Some Thoughts on Color...

Artists attending a major art conference were asked by International Artist magazine about their thoughts on color.  I’ve often heard quiltmakers say how they’re seduced by color, how they design with color and that color is the main driving force in their work, so I was very interested to see how these professional painters responded to questions about developing a strong understanding of how to use color.

One artist noted that what held major historical works of art together was drawing, form, value and temperature rather than color and so her recommendation was that it was important to develop a full understanding of value first,  then temperature and only then should one begin work with hue but even at that point try stick to a fairly limited palette.

This is only one person’s opinion of course, and about painting – a different medium – but could this advice be relevant to quiltmakers?  What d’you think?  There are a few quiltmakers well known for their lavish  and undisciplined use of color  and their work is much loved by many quiltmakers.   Are quilts a medium apart?  Where unrestrained color is perfectly acceptable?  I think few of us would be happy with interior design that used many different fully saturated colors!!  And we wouldn’t wear an outfit consisting ofa lime green skirt and a pink top with orange tights and purple shoes and a red hat…or would we??!!

A second artist also stated that he thought that value was more important than color: “all aspiring artists should develop a great understanding of value”.  He felt that color was more intuitive but also more ephemeral and evanescent.

I usually try to work with value: 

 the photo of the neighbourhood pond..

and below, on the right,  a desaturated photo of the quilt I made about the pond...

                                    

  The great artist John Singer Sargent wrote:

 “Color is an inborn gift, but appreciation of values is merely training of the eye, which everyone ought to be able to acquire”.

 Anyone can learn to see values.  You don’t have to be born with an amazing talent for it, instead experience and analysis, training and devoted exercise will gain you the skill. Furthermore, a full appreciation of color harmony, often crucial to the piece, can and should also be developed.

A third painter had similar views: in order of importance he felt the artist should carefully consider:

1. placement

2. value

3. edge

4. temperature

Placement refers to the importance of positioning the big shapes so that they relate interestingly and harmoniously.

 Value is the lightness or darkness of each shape or area.

 Edge refers to whether or not the edges of the shapes are crisp and clear, or whether they’re “lost” by being surrounded by similar values.  Paula Nadelstern is an absolute master of lost edges with her kaleidoscope quilts; Ellen Oppenheimer has also used lost edges frequently in her optical illusion quilts.
 Temperature refers to whether the mood of the artwork has been carefully set by  a dominantly warm or cool combination of colors.

   Very interestingly, this artist’s opinion was that frequently when people thought they had a problem with choosing the wrong color for a certain area, it was not actually the color that was the problem, but rather one of  these four things.  I’m sure this is true for I’ve seen people try color after color after color for a certain area – “I just can’t find the right fabric!”  Maybe they would have been better off checking placement or value?  Something to think about next time you’re stuck!!  If you can’t identify the right question, you can’t find the right answer.

This painter went on to say that there was usually no one correct answer when it came to color questions.  As long as the four important steps (above) were correct, then probably any color could be chosen.  I’ve tried to put this thought across in workshops and most people are really receptive to green skies or pink grass, but some people continue hold out for the “traditional” (but not necessarily artistically correct!) colors.

The actual color you choose should depend more on the mood and the feeling you’re trying to convey rather than the local color of the item being depicted.

Another important point that was made was to “paint the color that you see, not the color that you know”. I remember taking a photograph of holly leaves – holly leaves are dark green, right?  In my photo they were black and white!  Holly leaves are very shiny so they reflect the sky when they’re horizontal (white) and they reflect nothing at all when they’re vertical (black).

I really liked this comment from artist Paul Newton:

“If the aim of [art] is to create a unified visual statement, where all of the components are there to support that single statement, then the thing to avoid is a situation where various passages of the [artwork] fight with each other and destroy that unity.  It is much easier to avoid this pitfall when one uses a limited palette.”

Value value!!  Even da Vinci in painting the Mona Lisa, began by painting it in grey values; only when the composition was fully developed, did he add color.

Something to think about! 

And if you have been, thanks for reading!   Elizabeth

PS I wrote even more about color in my new book Working in a Series, available from me, or from Amazon (they don’t have my signature in the book though!).

Imitation: a sincere form of flattery but also a good way of learning.

I’m involved in an experiment at the local university to see if learning the piano (when you’re over 50, I’m not admitting to any more!!)  will improve your brain.  As a former psychologist (don’t worry I do not practice now – in any way!) I’m always interested in HOW, as well as why, people learn things  so I started researching the best way to actually learn to play the piano. 

sunday painting....

Of course, it’s known that frequent short sessions work better.  It’s better to play for 30 minutes a day, for example, than for 3.5 hours on a Sunday – which is a shame for all those Sunday painters and Sunday musicians who hope to make progress with their art! Of course there’s no problem with them Actually Enjoying their Sunday making art or music.  I’m just interested in learning how you can do things better – since I really don’t get much out of playing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” for 3.5 hours every Sunday!!  I know I don’t want to stay at the stage I’m at now.

The other thing that really seems to help is massed practice on the areas on which you have difficulty.  So for music, that would mean taking that one awkward bar (or measure)- (hmm interesting that the British associate it with drinking, and the American with amount!! That might say something for cultural differences!!! But I’ll speculate no further on that one!) – and repeating it several times.  My teacher said 5 times but that did nothing for me, however I’ve found that ten times makes a very significant difference.

How could you apply this to quiltmaking?  As I describe in my book Inspired to Design,  there are several distinct steps involved in making an art quilt.  Write down the steps you follow and think carefully: which step gives you the most grief? Can you repeat and repeat and repeat just that step?  I find many people spend much more time on the areas they are good at than on the particular step they find difficult.  Of course we all know (even though the politicians and journalists don’t!) that correlation doesn’t imply causation – but it does make you think!  You’ll stand a much better chance at getting better at something you do a lot of than something you do a little of.  Nobody gets worse with practice!

There was a series of books published about 30 years ago by Timothy Gallwey on how to learn tennis, golf and skiing called The Inner Game of……(whichever sport)…which described various learning techniques, many of them cognitive as well as behavioural.   Barry Green thought it would be interesting to see if the same ideas would work for learning music ( The Inner Game of Music (1986) by Barry Green and Timothy Gallwey).

One of the things he suggested was the imitation of a master player at the game or craft or art form you really want to learn. He writes that if you want to learn a particular style – and I know many of us have favorite artists that we wish we could make work like – then you need to be thoroughly aware of their style.  Can you describe their style in clear cut terms? How does your admired artist’s work differ from that of someone’s work you really don’t like?   What are the actual differences? Can you actually write out a list of them?  Looking at all the examples of their work that you can find – really really looking – will definitely help.  Also discussing their work with  fellow art quiltmakers.

Barry Green then goes on to suggest that you might consider imitation.  Imitating the work will give you even more information – nuances you might not have been able to consciously list.  Apparently many jazz artists have candidly admitted to having memorized note by note famous solos that their heroes have played.  Gershwin said he wrote his early songs to sound as much like Jerome Kern as he could.

Now I’m not suggesting that you would even finish an imitated quilt top, let alone show it publicly – though it might be a very interesting exercise for a critique group  whether you all admired the same artist or not.  But if you really want to learn and improve, frequent daily practice, massed practice on the areas you find difficult and imitation might be something to consider.  There’s so much to learn and it’s so much fun learning!

And, if you have been, thanks for reading!  Reading is good too…..

Elizabeth

Tension is good for you!

I came across a natty little quote from Diana Vreeland, the grand lady of fashion, the other day and it so much pertains to the art of quilts (as well as the art of dressing well) that I wanted to pass it on. 

She said:

“A little bad taste is like a nice splash of paprika.  We all need a splash of bad taste – it’s hearty, it’s healthy, it’s physical.  No taste is what I’m against”.

And havn’t we all seen those quilts that are so bland and tasteless?  Adding a dash of paprika ( or the equivalent thereof)  here and there would help SO much.

 It’s strange but I’m currently working on a sweater that has a sort of Gees Bend-doesn’t-quite-line-up idea to it – 3 front panels of stripes that don’t quite match and the colors I’d chosen were soft and pretty and neutral but oh so safe and oh so dead.  Headed off to the yarn store and what did I come back with but a small hank of paprika wool!!    This was before I read about Vreeland too!!  Weird how sometimes the same idea will come at you from different directions.

They used to say that human beings sought homeostasis – getting everything into perfect balance: everything just right, no tension, no worries, no unexpected, unplanned for events, everything at the right time and in the right place.   But soon they figured out that our minds and hearts and bodies begin to atrophy when everything is just right.

We all know (I think by now!) the Ps of good design – the principal principle (oh what a lovely use of the two spellings of the same sounding word) – of which is: unity with variety or tension or edginess.  People often ask me what tension or edge would mean in the context of a quilt design – I think Vreeland summed it up well: “a splash of bad taste”

Something that doesn’t quite match, isn’t quite in harmony with the rest, is contrasting, perhaps a little out of place but by whose presence the whole is made so much richer, more personal and more authentic.

So please…go and add a little paprika to that dull quilt blocked out on your design wall! 

Apologies for the long lag – due to holiday festivities, a further bout on crutches (well I did need the upper body exercise) and, most recently, a major storm which destroyed all our cable utilities....thankfully now partially restored - just as I was about to go into internet DTs!!

 

And, if you have been, thanks for reading!  Elizabeth

New online class with Academy of Quilting starts Jan 2.....

As many of you know, Quilt University came to an end last year with the sudden and very sad death of Carol Miller, who had had the brilliant idea of affordable online classes many years ago. Over the years she built up a terrific roster of classes (to say nothing of the teachers!) and a very loyal and talented following of students.

One of the teachers, Ruth Arbee, decided to take over Quilt University and she has added many of the QU teachers and classes to her ongoing Academy of Quilting.  I opted to transfer my three QU classes to Ruth's website as I feel her goals are very similar to those of Carol Miller.

 The three classes are: Dyeing to Design, Inspired to Design and Working in Series.  Ruth will run one of these pretty much every month of the year - the first one up is Dyeing to Design.   This is an interesting class, I think, because it covers a lot of ground.  Working from the basic elements of value, color, texture, shape and line I show how each one of these in turn can be created on fabric.  Then I discuss the pros and cons of designing with that particular element as the focus.  Each week, therefore, you learn how to create a particular type of surface design, and then how to use that element to make a small quilt.

If you've never dyed fabric before, never done arashi (tie-dye) or screen printed with dye, this is a marvelous introductory survey of these techniques.  I make sure that everything is Very Safe, Very Simple and as low-tech as possible.  So, if you're interested, please check out the Academy of Quilting website before Jan 2!  And I'm happy to answer any questions - there's an email link at the top right of the page...just under my picture.

I still have a few copies of my new book: Working in a Series available if you're interested in a personally dedicated signed copy!!  I can do a check ($35) or Paypal ($36) (ask me to send you a request for $), and will ship immediately USPS priority mail - which is Very Quick!!  alas the shipping costs outside of the USA are prohibitive.

Let's hope for an amazingly creative New Year for us all!!!  And Plenty of Time in which to be creative!  Oh how I wish they had time for sale!!!
So, if you have been, thanks for reading!!!  Elizabeth

My new book is almost here....

LATE BREAKING NEWS! THE BOOKS ARE HERE.... 
scroll down to the end for a chance at a free copy.....

I just learned that several copies of my new book, Working in a Series, are on their way to me  and should be here any day.  One book published in a year is pretty exciting - two is truly amazing!
When C and T asked me to send them a proposal I wasn't sure which idea to present, so I offered them two different ideas and was very surprised when they accepted both of them.

My earlier book, Inspired to Design, came out in the Spring and is a step by step guide on how to make an art quilt: from being inspired by a photograph or a painting or an idea, through sketching and designing, critiquing the design, blocking out the quilt and constructing and finishing it.

The second book goes much further and covers three main areas: developing a series, coming up with designs in many different ways and gaining a fuller and more useful understanding of the principles of good design.

  My aim was to help the reader focus in on one idea, one stream of thought that could lead to a whole series of quilts, a body of work.  So many people have said to me that they're tired of learning a technique, making one quilt in that technique, then going to another workshop, learning a different technique and making one quilt like that.   They feel they have no voice - or perhaps too many voices!!   Furthermore all the pundits talk about developing one's own particular style, one having a "body of work" but they don't really tell you just how to do that.

I think that when you've taken many different workshops and learned a lot of different techniques, you are more than ready to develop your own style.  Some people are lucky and seem to fall into a particular style right from the start - I think it's often because they did discover that working a series of quilts was they way to do it.  In this book, I explain just how and when to decide what kind of series is right for you. There are also lots of examples of quilt series both from myself and from a number of well known, well respected artists.

In the second part of the book, I look at the many ways you can come up with designs - all the different tools you can use and methods for seeing, grasping and working from inspiration.

The third part of the book addresses something that seems to be lacking in many quilt books and magazines and that is a thoughtful look at design considerations.  Many books just rattle off a short list of Es and Ps and consider the task done.  Rote learning of a few labels just won't cut it though!!  You really need to know why, what, when and how!!     Some of the topics I address are:  achieving the illusion of depth, evaluating your designs, choosing strong color schemes and the use of simultaneous contrast,  using rhythms and repetition to make a piece more interesting, the use of value patterns (chiaroscuro, or Notan), and landscape composition rules.  I also discuss the problems in working directly from photographs, how to bring energy into your work, the use of positive and negative space and visual pathways.  I have tried, however, not to be didactic and boring - but rather to take a look at some of these ideas in a way that is helpful to the quiltmaker in particular.

As before if you're interested in purchasing a copy of the book - you can order one directly from me - please email me   for details.  I'd be happy to put one in Priority Mail for you - and sign it!!

Or you can support your local quilt shop by asking them to order it.  Amazon will have it in January.

So, if you have been, thanks for reading!  And thank you to everyone who signed up for my 2014 master class (or to be on the 2015 waiting list) (see last blog)!!  I'm looking forward to getting started with this new idea!    Elizabeth

PS if the embedded link above doesn't work (it looks a bit funky on my screen) - then there's a link just below my picture on the top right, and also one from my website: www.elizabethbarton.com

ALSO C&T are Giving Away an e copy of the book on their blog:

http://www.ctpubblog.com/2013/12/23/a-visit-with-elizabeth-barton-author-of-visual-guide-to-working-in-a-series-and-a-giveaway/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ctpubblog%2Ffeed+%28C%26T+Blog%29

check it out!!

A Master Class for Art Quilters…

  I recently gave a very successful and enjoyable workshop to a lovely group of ladies

  who asked me if I'd come up with some way that they could continue to work with me online.

  With their help, I put together the following idea.  I'm throwing this private online class open to all because I
  think it will be a lot more interesting to have a good mix of folks!         So, let me know

  if you would be interested in joining us.   Start date will be January 1st! 
  Please email me to if you have any questions.

 Limited Access: This year long class would be on a private paid subscription email/blog limited to 10 minimum, 15 maximum. Beyond 15 there would be a wait list. On signing up, I’ll give you the blog address and allow  access from your email address.  I will send you the exercises as an email attachment, and you will send me your images as email attachments, I will upload and critique those images on the private blog.

Description: The aim of the class is to help you strengthen your art quilt skills and it builds on my other online and actual workshops. We won’t be addressing construction methods, it’s assumed you are already comfortable with a method that works well for you.  Around the first of each month, I’ll describe an “exploration” or directed exercise – nothing as limited as a specific project, but rather a set of instructions for a design (or designs), each month exploring a different concept, issue, topic or idea. You can make a quilt any size.  I won’t restrict your imagination!  But it will be important to address the main issue to which the exercise relates.

Images: All should be jpegs, between  6” and  8” on the longest side, 72 dpi. Sent as an attachment to this dedicated address:  elizabethmasterclass@gmail.com

Timetable:

Focus issue or exploration (me): 1^st of the month sent directly to you as an email attachment.

Designs (you): 10^th of the month. Send me up to 3 designs, choose your best!

When I receive all the designs, I’ll put them together into a blog with a critique for each design. I’ll number them and won’t use names! So feel free to be wild!

Blocked out Quilt (you) 20^th of the month: You’ll have ten days to block out the design you choose i.e. cut out the pieces and pin them together so that I can clearly see how the piece looks, but that alterations are possible.   When I receive the images, I’ll put them into a blog with a critique for each one.  No namesagain.

Finished Quilt(you) last day of the month: An image of the finished quilt will be due at the end of the month, and I’ll publish them on the blog and a short evaluation – not as long as the first two critiques…basically my overall impression and some things for you to ponder for your next piece.  And…on the first of the next month, my blog will describe the next exercise.

Some dates may vary a little due to my travels! And I do understand that life could get in the way of you working on an exploration some  months!!  So, it’s no problem if you can’t complete an exercise. If I don’t get an image from you by the specified date, I’ll assume it was one of  “those” months! 

Your Comments: Comments are great – and so helpful to everyone else. At any time you can go to the blog, view the images and comment!  You’re welcome to comment about a design, a quilt, my critique or anything!!  I’ll number the images so that reference will be easy.

Cost: $250…if not satisfied after first month…then I’ll return 90% to you.

After 30 days, though, no returns..I’m sorry but I could have had another person in your place…

Payable by check – email me and I’ll send you my address.  Outside the USA only, we can use Paypal. Please indicate your level of expertise…beginner, intermediate, advanced.

Commitment: I’m asking you to commit to a year. At the end of the year, if I decide to continue with the class for a second year, you would have the first opportunity to sign up.

Topics: Some of the topics I plan to cover in the explorations are: important areas in design, various art movements, guided designing, developing designs from photographs, how to look at and assess the design, strengths and weaknesses, finding and solving problems, tweaking the design at the blocked out stage, developing your own voice, creating from the inside, working with the elements of design, discovering ways of doing this, time management and goal development. In each lesson I plan to include a little art history or theory, and some suggested research, and guidelines for self critique.

If you have been, thanks for reading!  And don't forget to get in touch with any questions....Elizabeth 
PS re the photo:  no, it's not the Tardis! but it is a starting point...

WOW! the class is full already.....I'm happy to put you onto a waiting list for 2015 however, if you want to get in touch - thank you to everyone who wrote straight away!   
Please send me your actual email - if you just write in the comments, I don't get your email address!
click this   for my email address!  Thank you!!  

Home for the Winter .....

...with the best class of the year being last week on Cape Cod...
We saw lots of "wonderful things"!  The ladies in the class worked hard for five days, producing many abstract designs and making at least one, often two and occasionally three (!) of them!

Here are some of the results:

Sharon's sketch (on left) looked really good...

and here is the finished piece: 

 the additions of the little white lines brings it to life beautifully.....

Betty's piece if full of joi de vivre!!  Betty is one of the smartest and liveliest 83 yr olds I know and is an inspiration for all of us.

Karen's little quilt has a real air of mystery  - are these strange beings on another planet??  that's abstraction for you!

The armchair bicyclist....Linda is planning a series inspired by a lime green tricycle she saw in Italy...

Kathy is also a traveller, she worked from marvelous photos of Africa...the catch of fish being brought in at the end of the day and all the village inhabitants gathered....baskets on heads...I love the simplicity of this outline which conveys everything...a brilliant abstraction...

Linda G managed to completely block out 3 quilts as well as draw many designs...a previous teacher had warned her off having points in a quilt - so it was great to see her using points with aplomb!!!  You can use any shape, any colour, any length of stitch - don't ever let any teacher restrict you from your imagination!

and there were many more...but now I must look forward to converting this class into an online mode ...I had so much material I'm thinking the online class might even be in two parts.  But first, of course, to catch up with everything at home.  I do not know how the average quilt circuit teacher manages any kind of creative life of their own, or do anything else at all!  But I'm learning from Betty - the secret of successful old age: square dancing!  It's exercise, it's physical contact with others (hand holding is mandatory! as are hugs), it's social and it's cognitively challenging with any one of 100 or more class per minute being required of 8 people working in unison!!  And of course the quiet side of life - in the studio - in golden solitude, working with those five elusive elements....
So, if you have been, thanks for reading!   Happy Thanksgiving here in the United States!  Elizabeth