Landscape in Greyscale

As part of our 'Dyeing to Design' class in lesson one we were encouraged to use our greyscale fabrics to create a landscape using a photo for inspiration  (unless of course you are able to whip up a painting or drawing yourself which you can use....)

My inspiration has come from a place close to home - a rock platform not too far from my house which periodically (like this Easter weekend) is a scene of high drama....(see the little video.)

I have hundreds of photos from this place and love to sit here and contemplate the many faces of the ocean and think about what it must have been like for my great, great grandmother to leave the slums of Leeds in about 1855 and end up in a settlement about 50km north of my place in the 1870s.

Once the water recedes it reminds me of the lace in a bridal train.

I also have this painting my Mum painted and gave to me for my 40th birthday (now 21 years ago - yikes)

This is the photo I chose to use - printed in black and white to show the tonal values clearly. 




I also had a go at a tonal sketch with water-soluble pencils.

Using the photo as a guide I tested fabrics from the greyscale dyeing session.



Then I had to trace the main lines of the photo and scale up the drawing to A3 size - no photocopier handy but it was easier than I thought.

Next step was to trace the pattern onto freezer paper and cut out the pieces.....after carefully numbering them and indicating the direction - especially important for the smaller pieces.....

 

 

The pattern pieces were then ironed onto the corresponding fabrics then cut out, leaving a margin where pieces had to overlap........






The pieces were then laid out over the backing and wadding like a jigsaw puzzle......

 

Until all the pieces were back in their correct positions.....

The freezer paper was peeled off and the  pieces were then pinned in place...

This one with some distressed muslin  (testing an idea for water???)

The pieces have been outline quilted to attach them and some basic quilting done.

 

All of which brings  me to the next step - to complete the quilting when I get the courage to dive in. I have this book to help me along so hopefully I'll have more to report in the not too distant future.....

 

 

 

 

 

I'll post here when it's done.

 

Sue xxxx