Monday, September 27, 2010

Learning Curve

Well, I bypassed the rather tedious task I'd planned for tonight (cutting out stones) and went straight to the fun one - putting together the windows.  I have a lot to learn about art and design and fabric. A LOT.  But it's fun and exciting.  

There are rules I've known academically forever, but not how to implement them.  For example, value and contrast are more important than color. And a good design is more important than reality.  In reality the window frames are all the same color.  But in the design the light stone has zero contrast against itself and disappeared into the light wall, while it had way too much contrast in the dark wall.  And I'm trying to create the impression of a deep recess.  So because it is farther away the window in the deep part should be smaller, even though in reality it was bigger.  (Well, in reality it didn't exist, I made it bigger to fill a bigger space. Wrong.)  Luckily I was able to just peel them off and switch them.  Whew.  I would have HATED it if I'd had that big window in the dark wall.

I also learned to always make myself a nice big piece of fused fabric if I'm going to be collaging.  It's nuts to be scrimping out little tiny scraps when it costs pennies to have a good supply on hand.  
And one more thing: freezer paper is my friend.  I mean who knew? (Other than a couple million quilters).

Here's today's progress:
I'm still hoping that the stone details and the quilting have a positive effect.  I may draw in some of the stone lines with the light brown sharpie, that worked good on the quoin or whatever that piece on top is.  But it stands out too much doesn't it?

Oh, go to bed already, Sharon!

3 comments:

  1. Really like this piece you're working on. Try not to overthink it is the advice I have to give myself.

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  2. Very good advice! I have a bad habit that way... I sit and stare at the thing for hours.

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  3. Sharon- Your post makes me think of when my art teacher in high school would make us paint snowbanks in watercolor (I reside in minnesota - plenty of snowbanks to be had). it was always the most dreaded assignment but we all had to do it every year... It would be like your project we would stare at these white things that obviously had depth, shape and form - but how to reflect that onto paper with water color. But once we figured it out- and she always made us figure it out on our own- it was like magic the painting would just flow and I suspect it will be the same for you!! Good Luck and don't forget to ENJOY your diving!

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