix it to the opposite side of the
: frame.
: For relatively easy or simple :

designs, make a copy and then

: trace them directly onto the

: woven fabric using a sharpie.

: Then paint hodge podge over
: the areas you don’t want the

: ink to seep through. For more
: complicated designs you can do :
: the same, or you can do what

: I did with mine and purchase

: latex decal paper. Trace the

: design onto the decal paper

: and then, using a scalpel, score

the outline. When finished,

peel the back off and stick it
: directly onto your woven fabric
: on the inside of the frame. After :
: that, take your scalpel again,
: and carefully peel off the areas
: you want the ink or paint to go.
: Use painter’s tape to seal off

   

Photograph by Brittney MacDonald

: the edges around the frame so
: no ink or paint makes its way

under it.
Make sure you use water-

based paints or inks during

: this process, or if you want to
: be extra safe you can use silk-
: screen specific ones, but you

: may have to order them.

Once your screen is

: prepped it’s simply a matter of

: putting on an even coat of paint,
: and then using your squeegee or
: any other painters’ blade, press

: the paint or ink down into the

: fabric. Do several coats before

: removing the screen from the

: garment. Once you remove the

screen it is near impossible to

: line it back up again.

Good luck, and I'll see you

next week for tips on appliqués
: and beading!

 

The Intrepid Gastronomer: Unpretentious raw fish

» A review of Ki Sushi

K.P. Davis
Contributor

ushi is a ubiquitous part of

life in the Lower Mainland.
We are blessed with a wealth of
fresh water and fresh fish that
very few metropolitan centres
can boast. This has led to sushi
restaurants being as common
in Vancouver as lumberjack
beards and yoga pants. And
much like those somewhat
lazy fashion choices, sushi
restaurants can either be very
good or very not.

I popped by Ki Sushi for

a late lunch. Much like the
sushi, the decor wasa blend
of Western and Japanese style,
with one section of walled-off
booths with a wood-and-paper
wall motif, and the other being
western dining style with
padded seats and open tables.
The radio played a local station
at very subtle volume, so you

: could hear the weather report

: if you wanted to, but wouldn't
: have to strain to hear the other
: members of your party.

My server was a gentleman

: not lacking in tattoos, with

: a physique that betrayed his

: love of lean salmon and lifting
: heavy things. I wasn’t certain

: if the kitchen was just that

: efficient, but my first plate

: arrived so swiftly that it beat to
: the table the crisp Asian lager I
: had ordered to accompany my
: meal.

As I put the tuna nigiri to

: my mouth I quickly realized

: that I had chosen well for my

: first sushi review. The tuna was
: buttery and the salmon fresh

: and gorgeous, not at all fishy

: or hiding behind any wasabi

: tucked between it and the rice.
: The rice itself was not overly

: sweet or vinegary.

The California rolls were

wonderful, not dry or using

: mayonnaise to hide the flavour
: of their “crab,” but a standard

: staple that was solid enough

: on its own to build a menu

: around. The dynamite roll was

: also pleasant to behold, packed
: with three not-overly-battered

: prawns. A Canada roll rounded
: out my maki selection with

: subtly smoked salmon cut with
: buttery avocado.

The real surprise for me

: was the koloke, a deep fried

: croquette of creamed corn

: split and served as two pieces.

: It came off as some sort of

: gourmet tater tot that was

: delicious enough on its own to
: bring me back, if not for the

: amazing menu surrounding it.

Ki Sushi was simple and

: good, like sushi should be.

: Nothing was overly designed or
: gourmet, and the prices were

: fantastic for what they served.

Ki Sushi is located at 45 -

: 8th St, New Westminster.

 

Photograph by K.P. Davis