More Stars and Crosses

This set of images came from a notebook of traditional kumon patterns that I collected when I lived in Japan 18 years ago. I have kept them in that binder for this whole time never knowing what I would do with them. Although I have many, many more designs from Japan, these were my favorites.

Stars and Crosses Line Drawings Two

Here are more stars that I found. Most of the images come from the quilting world. There are two drawings that are also awesome crosses. Most of these are pretty complex images which might be good but could also be VERY hard down the line.

Stars and Crosses Line Drawings, Page One

As part of module one, the assignment is to explore design using the motif of either a star or a cross. These are some of my line drawings for stars and crosses. I am more drawn to stars because at first glance they are a more complex shape. However, as you really start looking at them, stars and crosses have a lot in common. The only real difference, TO ME, is a cross will only have four appendages, while a star can have more. I started this exercise with paper and pen brainstorming what a star is defined as and then what a cross is defined with to me. It is amazing how deep you can go when you allow yourself the time.

This is page one. I will post page two later.

Color Wheel Study

One of the first assignment that Sian has you do is create a color wheel. Although she asks to work them with gouache, I could not find my set (I don't use them often), so instead I used my Golden Fluid Acrylics. There is some streaking, but I think it is okay.

We used two different base hues of the primaries to create the wheel. I don't know if I liked it as much, or if it made it harder to get the colors to flow from one to the next. I think that I would have prefered to create several different wheels using the cooler primaries and then one using the warmer primaries. To me the hardest color to duplicate was the turquoise. I had to create several swatches before I felt it was right.

Another thing to think about is how much black is added. The point really wasn't to make a dark color but really to mute the brightness of the pure hue.

Embroidery of a Tanya Berlin Pattern

I started this over a year ago, but decided to get back to it after returning from Callaway. I am going to spend some time each month working on traditional embroidery to "learn the rules". I really am not a rule followers, but I think you need to at least know what rules you are breaking!!!! This is a piece designed by Tanya Berlin. Her instructions are very comprehensive and an excellent study guide!

Dreaming

This is a mixed media piece that I worked on at Callaway last month. I didn't think that was going to get to go this year, but at the last minute I had the time and a little money! Pat and Marie Terese said no problem to the last minute registration. I did Independent study with Pam Godderis.

I haven't posted a lot lately as work has been interfering, as well as my computer being finicky!

Dragonfly Postcard

My local fiber art group is having its holiday party and 5x7 exchange. This is the piece that I made. It is lots of different techniques mixed together.

Gate House

I was having difficulty uploading images from home last month! This piece opens to conceal "treasures' either house keys or jewelry. This is actually a birthday present for my sister (whose birthday was in SEPTEMBER!!!!

Garden House Open

I took a class this weekend at Rubber Stamp Fantasy with Beverly from BLine Designs. It was so much fun! Building on a wood House base, we used three small deep canvases which are painted and collaged and then attached to the house base. We then collaged inside the canvases/door nooks. I loved it.

Garden House Closed

Here is the Garden House Closed. I painted a garden scene on the front and then collaged more flowers on top.

Woven Scarf

I also took a class in weaving. This is a neck scarf that I did on the Continuous strand loom.

Needlefelting at Southeast Animal Fiber Festival

I went to Fletcher, N.C. last weekend to the Southeast Animal Fiber Festival. I love this event. They have the sheep, goat, and alpaca breeders selling and showing their animals' fleece as well as tons of vendors who deal with animal fleece. It is a place for felters (me), spinners, knitters, and weavers to get together. I took an all day class from Melissa Grey on needlefelting. Her work is truly amazing (search for it on Etsy). It is so detailed and realistic. Here is a little chipmunk that I made in class. It is not anything like her work, but she really went into how she approaches a project to make it so life-like.

Marvys on Canvas

After seeing the Marvy Metallic Markers on the gloss tag, I wondered how it would work with Acrylic paint on canvas. I had a small canvas already painted with a back ground and added the Marvys on top. I like what happened, but it took a lot longer for it to dry.

After it dried, I used embossing powders to add another layer. I am still thinking about going back with either more ink or paint to add strengthen a focal point.

Marvy Markers and Embossing Powder

Here are the two ATCs after embossing. I really like them both too.

Marvy Metallic Markers

In the picture to the left, are different card stocks with Marvy Metallic Markers. After class, Debbie, one of the owners of Rubber Stamp Fantasy, had an informal "class" on using these great pens. The tag to the far left is a semi-gloss tag (which works the best), the middle ATC is on white and the right is also an ATC, but black. The white ATC is actually a "mono-print", but there was still some white left so I sprayed it with glimmer mists.

This is the tag after embossing.

Class at Rubber Stamp Fantasy

I took a class at Rubber Stamp Fantasy today. I love that place. Although the class really focused on Glimmer Mist, we also used copic markers and their new air brush system. These two were done with purchased screens from Tattered Angel on an clear acrylic sheets which are pre-cut to use as a book cover. The class was taught by Sally Lynn MacDonald.

Frank Lloyd Wright Panel

This was another assingment for C&G. I needed to design a piece using bias tape, and as the module is on "line" as a design element, I searched the internet for some of Frank Lloyd Wright's stained glass panels to use as inspiration. I used some of my hand-dyed fabric for both the background and some of the inset pieces. For a few of them, I used Shiva Paintstiks to give a contrast of textures.

Monoprinting on fabric

The next assignment was to do monoprinting on fabric. These are not

great examples. I was having the a hard time keeping the thickened dyes from streaking. I think it had to do with the sodium algimate (spelling???).

AIDS Quilt Panel

Ginny Greaves, Hellenne Vermillion, and I worked on this panel for the AIDS Quilt program. It turned out amazing, even though Hellenne and Ginny did most of the hard work!

Monoprinting for C&G

For my City and Guilds course that I am taking with the Kemshall's, well really Marie Roper is my tutor, I needed to do some monoprinting. Here are some of my tries.
The module is "line" and all the goal of all of them is to work with line as a design element. These are done on paper with Golden's new Open Acrylics which have a much slower drying time. I hate that when I am painting on canvas, but it is perfect for monoprinting.






Needless to say, the inspiration for this piece was the bricks that make up the outside of my home. I thought it might be very boring but I actually like it.



















The inspiration for this was one of my son's bike wheel. I overprinted a yellow page.