Friday Favorites and a book review
Well, perhaps a an update on my drawing class, a book review, and then Friday Favorites.Last week was Spring Break and it was a very good thing because I was behind on my homework. I finally got caught up with my 2 great masters in my sketchbook, my large copy of a great master, and the large interpretation of a Japanese Wood Block Print. Last night we started a new technique, chiaroscuro, which I will need to practice before I show it to you but I thought I would show you a couple of pages of my sketchbook.
My instructor commented that she liked the way I had set up my sketchbook. On the left I have printed instructions and an example (generally found on the internet) of whatever technique we have recently talked about and then on the right hand page I have my attempts at the style. My goal is to make my sketchbook a reference manual for me to refer back for the different techniques.
Book Review
My friend, Beth, a fellow member of FIVE and an artist on "And Then We Set It On Fire," loaned me her new book, Three-Dimensional Embroidery. She was right. I have fallen in love. I don't care for books that just show pictures of others' work for me to drool on. I want instructions. But I don't want instructions to make a purse or a bag or a whatever, I want technique instructions. This book (!!!) has projects I really want to do. I want to experiment and play. I want to stay home from work and stay up at night and work on these projects. I am giving Beth back her book because I have bought my own.
Karen, who was the guest blogger this week at "And Then We Set It On Fire" posted a nice description of her experiments with TAP (Transfer Artist Paper) and Lutrador. I have both of those products but have not really experimented much with them. This was a nice reminder to me to get them out again and see what I can do. I think I can incorporate them in my experiments with inks this month.
Crazy (please hear me saying this as K-raaa- z) Mom (momma) Quilts gives a free pattern for a stash buster quilt. The rest of this paragraph is just me being philosophical if you want to skip it. I struggle with myself over patterns like this. It is quick, easy, pretty cute, fine for a baby to throw up and poop on quilt. As an "textile artist" am I too good to make it? Does all of my work need to be original, inspired, quilt show worthy quilts? Or is it okay for me to sit down and produce something that takes less creative juice but will probably be appreciated as much (probably more by some people) than an original design. I don't have the answer but would love to hear yours.
Sharon at Pin Tangle has found Kuler. "Cooler?" you say. "Yea, Kuler," I say. It is an adobe application that allows you to choose color schemes. Check out what Sharon has to say about it and click her embedded tutorial on using it. Pretty cool. I tried unsuccessfully to figure out what color wheel it uses --the traditional RYB one or the corrected YMC wheel. Makes a difference for artists mixing paints or dyes. Do you know? At any rate, I tried to find my favorite color scheme (orange, purple, and yellow-green) which is a split triad but couldn't get that combination to come up.
This link goes to Wen Redmond's blog rather than to a specific post on the blog. She took a commission for the Elliot at Rivers Edge in Manchester NH. In 3 or 4 or 5 blogs (I lost count) she takes you step by step from the commission to the finished product. It is an excellent 1-2-3 tutorial. Thank you, Wen!
Vicki Welsh is a woman after my own heart. She loves experimenting too. Here are her experiments with Shiva Paint Sticks.
I am sure there are many wonderful blogs that I have missed this week but it is time to publish. They will have to wait for another week.
Great tips, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThere's been a lot of discussion on the quiltart listserv about "art quilts" and technically good quilts that aren't considered "art". We all have to make things that are usable, quick, and make the end user happy, we shouldn't feel that's beneath us, but some of the people on the list think it is. Kind of a snobby attitude.
ReplyDeleteI KNEW you would love that book!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your blog. I enjoy it. Re. your question abut easy utility vs art, I have struggled with the same thing. I recently made an easy baby quilt based on someone else's idea. I took it as relaxation, a break from the harder effort of making art. And I figured that since I am after all, an artist (ahem), it is an above average baby quilt in terms of design and color choices. By the way, the easy pattern you linked to is really cute.
ReplyDeleteI WANT that book! It is out of stock at Amazon. Whaaaaaa. I put it on my wish list.
ReplyDeleteI have included links to some really fast and cute quilts on my blog too. I took some "scolding" from fiber artists about it, but I tend to think working with fiber in any way is a good thing. Some people are just not ready (or do not wish to spend the time it takes) to be creative and original. Sometimes I just need to "mindlessly" sew; it is a form of meditation for me. I have to be way more engaged and focused when I'm working on something original.