I started on a new sketchbook recently. I painted quite a few background pages. That always helps me to get over looking at a white page and wondering what to do. The colored pages seem to give me ideas of what should be on them. So this first page needed some poppies.
I found a photo online that I used as inspiration and drew the poppies, outlined with black pen and painted with Inktense pencils. I love poppies and drawing flowers is always fun. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
I started working on the next sample of the nuno felted paper fabric lamination piece. I had decided to couch some small sticks down to the surface. So I collected a bunch of interesting tamarack sticks on my walks in the morning. They are quite bumpy and textured.
So here are the ones that I have currently couched down. I used one that is nearly covered in lichens too. But I’m not very happy with the result.
I was originally planning on adding a lot more on the left side but didn’t like that either. So now I am playing around with different layouts.
I think part of the problem is that the sticks on the right are very dark and the rest of my sticks are lighter. But the overall problem is that the sticks are too textured. With all the texture in the background plus the texture on the sticks it seems too overwhelming. I can see this much better since I took a photo of it. I will probably take the sticks off and start again with smooth sticks and see if I like that better. What is your opinion?
I finished this page in my sketchbook a while ago but forgot to show you a photo.
This is what it looked like the last time you saw it. I wanted to add more “leafiness” in the green portions.
And here is how I completed it. I used colored pencils to add in the pine branches. Now it looks like an aerial view of a stream here in Montana. We have wonderful colors of rock here.
This was from my recent hike. And these are really more beautiful when they have water on them.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!
I think it’s finished. I added in some reddish brown yarn as well as the green.
I will hang it up on the wall and leave it for a while to see if I think it needs anything more.
Here’s a closer look at the stitching.
And this is what it looks like with light behind it. Because of the sheer silk it almost glows when it is back lit. Ignore the rest of this post is you don’t care anything about college football 🙂
Football season has started here and we go to see all the University of Montana home football games. We beat the #1 ranked team yesterday (we were ranked #13). We have a new coach and it looks like instead of a “building year” we might be having a really good season! Go Griz! #Stitt Happens!
We had company for the last 4 days. Our friends Howie and Janine came from Chicago. So I didn’t get much fiber art done this week. We were busy out on the lake, going to Glacier National Park and volunteering for Brewfest, a fundraiser for the SNOW Bus (runs up and down the mountain from Whitefish).
We went on a hike in Glacier National Park to Hidden Lake. It was 3 miles in and 3 miles back. Because of all the wildfires in the western US including several in the park itself, there was a lot of smoke. But it was still beautiful with plenty of inspiration to be found. Enjoy!
Ruth Lane Art 