Mixing techniques

 As I posted recently, I am trying some new ideas using Zentangle, doodling and quilting patterns with Notan ideas. 

I cut out some pieces of black paper, flipped the pieces and glued them down. 

These ones are on A4 paper and it takes a little longer to do the doodling, so it is still ok to be doing in bed, helping me to sleep. But ... doing it in bed means that the control of the pen is not as good as it could be at a desk. Luckily, I am not trying to do fabulous art, I am trying to relax and play with ideas - get my mind off the worries of the day, just relax. 

Now I am doing a bit of doodling to fill in the spaces. 

Another idea that I haven't tried is to use a white pen to doodle on the black paper or, perhaps, some coloured gel pens. (I saw this on Pinterest.) Something more to try soon. Maybe.

Something slightly different

 I have been thinking about Notan Art recently and came across a couple of items on Pinterest that had it combined with doodling/Zentangles. So I thought I would give it a go. 

I only used an A5 pad, quite small pieces of paper. So far, I have done a few. As I usually do some of the doodling in bed, just before I go to sleep, I had to prepare the black paper cutout prior to going to bed. That meant it took much less time to do the actual doodling. I'm not sure if I like that or not, I seem to get one piece done each night. Usually I take two or three nights to get one image done, although I usually use a bigger size paper. 

However, I will persevere for a while, see how it goes. It isn't for any purpose other than to calm my mind before I go to sleep, so I don't need to stress about it. As you might notice, the doodling isn't all perfect - doing it in bed, especially if I am very tired, will do that. 

This is more my usual style, just drawing random lines and then filling in the spaces, 

Reflection

 I decided that I really should try to finish off my piece for the annual members exhibition at the Embroiderers Guild, Victoria (Australia), coming up in September. Plenty of time, I know, but I needed to cut it to size and put a border on.

I decided to do the quilt art thing and put a fabric border on. I had some silk that I had dyed at the same workshop I did the background fabric at. That got cut up today and then I sewed on the border. I also sewed on a backing. 

It isn't perfect as I am not that good at hand sewing, especially silk. But it is done!! I have gone online and put in the details. Now I can relax, I have a piece for the exhibition.

I have cropped an image I got from 123RF. It is a site where you can purchase an image and then use it in your art. Here is the copyright.

Now to get back to my tapestry and see about finishing that in time - for a closer deadline!

Tones of Yellow

 I haven't had much time to do any weaving but have been able to take some inspirational (I hope) photos of various yellows.

Cooler yellows:

Warmer colours:

Yes, I know these are not yellow but they do have some small patches with the warmer colours and they can inspire me to use other colours with the yellows. 

Autumn is providing some great inspiration! Now to actually sit down at the loom and get going. 

I prefer to weave during the daytime, using natural light, but the shorter days are making that a tad harder, especially the overcast days. I may have to get out my daylight lamp. 

Another month gone by!

 It being the 23rd day of the month, in the 23rd year of the century, I thought I should post.

I have done some sewing for the Reflections theme - just have to cut it evenly and decide how to finish it off and, possibly, mount it.

The image in silhouette is from 123RF, a site where you can purchase some images to use. Copyright here.

Then I decided that I really need to be doing some other creative thing: I have put in an entry form for 3 small tapestries for the Bendigo Wool Show. I have done two of them so far (here and here). I thought that I might inspire myself to actually do something if I said I'd do three. 

I have warped up the loom - didn't tangle any of the warps, for a change. When I had put in the floor and the waste yarn, I realised that I had not made it 20cm wide (which is the size of the other two). It is only 16cm wide. I am NOT going to undo the warp!!!

I have changed the design a bit, so it fits the new size. It is a very basic design that I can work on as I weave. I did this with the last two pieces. I have started by using leftover wool from the previous piece. I am going to try to use leftovers from both tapestries. 

My vague idea is to, once again, use yellow as my starting point. This time I am thinking to look at yellow as a cool and a warm colour, influenced by the colours around it. Here's hoping the idea works - and I get some lovely meditative time weaving. 

I have looked at some of the leaves in the garden, changing colour because it is autumn, and feel a bit inspired by the warm and cool variations. 

Reflection/s

 The Embroiderers Guild, Victoria, Australia is having its annual members exhibition in a few months. I have been rather uninspired, despite the seemingly wide-ranging theme - Reflection (or maybe Reflections, I can't actually remember). 

I have been looking at images here and there, including Notan art, using the positive and negative space. 

I came across an image on 123RF, where you can get copyright images for a small fee. 

(Copyright: <a href='https://www.123rf.com/ profile_movlievyevgenii'>movlievyevgenii</a>)

I cropped the image, printed it out to the size I wanted, traced front and back and then ironed the tracings onto Vleisofix.

Today I cut them out. Then I found some silk that I had dyed at a workshop with Julie Ryder, at the Ballarat Fibre Arts Forum last year or the year before (time has less meaning recently). The silk had been folded before putting in the dye so that the resist was reflected on each folded part. 

The fabric didn't quite fit the image so I used another piece of indigo dyed silk from the workshop in the middle. I had taken some photos of trees reflected in water recently and noticed that the water was not an exact mirror image of the sky.

I tried to replicate that using some silk roving that I had. I have only laid it on so far, no glues or other means of making it permanent, so I need to get to and sew it, hoping it will stay put! 

I have a basic design. Now to try to sew some extra onto it. 

I have decided that it will need some thickness behind it and have cut out a piece of heavy interfacing to back it. 

As I have mentioned occasionally, I use this blog as a visual diary. I was able to look up a past post and see how I did a previous piece. I have not done quite the same thing but it did give me direction and inspiration. It is easier than going through multiple scrapbooks looking for past notes and images. 

Ballarat Fibre Forum

Well, I have not posted for a month!! And today is 23/4/23, had to post. 

I did go away to Ballarat for the Fibre Forum workshops again - I think I have been going for about 10 years! It was fun, as usual. I did a workshop with Juliet D Collins. It was advertised as a drawing focus, then going on to use the sewing machine. 

I am not a drawer - I don't say I can't draw but I definitely choose not to! So the 5 days were quite challenging. We did a drawing exercise (or two!) every day - different styles of drawing. The one that appealed to me the most was using ink and a stick, I knew I couldn't get it right. Very freeing.

There was some sewing on the machine but, overall, I didn't do that much. And some of the sewing was of collage, mostly on paper, with a little bit of fabric if you wanted. 

We used a still life set-up that Juliet provided. I did some different ones but the two capsicums took over. 

My ink and stick drawing, very freeing.

This is our display - as you can see, there were quite a few pieces that used the fruits and vegetables. 

Mine is the one at the bottom left, using fabric and paper for my still life.