I chose a fish as my design source and traced it leaving out the more intricate elements to simplify the image.
Page 36 - fish design
Using the ideas in the course, I used thicker and thinner lines and stitched the fish sample (bottom left), then stitched a second sample using thick, thin and fine parallel lines which entirely changed the look (bottom right) and finally stitched a fine line background and little detail on the fish itself but I added some colour (top right).
Page 36. Fishy samples
Keeping the fish as the source, I took an element - the dorsal fin and tail and made a block using string and card. I made a tracing to make the block.
Page 37. Transfer, stencil and block
I used a piece of Tana lawns a background and yellow transfer paint to get a distinct image on the fabric. I started to block with bleach as well (top left) but it didm't feel that the bleach blocking made a good enough lift to the fabric. I used light and dark free embroidered straight stitch on three of the images (top right and left and bottom right) and satin and straight stitch on the bottom left outline. I don't think that the colours I chose were sufficiently 'different' to have a large impact on the work, but I do quite like the outcome - like angels blowing trumpets!
Page 37 Angels blowing trumpets!
Shape - altered shape; distortion
I was going to use the fish and distort that image and I traced it onto a piece of tights (right hand image p36) but pulling it this way and that didn't result in anything that I was satisfied with. So using my computer software, 'Photo Booth' I took a dreadful picture of myself and distorted it this way and that using four images. I then converted it to black and white to remove the distraction of colour and selected one of the distorted images to stitch. I made a drawing of the main lines in the black and white image
Page 38 - distorted images
Page 38 The top right distorted photo drawn in black and white
I enlarged the image and stitched it on calico backed with pelmet Vilene using thick and thin line and satin stitch, filling space and leaving voids, all free embroidered. A bit like a dragon or a seahorse.
Altering shape - expanding a motif
I used a lotus flower as the inspiration for my motif and drew a simple shape. I faced the image and made a repetitive drawing incorporating overlapping motifs.
Page 39. Lotus flower motif
Page 39. The expanded motif
I didn't necessarily want the stitched sample to look like lots of lotus flowers. So I chose a space dyed felt fabric that wasn't 'lotus flower' colour. Using perspective as a guide, I stitched the borders of the 'flower' shapes and 'leaves' shapes in thicker free embroidered satin stitch at the front and thinner at the back. I also used darker yarns at the front of the sample and lighter at the back. In some shapes I to give them shape and some stitch in the leaves to give them more interest. Some spaces were left empty. Taking the colour and shape they could be hazelnuts or flames. Whatever they might be, I am pleased with the result.
Page 39. Altered shape
Colour
I looked for colours in an image I liked. My daughter recently received a County award for a mixed media piece she had created on positive breastfeeding. I love the image called, 'mother's love' and I love the colours she used.
I painted the little blocks to try to recreate the colours. I then stitched the blocks with threads that went some way to matching the colours.
Page 40. Heidi's image
Page 40. The stitched blocks
Texture
I used the 'trumpeting angels' wings (fishes tail) as the motif and drew three identical images on a piece of calico backed with pelmet Vilene. Using the segments of the motif I stitched in different directions to create texture.
Sample 2. (bottom left) Vertical and some horizontal lines were ditched
Sample 1. Top - diagonal and vertical ones
Sample 3. (bottom right) a variety of directions
Page 40
Free embroidered straight stitch was used for each of the samples
Using the designs together
I was n't sure what image I would use to bring these ideas together. I looked through all of my images ad had a lot of difficulty choosing something that I could distort and create texture using the colours from the little blocks.
So, being Poppy Appeal Organiser for my town, I chose a poppy seed pod. I decided to use the top of the pepper pot element to distort and expand. I left out the little doors that the seeds come through and used the frill of the poppy dividing it into segments. I then separated the segments into distinct elements.
Page 41. The poppy pod and segmented elements
I moved the segments apart and rearranged them. They started to look like continents - Africa and Asia, South America and at a push South America.
Page 40 Colour blocks and test colours
I used my little painted blocks and stitched blocks to use those colours from Heidi's image in my deconstructed poppy - possibly a deconstructed world, and coloured the shoes and decided what direction to use for the stitching. It looked slightly boring so I decided to add a deconstructed compass and have compass points leading into the world and out of it to who knows where!
The pattern was then transferred using a stencil and air-erasable pen. The shapes were then stitched using free embroidery. The outlines of the continents were stitched using satin stitch and then with straight stitch directionally leading from one shoe to another. I was pleased that I had used space dyed felt and had placed my shapes as close to colours that they worked with as possible. On reflection, the brown could have been more yellow to give the piece a bit more zing. But I like the story...
Composition
Using Fibonacci principles, I chose some colours that I liked and thought would work well together and stitched the sequences as described. I have used the Golden Section in art pieces in the past - having an art background!
Page 41. Fibonacci sequence
Golden section
Finding the golden set ion, I folded a piece of paper in thirds in both directions. The points of the conjunction of the lines made finds the Golden section - any one of the four points can be used as the focal point.
Page 43. Apologies for poor photograph
Page 43. Potential hangings with golden section marked
On reflection. I think that I should have used the top right are of the top left hanging as the golden section to take the eye up the hanging other wise, the eye would stop in the bottom third.
Chapter completed - I hope that the assessed sample is not as scary as it reads!
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