After a hectic few days involving much cooking and consuming of chocolate, the family have gone, the house was quiet and today there was a chance to have another playday with the sketchbook.
I had recently decorated a piece of white fabric with a Sharpie pen, following one of the chapters in the DVD that came with Alisa Burke's book Sew Wild. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it but started by making several photocopies of the fabric which I then cut up and put into my Frida Kahlo sketchbook.
Much as I liked the black and white it was cryng out for colour... it had to be done to keep with the Frida Kahlo theme.
Gradually I painted more and more... taking photocopies of my progress. These photocopies will make good starting points for more sketchbook pages.
I liked the black and white but I love the colour more.
The double page spread was finished off with lists of words that I associate with Frida Kahlo. Text always features somewhere in my work.
After lunch I looked through my extensive collection of magazine clippings and found this image of a Jean Paul Gaultier dress dating back to 2008... yes, I keep clippings from that far back! And then I wonder why I have I have a problem with clutter!
And with a bit of collage, paint and stitch... I start to have the beginnings of an idea... (although I'm a little worried about how the arms fit onto the body of my collage of Frida!)
But I realise that a day spent "playing" is a day well spent!
I love your patterns and colours. So intricate!
ReplyDeleteThat is serious play Gina. It is lovely to see the progress from black and white to colour. The finished page has the 'wow' factor and I look forward to seeing further development.
ReplyDeleteI love your flowers right through from black and white to colour, I especially love the image where the green has been added to the black and white, lovely! :)
ReplyDeleteV xxx
I love all your pictures and how they progressed.Frida Kahlo is such an iconic figure.My OH has given a talk to our Art Appreciation Group on Frida Kahlo.
ReplyDeleteWho would have thought a knitted rabbit could constitute an exorcist?
ReplyDeletenot to sound at all derogatory Gina but it takes me straight back to doodling with felt tips at school. very psychedelic and I love it.
ReplyDeleteThis is really lovely Gina, what a fab sketchbook this is going to make.
ReplyDeleteHi, I love the sketchbook drawing very much. I have recently signed up for a second online class with Alisa Burke as I enjoy the step by step simple approach. The colour has really brought out your design. Have you looked at trying Zentangles? X
ReplyDeleteAlisa Burke's is so annoyingly talented! But your pages can hold a candle to hers. I love the way you have used your ideas for your Frida piece, makes me want to draw some too.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! I love the colours and the idea of drawing on the original on fabric, it just works so well. Looking forward to seeing more.
ReplyDeleteFantastic flowers and it all looks like a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteHow fun to see your process Gina. I LOVED seeing the black and white drawing turn into a color print. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to see the progress from B&W to colour! I really liked the B&W with just the green leaves, but the final burst of colour at the end is quite eye catching! I played at home yesterday too, but ended up frogging all my efforts :[ Wendy
ReplyDeleteGina, as we patiently wait for flowers to bloom in Central Park, it was such a delight to see how you made flowers spread across your sketchbook field...and then blossom into splendid colors. You've created a fine tribute to Frida K, and also clearly had lots of fun.
ReplyDeletexo
That sketchbook is fabulous and what a great idea photocopying the fabric an cutting up the copies to make a picture - I love the transformation with each colour added.
ReplyDeletefandabulous.... love the flowers.
ReplyDeleteI can see this theme has really fired your imagination Gina. I have that book and despite the number of times I've watched the dvd I've never had the inclination to wield the Sharpie but it has been well used to great effect by you here. Wonderful use of colour and photocopying the stages is a brilliant idea for collage material. It's looking good. I'm just waiting to see if one of those monkeys makes an appearance.....
ReplyDeleteI am loving the colours you've used - and then realised that it reminds me of the bright floral flannel o a dark background that I used to bag TinySmall's quilt. No wonder I like it!
ReplyDeleteCrikey, you call that play?! It looks like a lot of work to me. But I love that you did it and had such fun with it.
ReplyDeletea day spent playing is definitely a day well spent. When I saw your drawings on fabric it got me thinking that stitching on top with embroidery thread could also look really fab either along the line of the drawing, or embroidering into the centre of the leaves and petals. I love the way that one 'begins' a process more things begin to reveal themselves.
ReplyDeletehope you had a good easter weekend :)
Amelia.x
A day very well spent Gina.
ReplyDeleteLovely vibrant work (and isn't that Gaultier dress a beauty?).
ReplyDeleteA lovely technique, beautiful colouring in - you haven't gone over the edges once!
ReplyDeleteWithout play what is the point?
ReplyDeleteYour sketch book pages are so vibrant!
What a fun day with great results!
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