Friday, July 8, 2016

Embellished Deconstructed Screen Print


'A Royal Afternoon'

This 11" x 29" art quilt has been in progress several weeks. 



It was very difficult to figure out what it needed, and I put in hours of stitching that I later ripped out. I'm glad I persisted, though, because in the end I'm happy with the piece.



As I keep attempting new things, I find I have to keep evolving, learning, and being open to Ms. Frizzle's favorite saying from the Magic School Bus series. "Take chances! Make mistakes!" Mistakes are hard to swallow, and I have had a few big ones this week already. Not everything I do pans out, but this one seemed to.

There were so many new elements involved this time, and though this piece looks very simple, it pushed me. I had never done anything like the printing technique, and found it was just an amazing process. I happen to like long and involved projects, and suspenseful outcomes. This piece read like a good whodunit because the ending was truly a great surprise. 


I have done very little embroidery, and I am wondering if you still call it embroidery if you stitch through batting and backing as this is. (Or should it technically be quilting?) This is only the third piece I have beaded, and again, a very different style. I spent a lot of time in the beading aisle of my local Joann's looking through and reading about needles, thread, and anything to help reduce hand fatigue. I found:

1. A heavier needle is easier than a very flexible one. 
2. They recommend beeswax to keep your thread or floss easier to thread, but I found soap even better. It was less heavy, and no gummy residue.
3. Some areas were easier to bead using a small quilting frame, and others I did without it.



These are Royal palms, which usually have very smooth trunks, and the seed fronds midway which resemble arms. There a few artistic liberties taken because I can see where I introduced some characteristics of coconut palms, too, though neither is pink!

Putting color on this piece was one of the hardest elements I dealt with. The glitz and shine of the two tone beads helped immensely.


In comparison, these are the other 2 of the 4 prints from the same screen. These both printed darker, and I am sure they were from the last two printings. The 'spine' still runs up through this one, but it has some more saturated areas. It will hang a while, and hopefully I figure out what it needs.



One son gifted me with a new print table, which I assembled this morning. It is a hefty square, and I put it on risers to make it the proper height for printing. I played with some canvas before lunch, and intend to make a simple tote yet today.


Do you Instagram? I spend a lot of time there, and it's a great place for us to share things quickly. Find me at PINKDOXIES


Have a rejuvenating weekend, and putter wherever you like most. Stitch, dig, or just sip your tea in the garden, but do something that makes you feel good. See you in a day or two.

Come on, Doxie girls.
Let's go.


17 comments:

Upcyclelina said...

I can't imagine the work needed for this, it is beautiful!

Lisa J. said...

I love dropping in here from time to time to see where your art adventures are taking you.

Kate said...

The palm tree piece turned out beautifully! Have fun playing with fabric and color this weekend.

Angie in SoCal said...

Just am in love with that Palm sunset - so beautiful. Reminds me of Puerto Rico and Hawaii sunsets.

Pat .F in Winnipeg said...

Embroidery is defined as surface embellishment, worked with a threaded needle, and most skilled embroiderers work with more than one layer, unless they are doing counted thread work. Any original work, such as yours, is considered skilled work. Pat yourself on the back.
Pat F in Winnipeg

Susan said...

Such beautiful palm trees! You have more patience than I for beading!
Thanks for linking up at Midweek Makers
Susan

Julie said...

Thank you so much. Yes, it took many evenings over several weeks to keep me sitting still long enough to finish. If I'd known in the beginning what it needed, I'm sure it would have be easier.

Julie

Julie said...

Lisa, as you can see they are taking me on a lot of bunny trails! I said to my husband last night as we had to find a few more supplies yesterday, "These are all just spokes on the wheel." Everything is related to making a mark or surface decoration on fabric or paper. Without a graphic or art background, though, I'm really doing some elementary things. I hope you enjoy the journey with me, and so glad to have you here!

Julie

Julie said...

Thank you, Kate!

Julie said...

Thank you, Angie. While I've never been to either destination, I can only imagine. I think I've spent so much time sitting on a particular porch looking up at a front yard of Royal palms that they've imprinted on my brain. They have a unique way of moving with just the slightest breeze, and there is a faint rustle of the dried frond tips. You're aware of them with your eyes closed. That, I cannot quilt in.

Julie

Julie said...

My question has been answered. I'm grateful you took the time to let me know, and for the generous compliment. Thank you.

Julie

Julie said...

My greatest frustration is dropping a bead! These are all glass, hence the sparkle, and I'm scared to death one of the Doxie girls would eat one. Managing the process while sitting somewhere I can be mildly entertained is a bit of a chore. Watching the image I see in my head appear on my cloth is magnificent! Susan, I keep saying I love everything I do with fabric, but I really do!

Thanks for being such a gracious hostess at Midweek Makers.

Julie

France Nadeau ❅ inspiration imagination creation said...

Embroidery or quilting, this piece is gorgeous! The beads are placed beautifully. And your homemade background fabric was an excellent start.
I agree for the needle... I also use a heavier one and don't mind that it makes larger stitches. :-)
Thank you for participating to my Fabric, Thread and Yarn link party. Have a good week!

Heather J said...

There are mats for your beads to sit on so they don't roll off. I don't know what they are called but they almost look like felt with a think pile that keeps them from rolling. I got mine from a bead store when I was taking a class. Amazing the way the beads stick to it. If you have a bead store local I recommend checking there instead of Joanns. They likely will know what it is by my poor explanation. Then you can have a little more freedom in where you work with them.

Heather J said...

There are mats for your beads to sit on so they don't roll off. I don't know what they are called but they almost look like felt with a think pile that keeps them from rolling. I got mine from a bead store when I was taking a class. Amazing the way the beads stick to it. If you have a bead store local I recommend checking there instead of Joanns. They likely will know what it is by my poor explanation. Then you can have a little more freedom in where you work with them.

Julie said...

Thank you, Heather. I did some searching on Amazon, and there are several there. This sounds like a good idea. Thank you so much for the tip. It wasn't something I was aware of before.

Shelley Folkerts said...

It is mind boggling all the work and detail that is put into this piece. The layering of all the components to make the finished piece. It is really cool. I am fascinating by all the block printing. Some day I hope to try some too. Thanks for linking up and sharing with last week's TGIFF.