Things are getting more and more eccentric at Casa de la Swain. Changing styles in my textile work, falling in love again with painting and photography...and then there is the ever illusive quest for continuing creativity through working with Eric Maisel. Still on the road teaching, posting now at the Ragged Cloth Cafe and taking the pledge to keep handmaiden up to date.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Better Living Through Drawing



Quickly an update on "Last Leaf"...yesterday was so frustrating. Almost fell into the trap of too much color yet again. Finally woke up to simplicity and chose three fabrics. Darkest for background, medium to do the line work in the background and lightest for leaves.




This gorgeous sateen, hand-dyed by my bf Barbara, is just to gorgeous. Great color change....lots of places to cut for leaves.



Busby was exhausted by the time the decision was made.

Woke up this morning firmly convinced that yesterday's disaster was due to my lack of working with fabric. Since I took a sabbatical from quilt making, I have been painting and manipulating photographs in Photoshop. Easy to forget how one has to think for applique.

To solve the dilemma, today was spent drawing with applique in mind. Sorry no pictures just yet....but it was a good day. Last week, my creativity students were posed with the exercise to re-tell a myth. A story we are all familiar with but told in a new way. Think "O, Brother Where Art Thou?" An amazing job of re-telling the story of Ulysses.

With that still in my mind, and drawing on past experience as a calligrapher, I created the first set of sketches in "The Cliche" series. Taking only one word from a cliche and using it as the centerpiece of a design, I managed to get four solid sketches done. The big reveal will come later...when I actually get some work done.

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1 comment:

Karoda said...

your drawing exercises sound engaging!