Sunday 31 August 2008

Displaced Translation

This is the second time I have written this blog. I had spent over an hour working on it, saving as I went and when I published it just disappeared. Couldn't get it back through edit, either. GRRRR. So excuse me if I don't answer all the comments and please believe me - I did do it last time.

Thanks for all the positive comments about the on-line classes to extend the book. I think it is a great idea and that we will have loads of fun.

I have been editing the Julia book and it is wonderful. Lots of helpful practical stuff as well as Julia's work. Mouth watering. I'm not going to Harrogate, Julie but I expect that the traders will have the book. I'm sure that Art Van Go will have it.




I've been working on the last piece - quite a large one. It is based on this Displacement map which you may remember.



I changed the colours as I am on a blue/grey kick at the moment. Went to PSP Adjust menu and then Hue and Saturation. Like this.




Then I flipped the design as it read better with the heavier part on the left.

Having madea simplified paper pattern I cut it out in four parts from Craft Vilene.


Then the motifs were added - made from cast paper and Model Soft (Hearty Clay) in the shapes of fossils and leaves. I stitched a fossil fish. These were all applied to the Vilene and bedded in with gesso. At this stage I had an assistant. Took ages getting it off his paws.







It looks very splodgy at this stage as the gesso shrugs off the page. The book will have lots of ideas for getting around this.






Finally I applied more paint and then used Liming wax to blend it and bring out the detail. This gives a grey/white effect but allows the bright colours to show through.






Jane Wild and I used this a lot in our Paper and Beyond CDROM. It is great fun and smells lovely.





This technique will be featured in one of the workshops to make a vessel. I'm really excited about the results.

Must go now and meet Michael Wicks somewhere on the A303. Back soon.

13 comments:

Peggy said...

I am absoltly speakless. It`s a wonderfull art. I can`t get enough.

Pat said...

Thank you so much for the picture of the paw. We laughed so much it really cheered this gloomy day. The piece needless to say is stunning!

Judy said...

Maggie,

Thanks for showing the results of your process with the displacement map it's a beautiful result - liked the assistants paw too. I can see software with displacement capability is a must soon.

Digitalgran said...

It's really turning out well Maggie. I love your assistant :))

Genie said...

Lovely photo of the Paws, Cheered me up no end, Lovely art as well? i know what you mean about your saved work dissapearing, a whole paragraph dissappeared on mine this morning, i didn,t realise till later as feeling under the weather

Cathy said...

Lovely to see you at the NEC. I went to Houston last year and thought our Festival of Quilts was catching up.
Wish I had your wonderful imagination to see these images turning into stitch.
Thanks so much.

jude said...

You should have left the paw in situ - apart from being Mummy's Little Helper, Smudge would make a fine example of 'living art'.

Wabbit said...

Mr. Smudge's paw! I somehow missed reading that bit or didn't process it. I'm wearing new glasses and stared at that photo for ages trying to figure out what that had to do with the other photos! And hurray! Image to Stitch is shipping to Amazon US customer's today! The online classes are a fabulous idea. I've been wishing for ages that you'd do them.

LadyBland. said...

Heya, Was just passing through and thought i'd let you know how inspirational your work is!!
I love everything about it, so i added your blog to my Blogging List! xoxox

artisbliss said...

Oh, that naughty Smudge!!

Wabbit said...

I just got my copy of Image to Stitch today. (They shipped over a month early! Yippee!) I've just gone through fairly quickly but so far it is brilliant! Wowsers, I am so glad that you are so prolific! If I lived in the UK, I'd be at every workshop and lecture. But since I don't, your books can stand in. However, one of these days I'll be lucky enough to attend a workshop in person! Thank you for yet another wonderful book, Maggie!

Heather said...

I'm looking forward to experimenting with the effects that liming wax gives. The photo of the leaves on your blog was beautiful. If I can achieve something similar I will be very happy.

smileblogameer said...

hey very wonderful.it seems to be 8th wonders of the world.

i feel great if i get a mail from you
pls mail me
smileblogameer@gmail.com