The first thing I thought of with this prompt was an hour glass. It took me a bit of time to think of a way to incorporate it into the series of drawings on which I have been working.
I have been excited about using the different PITT pens that I bought recently. The tips are different widths. So far my favorite is the Fine. I see, as someone mentioned, how the XS can be great for defining things or adding depth. This is wonderful. I didn’t find it to be great for drawing the whole piece.
One thing I need to improve in my drawing is working with perspective. I didn’t add the right side of the hour glass, but may later after I do a bit of research.
While you were sipping your cappucinos this morning, I was finishing the edges of my very first ATCs – Artist Trading Cards – and dashing off to meet with my fellow CQFAers.
Maureen had suggested that we do a swap of ATCs. In the spirit of the Creative Prompt project, I decided that making them would be good for my creativity. And it was! I did them when I came home from work on Tuesday after one of the most grueling work days I think I have ever had. Immersing myself in some fiber took my mind off of the lunatics downtown. I didn’t have much brainpower and, thus, didn’t overthink the design. All of the fabrics came out of my scrap basket. I wasn’t sure what to use for the center so I used two layers of Pellon Stitch and Tear, which I use for stabilizing machine applique’. The ATCs felt right in terms of stiffness and I didn’t have any problems with sewing through the 4 layers. It all seemed to work just fine.
ATC backs
The ATCs are 2.5×3.5″ inches and I know that there are a zillion sources for instructions all over the web. Typical of me, I didn’t look at any of them. 😉
Sometimes I just need to do the work. I figured they were small enough and I could toss them if I didn’t like them.
I grabbed more fabric out of my scrap basket for the backs. The red dots and the Denyse Schmidt flowers are my favorites. One of my criteria was that I had to be able to write on the back, so my favorites weren’t ideal. The other plainer fabrics were better. I tried to use the stitch lettering that I used to use for labels on these ATCs, but my machine is starting to act up 🙁 and I couldn’t get it to work.
MPL's ATCs
Maureen’s ATCs include the car in the group. Maureen is a quiltmaker I really admire, because she is constantly trying new things.
Her ATCs were a revelation, because they were all different! Mine are sort of different, but really the same. Maureen created different designs on each card. WOW! Not sure why I didn’t think of that, but perhaps I will do something similar next time.
Terri let me know that Diane and Nancy’s ATCs were mixed in with Maureen’s. I didn’t pay close enough attention to know whose are whose. Sorry ladies!
I thought I would make more of the same for next time, but after doing the swap, I think people will be looking for something new and exciting.
Terri's work
Terri is a mystery writer who incorporates quilts and quiltmaking into her stories. If you haven’t read Ocean Waves, Old Maid’s Puzzle, or Wild Goose Chase, get yourself to the Library or bookstore! Her ATCs had a mystery theme and were business card size. Terri used the business card sized advertisements as the backing! Clever!
In addition to paper and fabric, Terri also added 3D ribbon and rubber stamping to her cards. I have rubber stamps! Perhaps I will drag them out for the next round.
LC's Work
Linda‘s ATCs look marbled to me. She is a talented machine quilter. She produces lots of small works frequently by participating in such challenges as the Fast Friday Challenge. She has recently been doing succulents, which she says are too dark for her tastes. Most of her work is very bright – lime green, fuschia, bright blue, etc as Linda uses lots of hand dyes.
Linda talks about her ATCs on a blog post from a few days ago. It looks like she made a big piece and then cut it up. Another great idea!
Bron's ATCs
I haven’t seen very much of Bron’s work and was really excited when she laid out her ATCs. Bron’s raven piece and her stamp piece both caught my eye. I couldn’t stop staring at them during the entire swap. I am not sure why. I guess Amy over at the Creative Mom podcast is on my mind both because of the ATCs and because of the birds.
Bron also chose to make different designs. Her media varied quite a lot as well. She used fabric, paint, paper, beads and different ephemera such as stamps. I picked up the stamp card from Bron’s offerings.
Bron's Stamp ATC
The colors drew me to this piece. They were really vibrant and attractive. I am like a bee in spring, I guess. 😉 I really liked the textures on this card as well as the airmail stamps.
VS works
Virginia is a quiltmaker I really admire. She has a quiet presence that smolders. When she finishes a quilt or a set of placemats or something, they set the room on fire: excellent stitching, perfect corners, wonderful fabrics and a great design. I really wish she lived closer as I would try to spend more time learning with her.
Virginia did photo transfer with fabric, paper and stitching. I wasn’t as excited about them because of the black and white. I did love the stitching around the edge.
Diane brought some as well and somehow I missed photographing them. Perhaps next time.
While I am not particularly interested in ATCs, I found this to be a good exercise. Not so much in what I made, but in seeing what everyone else made and getting inspired by their work. I may have a chance to try out some of these ideas as Maureen suggested that he group make this activity a regular part of the meeting. Hhmm…
See the Creative Prompt page if you want to know how to participate in this project.
Post the specific URL or deep link where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted, such as (but not limited to, on Flickr or your blog, in the comments area of this post. It is an easy and good way to keep all the artwork together.
This drawing is different than some of the others. It has a little more detail – different types of detail and was a little more of a challenge. I took the prompt literally; that is a drip coffeemaker and not a percolator, but I often let ideas percolate while I am cooking breakfast. It is usually quiet.
My godmother used to make her coffee in a percolator. I used to watch, fascinated, as the liquid bubbled up in the little glass top. Even though I was constantly warned that I would be burned if I touched it, I couldn’t stay away.
Ideas need to percolate.
Quilts, sometimes, need to percolate.
See the Creative Prompt page if you have questions about this project.
Post the direct URL where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. It will keep all the artwork together.
Last weekend I posted the latest iteration of the Tarts. Mostly, I get really nice, short comments on my posts. I was surprised and delighted to find a long and thought provoking comment from SherriD. She wrote:
“You are more of a trained artist than I am, I think. You’ve taken classes or studied art perhaps? So I am only asking these questions in order to understand as I have not taken any art classes or quilting classes for that matter.
1. Why did you choose to have the purple background and the pie’s innerds almost the same shade? (btw, I like the orange crust very much!)
2. On three of big corner pots, are you going to embellish them with perhaps something like thread painting?
3. Have you considered adding cookies or scones? I noticed that you have in a row, cream and sugar, then two cups, then a cupcake with another cup.
I hate to say things about someone else’s work but I really am curious as to the “why” in your projects. This is such a happy quilt in process. I love the colors and have really enjoyed watching the progress.”
Thanks to SherriD for taking the time to post a comment – a long and thoughtful comment. I thought responding through a post would be a great way to spark conversation about SherriD’s thoughts among all of my readers.
I was not an art major in college, though my major did allow me a lot of opportunities to take classes outside of the required courses. I took art history classes, studio art classes, Swedish, German, political science (blech!) and many others. I have also taken a lot of continuing ed and adult ed classes in art practice. I am not so much trained in art as informed by the classes I have taken.
In a roundabout way, I have tried to answer SherriD’s questions below.
I have taken a number of art classes and lots of quiltmaking classes. Many people think it is a badge of honor or courage not to have taken any classes and to have taught themselves. I applaud you for your fortitude. I just don’t have it in me to learn by myself. I learn by someone showing me and by doing, so I take classes regularly. While I am not interested in taking art practice classes right now and I am interested in taking more quiltmaking classes, I enjoy taking classes, in general, for a number of reasons:
I don’t learn well by myself with books, especially something completely new.
Even if I never finish a class project I always take something away from the class or the teacher.
I like being a room with other people. I enjoy seeing what they are doing and how they are reacting to the teacher.
I work mostly alone, so classes get me out of the workroom.
Classes re-energize me when I get back into my workroom.
I get turned on to new sources of inspiration, such as books, blogs and websites by the teacher and students in a class.
Classes clarify things that I don’t understand.
I am a visual learner so I learn best when someone shows me how to do something.
Classes make me think about things in different ways.
The Girl with the Green Lips, detail
This is one of my favorite pieces from a studio art class. It is colored pencil on Bristol Board and I took the class from Wayne Thiebaud’s assistant at the time. I wish I remembered his name, because I would LOVE to thank him. You might recognize the image from an old Lancome ad featuring Isabella Rossellini. I also took a framing class after college and framed this piece myself.
The other thing I do is practice. When you see a piece of pie appliqued down as part of the Tarts, what you see is the final piece. Sometimes I sketch many, many drawings before I make a pattern and cut fabric. I don’t consider myself to be an accomplished drawer (if that is a word). I do feel like I am getting better and I feel like I am getting better because I practice. Drawing skill is not something with which I was born. I feel that most people don’t have it when they are born. Drawing is a skill a person needs to practice. If you want to draw well, practice. You will draw a lot of crap before you draw something great. The thing to remember is that if you practice you will draw something great.
Tarts, June 14, 2009, with Pie
SD: “1. Why did you choose to have the purple background and the pie’s innerds almost the same shade? (btw, I like the orange crust very much!)”
In this piece, and often in other pieces, I struggle with the limits placed on me by the color wheel. I love color and, sometimes there just aren’t enough. When selecting fabrics for pieces like the piece of pie, I often decide on the background based on other large pieces in the quilt top first. My criteria for background vary, but often have nothing to do with the image on top of the background. I never thought about it before SherriD asked about my choices.
I examined my process and found that I figure out a good background and then go to work on the main image. In this case, I wanted to use the purple fabric for the inside of the pie because it looked like blueberries. It turns out that I didn’t put all the pieces together in my mind or on the wall until I started to stitch the pieces down. Normally, my rule is to “make visual decisions visually.” This is a classic line from Lorraine Torrence.
I always know that I can remake a block, so I decided to put the block up and look at it for awhile to see if it was too purple.
SD: “2. On three of big corner pots, are you going to embellish them with perhaps something like thread painting?”
The piecing and machine applique’ I am working on now has come to be barely the first step. My thinking on this piece was clarified, somewhat, after I took the Pamela Allen class. I decided that I needed, and wanted, to embellish this piece. At this time, I am focusing on getting the top together. I need the piece together to use as a canvas for the embellishment. I don’t know right now if I will use transparent fabrics, like organza, or Perl cotton, or beads or all of the above. I will, almost certainly, add some steam in appropriate places and some designs to areas I think are too plain.
As I often say: Stay Tuned.
SD: “3. Have you considered adding cookies or scones? I noticed that you have in a row, cream and sugar, then two cups, then a cupcake with another cup.”
Yes, I have considered cookies and scones. Because of their shapes, they don’t make good candidates for standing out and people knowing what they are. They are too flat, I guess. I also don’t want to introduce many more whites and beiges to the piece.
One of my goals with my quiltmaking has been to be about the process. It is hard, because my personality makes me very goal oriented. I realized a year or two ago that making a lot of quilts wasn’t as important to be as making good quilts that interested me. Since I don’t make my living by quiltmaking, I felt it was more important for me to enjoy what I was doing more than just getting it done. It is a struggle for me, but I have to keep trying.
Some ancient historical sites have large stones laid out in a circle.
Rings are circles as is the sun, the moon and other planets.
Marbles, beach balls, bouncy balls and playground balls.
See the Creative Prompt page if you have questions about this project.
Post the direct URL where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog post, Flickr, etc) in the comments area of this post. This practice will keep all the artwork together. If I find art or pictures by other artists on this topic, I may post them in the comments as well.
Yes, this could have been a Moon prompt response as well, but it isn’t. I almost bought one of those round hatbox suitcases once and didn’t. I always wonder if my life would have been different.
I think I’ll journey out some day to wondrous lands afar,
Or even chart a journey to a distant blazing star.
But rest assured that where my journey sees to take me to,
Always know that when I go, this journey takes you too.
–
We’ll start our journey out from here by horse and cart of old,
The seaside docks – and journey pauses – where we shall behold
A noble schooner for the journey primed to launch as planned:
To sail with dolphins cross the seas then journey back on land.
–
And so our journey goes by foot to conquer mountains tall:
A chapter hence the journey reached, with scenes that should enthral.
But when we tire, let’s rest our journey, stretched in fields of flowers,
And bathe atop the mountain from the journey – autumn showers!
–
Refreshed our journey takes a turn – we’ll venture back for home,
But first we’ll let the journey take a tangent just to roam.
And in the winding route, this journey’s bound to bide content,
But most of all take heed – let’s make our journey life’s event.
See the Creative Prompt page if you want to know how to participate in this project.
Post the specific URL or deep link where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted in the comments area of this post. It is an easy and good way to keep all the artwork together.
I did the first moon prompt response after doing one of the drawings with the facade of the building. I wasn’t terribly happy with it, especially as I did more drawings and became one with my PITT pen.
I have to say that I kind of like doing the same drawing over and over with minor variations. It gives me the opportunity to work through some kind of drawing. I would love to do series of quilts and I have some, but they take so long that I don’t really see it as practical. Of course, I’ll never be bored!
Moon #2
I did a second moon prompt response after I did the sun drawing, because I thought they needed to be a set.
So, this post is about what inspiration can do for you if you look at an inspiring object you long enough. I have been in that kind of mood lately. The “What if” mood. The light has been the way I like it, too, not too glary and not too grey. I have been seeing everything through this light and have been inspired by it all lately. The machine quilting I did on Beach Town last weekend was a direct result of some lines I saw while driving the previous Friday. It is a good reminder for me to look around.
I pulled this batik out of the blue bin for the variety of projects that require blue. For some reason, it ended up on my desk with the detail (left) front and center. For days it lay there. For days I looked at it. For days it lurked in my peripheral vision.
Then, the other night, I just sat down and drew it. When in doubt, what else do you do?
Drawing the Blue Batik
This is what I drew. It doesn’t look the same without the color, other motifs and thicker lines. Still, I like the various elements. It is clear to me that having a variety of sizes of tips on my black pens would be very helpful.
In looking at this version, I wondered what the design would look like if I straightened the lines out a bit.
Blue Batik Extrapolation
In the drawing to the left, I started too far to the right and had to cut off my drawing. I am trying to go with the process and be flexible. Again the thickness of the pen was a problem for me, but I can always do the drawing again later with a thicker pen.
I thought I was finished, so I put the drawing book away and folded the fabric, though I left it on my desk. The way I folded it, however inspired me further.
Batik Ice Cream Cone
I folded the fabric so that the detail motif (blue, above) was almost exactly in half. It made me think of a symmetrical version of the design. tried what was on my mind. Even though I didn’t finish the whole thing, I can see what I was envisioning. I just wanted to get the idea on paper.
As you can see, looking at something over a period of time can make your mind work with the inspiration in different ways.
See the Creative Prompt page if you have questions about this project.
Post the direct link or URL to where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. blog or Flickr) in the comments area of this post. It is a good way to keep all the artwork together.
I have been drawing studies in my journal as my designs get more complicated. I also have been doing studies of parts of the drawings as I try to work out the perspective and proportion of elements. In this drawing, I found that I didn’t know how to draw a bicycle. I had to go and look up where the main parts of a bicycle connect to each other before I could draw it.
