Marsala
I thought I was on to a winner when this colour was announced, as one of the fabric paints (red ochre) that I have been using seemed to be a good match and I wanted to use some of the imagery that I have been playing with. I made some stencils of the negative shapes of the Gavrinis prints that I had done and played around with them, but it wasn't very successful as the paint wicked into the fabric and made a bit of a mess. I overprinted with copper paint and managed to salvage enough, with the addition of some black fabric. However the black stripes are too wide and it just doesn't look right. I might try using some markal to fill in the quilted shapes on the black to make it a bit more cohesive, but on the whole I'm not very pleased with it and if I'd had the time I would have started all over again!
I agree with you that the black overpowers the design. But I really like your ochre bits and the way they have worked out.
ReplyDeleteThe high contrast that you have chosen here can be really effective, but perhaps more variety in the size of the shapes would help this piece. Tell me about Gavrinis prints, please?
ReplyDeleteI do like the shapes and the contrast you have created with the black. Perhaps the black stripes could be different widths in your design. The hand stitching gives it a fun feeling!
ReplyDeleteJinnie, the contrast is there but maybe the piece needs a bit of variety: different widths of black lines and the Gavrinis prints - like syncopation. Make the colours and shapes dance. Do you have any more of the Gavrinis print fabric? Don't give up, rather have another go.
ReplyDeleteI did with one of my earlier pieces, when Pam pointed out how my piece could be better and I learned a lot from having another try. The second piece is definitely an big improvement.
Don't leave it here with you being unhappy about it.
Hilary
I agree with what has been said but do need to research the Gavinnis prints as I think that will help in understanding your piece. It seems a few of us have had 'issues' with our pieces which includes myself. Was it the colour?
ReplyDeleteI agree with what has been said above but I agree with you that using some Markel oil paintstics may lift it and then the black will become very interesting. Love your quilting.
ReplyDeleteHave you considered adding any of the copper colour into a thin stripe along the black? I too am ignorant about Gavrinis prints so that might be totally against what you were trying to achieve. I wonder if some of us found this colour difficult as it is more of a background colour rather than a bright one to use in the foreground?
ReplyDeleteJinnie, I have just googled Gavrinis prints and it opened up a new world. What I see are lots of parallel lines. How about thinking about adding those parallel lines in stitch (hand? machine?) following across the black 'cracks' from top to bottom?
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to see the lines carved in the rocks. It made me puzzle: was I seeing the thin carved lines or the fatter spaces between them?
Thanks for introducing us to the ancient carvings. Food for thought...
Hilary
i love this idea. huge potential. i would not cut the black with a straight line - i wld try an irregular wavy line, strips of different widths and as unevenly spaced as the linear markings are in the gavrinis prints, so would i attempt the quiltng lines in the black - wavy and unequal distances apart from each other. pse give it another go!
ReplyDeleteI had to really zoom in on your piece to see the evidence of the overprinting and the marsala. I like it and see it as a print for fabric (upholstery for sofa or drapes) by repeating and flipping the design. Very striking!
ReplyDelete