As I am still travelling sans sewing machine, I don’t yet have anything to share for Week 11 of my weekly art project. Instead, I will take this opportunity to talk about some of the tools that I use for this project.
First and foremost is my camera. A key parameter for my week art project is that the work is inspired by my surroundings at Copacabana. A daily walk is integral to my studio practice and a camera is often my companion. Recently, I discovered anew that my camera has a square format setting. This assists me in cropping and composition from the outset. I have thousands of photographs that constitute a valuable inspiration bank. This is a peek in my Photoshop Elements Organiser:
I like to sketch on my iPad to identify the main lines and to simplify the design. Doodle Buddy is a very basic free app that enable you to upload an image into the background, scribble over the image and then swap out the background with a plain colour. Here are some sketches in progress to give you an idea:
Other, more sophisticated, apps that provide for image uploads and layers include Adobe Sketch (free) and Sketch Club. If you prefer a more low-tech approach, pull out your sketch book or download the Weekly Art Project Design Sheet that includes a 6x6in frame.
After working in a 12x12in scale for so many years, designing 6x6in works requires some brain recalibration. Sometimes, I audition pieces on a 6x6in square. Other times I use a “window” – a sheet of cardboard with a 6x6in square cut out of it.
I don’t print out my digital sketches but I do keep a dedicated journal for my weekly art project that includes: a of possible subject matter sorted into categories (birds, trees, flowers etc); any hand drawn sketches; fabric swatches and dye codes.I have also started a simple Excel spreadsheet that notes the share date and title of the textile sketch, classifies each work by broad subject matter (birds, flowers, trees etc) and records the main background colour for each piece.
View the Copa Abstractions collection from my weekly art project so far.
I look forward to seeing YOUR weekly art project. It’s not too late! New participants are welcome to join in at any time.
Weekly Art Project Link Up: 23 November 2016
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Join the Weekly Art Project!
- Make a pledge to participate – you can do this privately but there is power in a public declaration.
- Define the parameters of YOUR own weekly project. Write it down somewhere!
- Record your results.
- Share a photo via the link up that I will post on my blog each Wednesday. (The link up for each week will stay open for 14 days.)