Monday 6 January 2014

It's all about seeing possibilities isn't it ...

You can tell I'm enjoying myself when I need to blog two days in a row, because I just have to show you how it's all going ..
So here are some images of trying out various arrangements of my blue gelli prints and coppery leaves on my canvas ..
 
 
I finally decided on this background - which is none of the above .. but that is just typical of me .. I am always open to a quick nudge and slip
 
 
I sealed it all with matt medium and then glued on the leaves using matte gel - which is thicker and stronger. I've just recoated it in medium to get everything well sealed and then I shall be getting back in with crayons and some metallic buffings (yes spello - I do mean buffings). It will then get stitched
 
- I'll post again when it's done.
  
 
Moving on a bit (about 2 minutes in real time), yesterday I made these pages in a sketchbook. I was inspired by an article in Quilting Arts magazine - which frequently inspires and enthuses me about techniques both old and new. I used to be a member of a yahoo site for quilters and they had a discussion  a year or so ago, where they were rather disparaging about Quilting Arts magazine - sort of saying that unless you were fairly new to contemporary quilting and green behind the ears - it didn't have much to offer. I disagreed at the time, and still do. I am moderately new to art quilting, but have been around in modern textiles for many years and have obviously come across most techniques and ideas already. But I try to stay open enough to be able to still see possibilities in all sorts of things. I have always got Q Arts and still do, and it is rare issue that doesn't get my little brain ticking off down new paths - and this was a classic example. I have made fabric books, I have included fabric in my sketchbooks and included papers in my fabric books. I have even covered a board book with fabric - but I had not actually stuck fabric all over the pages of a paper sketchbook as background to work over. I wasn't overly enamoured of the actual examples shown (not a criticism - just not necessarily my thing) - BUT I didn't let that put me off. I read the article and it sparked the thought off - and I immediately got out a nice big posh A3 sketchbook and started preparing some pages with fabric (another lesson here - use your expensive sketchbooks!).
 
 
 
 
That in itself was enjoyable enough to justify the time - but I really wanted to get past the fact I already quite liked them - and use them. So last night I splobbed (yes - splobbed) gesso over page 1 . I used a cheap gesso (the works) so it is pretty translucent ... and no .. it doesn't look as pretty any more - but I'm holding the faith ...
 
 
 
then today, whilst making my canvas, I chucked - sorry, stored the excess blue printed paper on my sketch book ... and it looked rather nice!!
 
 
 
 
I also had a piece of scrap paper I  had been using to blot up dye and gesso - a classic 'duffer' - and this seemed to look ok too
 
 
 
the next image is especially for Sam Packer - a close up of the DUFFER - anyone else ignore of you wish ... Sam has a soft spot for them
 
 
 
so I started chopping and trying out bits on the page, whilst the canvas dried
 
 
I had traced the leaves before painting them, in order to make some stencils for the Make it Personal course in January and February .. which was very handy, as I was able to just trace onto my duffer and cut out more leaves
 
(quick interjection here - we have an extra Make it Personal, day one class running on 5th/6th February 2014, to take the overflow from Day 1. It still has some spaces if you fancy coming and playing ... my big gelli is coming too if that helps)
 
 interjection over - back to laying out bits .. lovely job
 
 
Happy with the pattern - I stuck them all down and then coated it all in matte medium. When this dries, I can go back into it if I wish  (almost certainly will - I'm liking it, and I left gaps between pages, so I could stitch)
 
 
but even as it stands - it is already setting off thoughts and ideas - some of these crops could be printed of and stitched for a start .. or used as patterns for larger work .. or .. or ...
 

 
 
 
 
 
so I think it all depends on you and how open you are to seeing the possibilities. Always look for that little spark of an idea, then play and experiment (what if?, what about?) and see where it takes you - so often it is somewhere good.
 
For instance - when walking Dixter this morning I spotted these lovely passion flower leaves (excuse the dye stained drop cloth) .. aren't they gorgeous?? You know what I'm going to have to do don't you??!!
 
 
thank you for visiting - Hilary x

17 comments:

  1. Hi Hilary,
    You look as if you are having great fun and your pages are so lively. Will you stitch them by hand as if you machine them you will have to tear the pages out of your book, or don't you mind doing that. Look forward to seeing your progress.
    M x

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    1. Hi Margaret - I am having fun .. really enjoyed the last few days. I will probably stitch by hand - but as the book is A3 I could probably get it under the machine too - and will have to try now to see! I wouldn't mind taking the pages out of the book either - I could either bind it back in, or make it part of another book, which I sometimes do. Or just file in a big plastic holder - which I often do!!. - I suppose the key thing is to do what you want and forget rules .. Hilary xx

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  2. I liked the duffer page the best. Perhaps that's the art journaling side of me!

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    1. That is the lovely thing - we are all different and one persons duffer is anothers absolute favourite. I can see how that duffer would work for Art Journaling too. I love duffers as I fell much freer using them and cutting them up -H xx

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  3. Gorgeous as ever Hilary. Your work that is....and you of course...
    I am trying to post this comment from the PC because I get the big heave ho from my ipad when I try. Fingers crossed...here we go....

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    1. Oh you clever cat (my Grandma used to say that) - well done and thank you so much for persevering Bonnie. Bernice wonders if the problems may be down to the browser you are using?] - you could try Chrome, which works really well with Blogger - and I bet you are right about the iPad - I have found I cannot access certain things (like some shops!!) form mine. So maybe we have your problem sorted!! - H xx

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  4. Yay!!!!!she says waving her kn*****s in the air!!!

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  5. Browser? How does Bernice know I am a browser? How do I become chrome rated? Actually I'm disappointed...I thought I was pretty good at browsing already...maybe even better than chrome? Oh well...I live and learn...

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    1. Bernice is a very clever girl and knows all sort of stuff Bonnie - she knew duffers appeared in Narnia ... how clever is that?? xx

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  6. Good grief woman! Do you ever sleep?? You're running on super charge the whole time! Lovely stuff btw.

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    1. Sadly I have to ...otherwise obviously I wouldn't. Suspect I am like a hound - either on full sped or snoring!! xx

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  7. I left a long comment on your previous blog, but it seems to have disappeared into the ether. Seems from your comments I am not the only one to have disagreements with technology!
    Anyway, I started by saying that the work was gorgeous and it is. I love your colour combinations and also the fact that you don't stick to one colour palette. I really appreciate the way you show your process and the progress of your pieces. It is not only entertaining, but very instructive. So thank you! I think i spotted which gelli plate horse chestnut leaf you used in your piece from your previous blog. When you say that it was printed onto canvas, do you mean that you re-did the gelli print onto canvas, or made a digit print onto canvas from the original?
    I am a great free motion quilting fan - my passion - so I enjoyed the mixed texture of your quilting on this piece. I always have a problem balancing the quilt and quilting (letting the stitch patterns show without making the background too boring) and I think you have achieved that nicely here.
    I love the 2nd of the chestnut pieces too. Please blog about it when you have stitched it.
    Well, that is more or less my comments to the last blog - as to this one - well it just goes on and on! It is great to see you having so much fun, particularly if you didn't have a good time at Christmas. As I said, my big thing is really fmq patterns, but you have inspired me to go and collage! Happy days. I look forward to the next blog.

    Hilary Florence - now please publish this time I hit the button!

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    1. HI Hilary - I love colour so much, it is a constant adventure and I like to try everything in my palette(and I have them all!) The horse chestnut leaf was printed and then over dyed, then photographed. The photograph was then colour altered a few times in paintshop. This gave me the original print, plus colour variations, which I then printed out onto some canvas fabric I am trying out at the moment, with a view to both using and possibly selling some prints. So I then had 5 digital canvas prints (A3) of the original gelli print - and the canvas hold fantastic detail through the printing process. I've also still got the original print and digital files. I love leverage of work. I will certainly update about the second (and third!) piece - they are wonderful for fmq ... I rarely do anything else now. Collage is a total joy and works so well with fmq - just a more interesting surface to work on! - H xx

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  8. I sub to QA... and I'm not a quilter. I usually find something in it which intrigues... even if its someone's colour choices. I also buy Art Quilting Studio, and end up with sticky notes attached to pages, as must re-read or try.

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  9. Hi Beverley - so sorry, I've only just found this post. I do agree so much - always something to trigger more thoughts .... Art Quilting Studio??? - will have to look that one up!!! - Hilary x

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  10. Hello there Mrs B ... I am so looking forward to working with your papers. I too am going to do a large art journal .. as I always do small art journals. ... so watch my space!! X can't wait my day Monday .. yeah x

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