Decisions, Decisions
Art is all about decisions. When I start a new thread painting my very first decision is which photo to use. Being the obsessively organized person I am, I maintain a photo folder titled potential quilts. This is subdivided by categories. No surprise one subfolder is titled Lola. Seems she never takes a bad picture. Still, there are things I look for in a photo. There must be a focal point, the eye should be directed around the image and then settle. I also look for balance and contrast.
Next Choice
In order for thread painting to be successful you need thread. I used 17 different colors of thread to create Lola. I choose, whenever possible, to only use what I have on hand. This forces other artistic decisions, since I won’t be able to make exact color matches. Personally, this is part of the fun of making art – manipulating what you see or imagine.
Time to Select the Fabric
Once the thread painting is done it is time to turn my attention to the background. The original photo has Lola poised in front of a fairly lack luster white wall. Time to make Lola pop. I auditioned multiple fabrics before settling on this beauty.
Uniting the Decisions
Last up, how will I put together the background? I am opting for a mixture of piecing and appliqué. You can’t tell, but I’ve actually pieced everything covered by their freezer paper templates in two sections. They make up Lola’s condo. I will be machine appliquéing the lowest section to cover a teeny tiny bit of Lola’s bottom edge. The middle section will be appliquéd to the wallpaper with Lola appliquéd to it. Fingers crossed, I will finish next week.
On to the final decision, the title. What would you name this piece?
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
Ta da! My 2022 Rainbow Scrap Challenge top is done. Next month I need to decide how to quilt it.
I’m linking up to the following posts:
I love your RSC top and interesting to read about your decision making. xx
We all make a decisions when creating art. Some bloggers share their choices. I tend to flip through options rather quickly and so don’t share my this vs. why that. However, I did want to acknowledge I am constantly selecting one option over another.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Lin.
Very cute RSC top! I love the brights.
Thank you, Mari. I’m rather partial to brights. Hence they reason they dominate my scraps.
Your RSC quilt is glorious! I love your thoughtful combination of two blocks. And beautiful Lola is a twin for my sweet Darla (who also never takes a bad photo and has the greenest eyes).
Thank you, Kathy. I do a fair amount of block blending in my work, so it was only natural when taking on the RSC to select two blocks vs a single one.
love the rsc top – congrats
Thank you, Maggie. Hope to have it quilted before moving on to the 2023 RSC.
Great RSC quilt!
Thank you, Dawn. I’m pleased.
Your thread painting is incredible!
I love your RSC top too!
Kind of you to say, Julie. Thank you.
Super cool to hear about your creative process, Gwyned.
Lovely RSC 2 blocks quilt.
Thank you, Ivan. I enjoy the challenge of attempting to explain my process when so much of it is intuitive and within my brain as I test out scenarios mentally but not physically.
Gorgeous photo of Lola. My cat shies away whenever he sees the camera. Love your RSC quilt. Love the 2 blocks combo too. Great job! ;^)
Lola tends to look up with either a haughty or commanding glare when I try to catch her sleeping. Invariably the picture looks something like the one in the post. Fortunately, those work.
Combining two blocks to create secondary patterns is something I love doing. The RSC gave me the excuse to go there again.
Thank you for stopping by.
Lola is looking so good on her red background! I’m not good at giving name to quilt, sorry, but I’m sure you will find the perfect name that fits the pretty subject. I love the RSC top too!
Thank you for sharing your art process, and linking up.
Good to hear from you, Frédérique. I’m grateful you provide a link up option on your weekly post. Thank you for your positive words.
I love your RSC project. This is REALLY off the wall, but I see some kind of Japanese lanterns there with the Shoo-fly blocks. I would name it “Flies in the Lantern”. I know…….. lol
Sandy, one of the treats of sharing my work is hearing about how others view it. Thanks for the perspective and potential title.
What a gorgeous kitty, and the thread painting is exquisite! Thank you for linking up with TGIFF last week. Sorry I am so late in visiting and commenting on your post.
Thank you, Chris. Good of you to stop by and share your kind thoughts.