So far I photoshopped - scribbled - screen printed. Time for stitch.Next I created a shibori stitched circle (running stitches around, and around, and around, and around.... ), gathered them up tightly and painted on some foil adhesive. I didn't wait long to snip the threads and pull it out as I didn't want the glue to dry over the threads. I was very careful not to mess up the glue as I pulled out the threads then let it dry.
I could have applied the gold foil next but chose to layer and quilt the piece next. I was hoping the foil would cover some of the stitching. I simply followed the designs in the printed cloth, loving every inch of the wide open space on my Handi-Quilter 16 as I free-motion quilted. I thought for a bit about continuing the circular quilting onto the white cloth but chose instead to balance the circles with some simple vertical lines. Too much of a good circular thing is... too much.
The foil went on next - just the gold to start with. Between each step the work goes up on the wall so I can step back and get a longer view - see how things are going. At this point I saw I needed something to balance the larger gold circle but didn't know what and was too far along to do anything drastic without testing first.
Easy solution. Take a picture, print out a few copies, doodle until something looks right. Three more circles on the lower left were my solution this time.
A few pins to test out thread weight then I decided that I needed red in the shibori circle - then more red and gold in the lower circles. And then it was really, really late and I needed to go to bed.
So - I think first of all I need to take lessons in how to photograph white work. I have a really wonderful and fancy new SLR camera that I have no idea how to use. I'm working on it. Slowly.
I'd love to hear your comments and critiques.
I love the idea of the shibori method to add the foiling. It is great!
ReplyDeleteQuite often I do work inspired by the Middle Ages. I think that idea would be quite exciting for making a'halo' rather than a solid disk of gold. what kind of glue do you use for the foiling?
Sandy in the UK
A curious process and I like how you're describing it as it unfolds.
ReplyDeleteI've been stopping and photographing things I'm working on lately too. Awhile back I brought my handy wee camera into a danger zone and something got into the works so I had to replace it. I'd hoped to revert to my older SLR digital, but apparently it, too, had irreparably been harmed. A camera memorial service was called for...
Now, it seems, I am NOT photographing the process, so seeing yours has re-inspired me!!
Fascinating!!
first of all I absolutely LOVE the design and the way that you stitched it, it's wonderful. I'm not a fan of the foil though, to me makes it look ............ mmmh, looking for a word - ruddy is the first thing that comes to mind so that's what I'm going with. You do like to play though, so go for it :)
ReplyDeleteLovely piece, the stitching really makes the design pop. Thank you for sharing your process. Great tip regarding using photos for design tweaking!
ReplyDeleteI love your new piece, Lyric! Very creative.
ReplyDeletep.s. I like the foil application - it gives the piece an interesting dimension.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought foiling made pieces look 'tacky'. This is the first piece of work using foiling where I think it's added something to the work - no tackiness here!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how it would look if the placement of the smaller circles mimicked the dynamism of the larger "exploding" motif. Maybe offsetting them so they went out of the "frame" (like the larger motif) to subtly lead the eye in a circular pattern?
I think it might be more effective with fewer hand grippings--a single row fading off; or perhaps more of them with a variation in intensity. The circular foiling/shibori is interesting but I'm not sure how it relates to the handgripping imagery.
ReplyDeleteI liked the subtle use of foil in your piece, and I liked the surprise of discovering the gripping hands in your design. Good work!
ReplyDeleteThis is now my favorite Lyric piece. I like everything about it actually. The various processes give it a layering that gives the piece depth without making if chaotic or unreadable. The simplicity of each element and the way they work together makes this a very special piece.
ReplyDeletePhotographing art quilts is challenging. I had hoped Heidi Adnum's book The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos would be a help, as it was touted in Quilting Arts, but it ignores textiles for the most part. I struggle with this issue. Getting the colors right is really a problem so perhaps white is less of a problem. Getting the right lighting to show texture is another problem.
Congratulations on a very successful new work.
Julie-Anne
www.julie-annemcdonald.com