Monday, March 09, 2015

Walking the Line

I've been a bit slow off the mark with the EB Master Class this month.  You guessed it: the topic is "Line".  When EB announced it, I knew exactly which of my finished pieces I wanted to use as a starting point...but then stalled at how to work on it without copying myself!

The work was based on this photo:

By a road near Northbow Lodge
December 2008

Here's the piece I made:

Sentinels (C) 2013

And here's how I began to manipulate it for each of three possible design ideas:

First, I turned the photo of the piece into a 'contour drawing' with my photo editing program:


I traced this onto a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 tracing paper -- just the main lines I could see -- using a Sharpie (R) marker.  I copied this tracing paper image onto plain paper, and enlarged it slightly.  From the enlarged drawing I isolated a section and enlarged that:

"Idea 1"

Second, I found a detail photo of the original piece:



I converted it to 8-bit grey-scale.  I know...not much difference!  ;-)   It was the snow, after all!


From there I converted it into a "contour drawing", isolated a section of that and enlarged it:

"Idea 2"

And then another:

"Idea 3"

I think all three have potential for recreation in fabric and thread, to differing degrees.  I've sent the three 'Ideas' off to EB and await her feedback.

On other fronts, I've been hand-stitching a piece intended for the Spotlight Silent Auction fund-raiser at the SAQA conference in Portland (I have to have it sent off within 10 days), and finished the March block for the "Zen" Block-of-the Month.  The latter was once again an experience that was not particularly relaxing...the flimsy background fabric (provided with the pattern) argued with the less flimsy dark and medium prints, and only a good spritz with "Best Press" made the block lie nicely when it was finished.

Silent auction piece - WIP
Auditioning stitch placement


March "Zen" BOM: "Coxey's Camp"

On the knitting front, my entry for the March challenge in the "Socks From Stash" Ravelry group is going well...I am nearing the toe on the first sock...and the wedding prayer shawl is proceeding apace: by the end of today I'll have finished 7.5 of 25 pattern repeats (each is 24 rows), keeping me on track for the end of May...

Now I think I'll link this up with Nina Marie's Friday post (because I still can!) and take a nap...!

7 comments:

Monika Kinner said...

: )
Sentinels is my fave ever : ) xo

Judy Warner said...

Glad to see you are getting back to full speed, Margaret. Enjoy! I like your exploring attitude in coming up with a line design.

els said...

I like all 3 the ideas, but no. 1 is my favorite.
Love your silent auction piece as well.
You're working so hard!

Giddings Art said...

You are always so productive! It is so good to see you back to full speed! I like your ideas.

Bethany Garner said...

I really like your adaptations for the design Master Class Marg, and I too like #1 best for the design exercise.
Especially like your Spotlight Auction piece. Thanks for sharing.
So hope all is well with you and that life is slowly returning to normal.
Bethany

Maggi said...

A real transformation from the original and all 3 ideas would work. Love the auction piece and look forward to seeing it in person!

Anonymous said...

Most interesting modifications of the original. It will not look like copying yourself at all. (Line was my favorite of the EB classes.)Looking forward to seeing your product.