Sketchbook Project IV

It's all very well having a sketchbook full of drawings and images but as embroiderers or textile artists at some point we have to translate these into fabrics and threads. There is no one way of doing this and often the image itself will suggest the way we wish to move forward. But at other times we can come up against a blank wall. So it can be helpful to manipulate or develop our original drawings into designs which we may then be able to take into our textile work.

Starting with one of the original drawings, cut yourself a viewfinder from card. This can be any size or shape you like but because my sketchbook is quite small my viewfinder is only about 4cm square.

Move the viewfinder around over the drawing to isolate interesting areas.

When you are happy with an area, take a sheet of tracing paper and trace what you see through the viewfinder. Repeat this process as many times as you like.

Then trace the designs back into your sketchbook.

Because my original drawing was quite detailed my traced drawings still retain the feeling of seedheads, however this process can produce some really abstract designs.

Now the fun part! Make several photocopies of the traced designs so you have plenty to work with.

And doodle or work into these photocopied sheets in any way you like... perhaps with a black pen to produce strong graphic designs.

Or with coloured felt tip pens, to give completely different effects. (Colour scheme for Gill!) If you don't like what you do you can throw it away and start on a new sheet. And those you do like can be stuck into your sketchbook.

It may be that none of these designs suggest further ways forward, but this doesn't really matter. The process of exploration, allowing yourself time to play is what's really important. And just occasionally you'll come up with an idea that you'll want to take further. I would quite like to turn this into a print onto fabric...

But that might just be because I was inspired by this fabulous exhibition which is running until October. Worth a visit if you are in London.