Take It Further Challenge

Following on from the TAST challenge of 2007 Sharon Boggon has a new challenge that started on 1st January 2008 - Take It Further (TIF).

Each month she posts a concept and colour scheme. You can choose either or both and work on a design and take it through to completion.

January's concept is 'Somebody you Admire' and the colour scheme is below

I have a busy month this January, next week is my op and then I have to get to work on producing work for two exhibitions so I intend to start with a postcard size piece of work. I may even continue this theme throughout the year so that I can add to my evergrowing collection of fabric postcards and possibly put them together to form a book at the end of the year as I have done with my TAST samples.

I started by putting threads together for inspiration. I made a colour strip firstly from threads I had and then went out to buy the suggested DMC threads. Today in good natural daylight I saw how the two did not exactly match up. The colour scheme is obviously up for interpretation by individuals and therefore I will be using various values of all the above colours.

This selection shows a range of colour values that I intend using. I decided to use the given colour scheme as it is not one of my usual choices and would challenge my natural tendencies. I have rejected the concept however as I have something nearer to my January existence at the present. Whilst researching gall bladders on the web I came across these very organic diagrams of the muscular wall of the gall bladder and was perversely attracted to the natural undulations and curves.
The muscular wall itself has some very interesting patterns that I could easily see translating into stitch. I will have to work on a design, postcard size, next week as I must now go and pack a bag for tomorrow, I have to be at the hospital for 7.30am, and just hope that the Norovirus sweeping through UK hospitals at present doesn't close the ward I am reporting to!!!!!!!!!!

Patchwork of Life - almost there

My second and final piece for the Sharon Boggon Sumptuous Surfaces class is almost complete. Most of the squares are complete, I just need to fill in some gaps here and there but generally pleased with the result.

Concept of patchwork of life is reflected in the half empty/half full sections, the emptiness & gaps in ones life, the isolated squares, the purity of new life and the richness and closeness of family and friends.

The green squares represent the green grass that tempts us but is no where as rich and full filling as life.Tonal change reflects the wealth of knowledge and wisdom gained throughout life.

Now that summer has at last reached the UK I am off out to the garden so I don't know when I will finish it completely!!!!!!!!1

Sumptuous Surfaces

This week I have been busy with lesson one of the latest Sharon Boggon class 'Sumptuous Surfaces' . Sharon has had us consider our concept for the class. After nearly a week of deliberation I think I am there. My brainstorm centred around BEACHCOMBING.

I then spent some time looking through my collection of shells and beach debris from over the years and photocopied them for my sketch book and to act as an aide memoire in developing my designs.

I started to develop certain aspects in more detail. The first was based around some sea urchins. I realised that they could be simplied into five sections and noted the different textures of the surface. I played around with design manipulation as can be seen here.



These sketches were based around shell skeletons as I realised that I had picked up just as many eroded shells as perfect ones. The skeletal form had obviously intrigued and attracted me. Ideal for positive and negative shapes and as Sharon had shown us how to develop such shapes I played around with isolating and superimposing them on to other shapes. It was then I realised that there was a difference between the smoothness of these shell skeletons and the roughness of the sea urchins.

A concept was emerging 'The response to my memories of beachcombing and collection of shells over many years. Especially that of the opposing form and texture of the perfect and the eroded structure of shells.'

I then got carried away and wanted to see whether I could incorporate beach vegetation. So these sketches utilise the solidness of the sea urchins and the flowing lines of a stylised sea holly and lichen hybrid.

So another concept evolved 'The response to my memories of beachcombing and collection of shells and beach debris over many years. Especially that of the opposing form and texure of shells and the sinuous, fibrous nature of beach vegetation.'

To finalise my design for embroidering I chose sketch A5 as I thought that the overlapping and recession achieved leant itself to an interesting well balanced result. It was necessary to add the second element though and this proved to be anything but easy.

C2 was my preferred result as it has recession, scale, overlapping, movement and balance. I'm hoping that Sharon agrees with me!!!!!