A TECHNIQUE DRIVEN Blog dedicated to mastery of surface design techniques. First we dye, overdye, paint, stitch, resist, tie, fold, silk screen, stamp, thermofax, batik, bejewel, stretch, shrink, sprinkle, Smooch, fuse, slice, dice, AND then we set it on fire using a variety of heat tools.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Threadsketching, with little scraps

Thanks Karen for your nice tutorial and lots of 'need-to-know' and 'nice-to-know' advice.
I'd like to share an example of threadsketching I made a few months ago from a picture (typical dutch trees with cloudy weather by the way):


This was the original picture, I made during a sunday afternoon walk:
 

Just to get an idea, I looked at this picture through a filter in Photoshop to see the lines:

 
This drawing enlarged to 50x50 cm, and a few of the basic lines drawn onto a snowdyed piece of fabric:
 
 

Actually, I think I should have made some other choices in this stage. I love the emptiness and the role the fabric plays. But unfortunately I didn't realize that in time, AND I had to hide some dark lines (good lesson, never use a waterresistant marker...) so I made the grass with thread and scraps:


It still turned out as one of my favourite pieces. To finish it nicely, I sew a dark fabric strip around it and stretched the piece on a canvas:

12 comments:

  1. I agree with you. I also love the emptiness of the started piece - even if it is unfinished liked that. It stimulates my imagination and I start to think on many different ways, how the landscape could be...

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  2. Your rendition of the photo is very nice, and i love the way you finished it. I'd like a step-by-step lesson on your finishing technique. The way you have wrapped the canvas looks very professional.

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  3. Hello.

    It turned out so well, but I completely understand about the emptiness. I do like space in pictures, and often not until something is finished do I realise 'what could have been'. :)
    But that gives us inspiration for next time....

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  4. I LOVE this piece. I have a painting very reminiscent of this and it is as calming as your thread painting which was done expertly!! LOVE IT

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  5. It turned out beautifully. Thank you for the step by step photos. That was interesting to see the progression.

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  6. Nienke, this is a stunningly beautiful piece! I love the detail you were able to recreate with your thread work, and the fabric you chose really enhanced the piece, especially your river. Well done!

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  7. beautiful...I would also like to see more info on how you finished it. Everything looks so good together...

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  8. @marsha I will write a post on the finishing, thanks for asking!

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  9. I think the way you captured the reflections is more beautiful than the reflections in the actual photograph.

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  10. Nienke, this is just gorgeous. I love the feeling you've captured with the thread and fabric scraps.

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