Autumn Abstractions

Autumn Abstractions is about how to use nature as your color wheel. I will be using two examples of how to forget the color wheel and work from photos of your favorite scenes from nature. Nature is the ultimate color master. There is nothing in nature that will not fit into any color scheme. Working from nature will give you all the complimentary, tertiary, secondary and primary combinations that you could ever want in a composition. I am using an abstract composition first to show you how you can interpret the photo of an autumn scene into an abstract work of art. This is pieced, but can also be fused.

Here is another version of the same color abstractions from nature. This is a more traditional style of scrap quilt done in the style of the log cabin. This is pieced but could be fused, as well.

Now you see the photograph that I was working from. Nature is never wrong. These are class samples that I have put together for an upcoming class called "Intuitive Color and Design; Abstracting From Nature." It is a simple and effective way to work with your fabrics. So get busy and look through your photos. Right Click on Images and Open In New Window for a closer look. This post can be seen on Off The Wall Fridays

Garden Trophy

Garden Trophy: Color Study Series. 9 X 12. This abstract is a continuation of studies done in design, using intense colors. The idea in abstract design is to break everything down to basic shapes. Sometimes you can use the non objective approach; where there is no identification of any objects. But this approach is to use the abstract design to create something that is representational: something that can be identified. Using representational elements is more pleasing to most people. The contrast of using a cool color pallet for the background, against the intense, warm colors of the vase and flowers; gives an illusion of depth. The vase appears to be floating in mid air. The overlapping of two of the flowers on the black border, gives an even greater projection of the vase of flowers. It seems to be standing away from even it's frame. Many years of being a painter is an advantage for knowing how to use design tricks. This fiber art is fused onto muslin, and then sewn to a cotton batting and backing.

Color Play: Color Series

Color Play: Color Series. This is a departure from my usual approach. I decided to focus on the brightest and most saturated color I could find. Forget the color wheel; forget the rules: just choose my fabrics like a child would choose from a crayon box. I went to my stash of fabrics and found this wonderful, hand marbled fabric that had been given to me by a good friend. I had been afraid to use it in anything else because of it's brilliant color and pattern. It became my vase. I wanted everything to be basic shape and color, without thinking about shading or highlight. This approach is used by many abstract artists. The work looks flat, without shadow. I cut the flowers and leaves from the brightest fabrics and chose a bright green yarn for stems. I used a very neutral background, but gave it a lot of texture, to contrast with the simplistic shapes. This was a fun way to work and I don't know why I had avoided these bright fabrics before.

Bridging Heaven and Earth

Bridging Heaven and Earth: Color Study Series. The actual subject of this work is the Dove. He has the usual placement as just off center. But he is being upstaged by other elements. Every artist knows that the intensity of saturated color gives weight to a composition. Red, Orange and Yellow will draw the eye to focus on them immediately. So my viewers eye will start at the large orb that represents the sun. It has the most saturation of color. The next place that the eye will fall, will be on the flowers. There is a relationship between the sun and the flowers because of the color, though it has less saturation. The rose red color of the horizontal strip carries the eye over to the next location. The vertical bars have a relationship to the strip in their varigated reds and the lines take your eye upward again. I have used color to frame my subject. Of course, there are other design elements at work here. But I thought this was a good study of how to use color as a design tool.