Tokens ~ Education ~ What Else To Do With Skinner Blends: Part IV

What Else To Do With Skinner Blends

Part IV: Reducing the Ikat Canes

Step 56

Now we have 2 stacks. One goes from gray-to-black and is staggered, the other has black and gray stripes on the sides and is not staggered. We're going to reduce the gray-to-black, staggered one first.

Step 57

Begin by pinching the ends closed to form points.

Step 58

Reduce from the center outwards. Begin by gently compressing the points inward towards the middle.

Step 59

The idea is to turn this flat stack into a round log. Just keep working slowly and gently from the center outwards.

Step 60

Keep working until it gets rounder and longer, being careful not to allow the middle to get too skinny.

Step 61

We're getting there...

Step 62

Once the cane is about 1 inch in diameter, begin gently rolling it on the work surface to even and smooth it out.

Step 63

Once the cane is reduced, cut off one end ...

Step 64

... And have a look!

Step 65

Onto reducing the second stack.

Step 66

Gently squeeze from top-to-bottom and side-to-side to ensure that there is good contact between the layers.

Step 67

Stand the stack up on your work surface and trim off the uneven edges (the gray-black striped sides). Only trim a little. The idea is to have clean, striped edges, but don't cut off so much that you lose the design.

Step 68

Turn the stack on one of it's sides and begin reducing it into a rectangular cane. Use your hands or your acrylic brayer to begin lengthening it from the middle outwards.

Step 69

Work on one side, then turn it a quarter or half-turn and work on another side. Compress it by rolling from the center out to one end, then from the center out to the other end. Use the striped sides as a guide. Keep the corners lined up to minimize distortion.

Step 70

Once it is reduced to about 1 inch across and 1/2 of an inch high, trim the end.

Step 71

And this is what it should look like...

Step 72

Now we have 2 Ikat canes to work with!

Part V: Creating the Holographic Weave

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