Paper and stitch

Recently I have been following three interesting challenges organised by TextileArtist.org.

I didn't get round to producing anything following the first two demos by Sue Stone and Merill Comeau, as inspiring as they were, but I couldn't resist having a go at Jennifer Collier's "cathedral window" quilt block made with paper.

The finished block measures 2.5" - envelope paper

with painted paper insert and flower

 A little bit fiddly as the envelope paper is reasonably sturdy, so a bit more practice needed I think.  Several of these blocks can be stitched together to form a larger work.  However, I decided this one was just the right size to attach to an A6 card. 

More "Collage up your Journal" pages

 A couple more pages from my collage journal.

I liked the colour of this magazine image of a bowl and tied it in
with a background of some of my painted papers

A couple of sliced up/re-arranged lino prints on book pages

The Collage Journal continued

 

Book pages, printed tissue and old sketches

Another five pages to fill in this handmade sketchbook.

Collagraph and stitch

 

My collagraph on fabric, embroidered and ready to be sent back to Sue Brown for her lockdown quilt project. (For details see here)

I have finished my contribution to the quilt project mentioned earlier this week and this will now be posted back to Sue Brown at The Yard: ArtSpace in Cheltenham to add to the sixth panel.

Collage Up Your Journal continued

 

I am finding the 8" x 6" pages just the right size for these practice collages - anything bigger and I think I would have found it hard to get motivated to continue.

Meanwhile another free course has started - Sketchbook Revival (in its fourth year) - with about 28 artists participating over two weeks.  Always worth following, even if only a few of the contributors are of interest to you.

In addition, TextileArtist have instigated a new Stitch Challenge over the next three weeks - with videos from three textile artists.

I think it might be "ideas" overload!

Collagraph on fabric

As lockdown continues, I have taken part in another venture.  A local printmaker and a couple of her art colleagues started a quilt project, calling for artists to make a small 4" square collagraph plate which would be printed on fabric, then stitched into, with entries eventually being combined into a quilt.  This has proved so popular that they have already received over 400 squares which have been made up into five quilted panels, with a sixth quilt now in the making.

Details of the project can be found on Sue Brown's blog.

I have only done one trial collagraph plate before, which was not a success, but I was willing to give it another go and kept it fairly simple.

My plate on the left, the printed fabric on the right

My printed fabric and the plate were returned to me last week and I have already started on the sewing. I will post an image of the finished square before I post it back to Sue.  Arrangements are being made to display the panels in various locations once lockdown restrictions are relaxed.

Another Collage Journal page

 

I tried using wallpaper paste as suggested by Lydia Rink - much easier to spread on thin/tissue papers than PVA, also allows a certain amount of re-positioning.  However, with several layers of collaged paper my pages became completely saturated and took an age to dry and flatten.  I now mix the paste with some PVA which provides a less watery consistency, but retaining the advantages of the wallpaper paste.

Collage journal continued

 Another couple of collage pages completed.

Paste paper, printed papers and a scanned sketch

The printed and stitched tissue paper background was done
a while ago, I just added the lettering shapes and 
the lino printed face

Collage Journal

I mentioned earlier that I was following an online course by Lydia Rink.  The first task was to construct a simple handmade journal for our collage work.  Lydia uses text, letter shapes and found images - you can see some of her work here.

The first couple of exercises related mainly to shapes and composition and I must admit my initial attempts are not worth showing.  However, I will persevere and hope to improve by the time my journal is complete.

Collage Journal cover (approx 6" x 8")

Book pages and hand-printed tissue

More printed tissue paper, scan of watercolour sketch
and hand-cut lettering

Drawing Attention - Urban Sketchers March zine

http://www.urbansketchers.org/p/drawingattention.html

The March issue of Drawing Attention is available via the above link.