The Face of Father Christmas

In but a few hours I am on the road to Auburn, Ca for a lecture and  tuesday class with Foothill Quilters.  Our one day class is full, and much fun to have. To maximize productivity, we will start class with an already fabric painted face of Father Christmas. I've painted 20 over the last few days so we'll be ready to work on his coat and surroundings.  Here, I'll post a progression of one painted face so students can review the process if they would like. The size of his actual face is about an inch and 1/2 wide so these are really up close  photos of a wee small face.

As always, I begin with a black and white line drawing underneath fabric I can see thru.  While i NEVER place inks on my piece as I work, I have here for photo reference only.  Tsukineko Ink 95 is applied to face area.

Once the face ink is bone dry, we can add add'l features.  With Fabrico marker 152, using the very fine tip of the brush tip end, a partial outline of the eye socket, edge of nose, and nostrils.

The round tip end of Fabrico Baby Blue marker adds the iris.

Very dry brush #52 ink begins to give contour to his face.

Very dry brush #33 ink provides rose pink cheeks. Don't fear.. these cheeks won't stay this pink!

Poppy red Fabrico Marker 114 adds lips

Before I add any more detail, I need to be 100% certain every area is dry so my work is either heat set with an iron... or I need use my heat dryer that throws out a hot bullet of air.   Careful not to scorch the fabric.

Now I can use Fabrico marker 182 to add pupils to the eyes

..and Fabrico marker 155 (truffle) to darken only the upper eye lid.

Again with all ink dried... I can add # 80 white highlights to the eyes, and the lower lip

and finally...dry brush #80  highlights to rosie cheeks and tip of his nose.

Now we are ready for the in-class fun.

999 Quilt Inspirations PLUS 1

Sandra Siders new book is soon to be out. It includes one of my pieces as well as 999 others.

you can purchase copies at QBookShop.com (Quarto Publishing's website)

http://www.qbookshop.com/products/215337/9781592539840/1000-Quilt-Inspirations.html

;-)

AUCTION IS COMPLETE!!!

UPDATE:   Amount raised : $70,324.00

Bidding is over and the bank has a big deposit for Libby Lehmans  medical fund. ..

 THANKS to over 30 artists who contributed and EVERYONE who bid and bought!

 Benefit Bidding fundraiser for Libby Lehman.

click here   to go to

http://www.benefitbidding.com/auctions/listings/details.cfm?item_id=34474

Father Goes To Houston

I am teaching the father Christmas Class next Monday at Houston International... The student image is more like 24" x 20".. but I will demo as we go a miniature version (last class demo finished up here)

Limited details find their way on  THIS Fathers Coat.. but the larger students coat can tell a BIG story of their life using sketches ( I bring some)... stamps used as rubbing plates... and on and on. So Fun!
Students start out with a face I pre-painted  on fabric. That allows much more time to PLAY with their own fun story.

Step By Step Birdie

Breaking a painting down to steps makes it not so ominous. So thats the plan here.  A contour drawing is laid beneath fabric to be painted. This fabric is #3940 Stonehenge. It's a light value mottled fabric which adds a bit of texture/interest.  The challenge?... seeing the drawing beneath.... It's there though and a light box could help if needed.... just be aware that a light box makes all your marks ( even dark ones) appear lighter than true value.
First... a simple marker sketch to get a feel for the area to be painted

adding some interesting abstract area at the bottom 

some sketched in color in the negative space...  

I'm not concerned about the blotching here as this area will be densely quilted.

Using a black Fabrico marker... I sketched in selected areas of black outline...

added yellow to the breast area... then starting the blue wings.  

The same blue that filled the wings was used to lay a soft transparency atop the upper yellow breast and ofcourse created a green tint to add a bit of interest. 

'Have now added black fill on the bird and once dry a bit of white on the face. Then, a  soft yellow here and there in the background. Almost done! 

A hint of lavendar added in the upper area.. Finishing up supportive borders and ready to quilt. 

Sometimes as they say... Less is More....   The interesting mottled background called for less painting than on a pure white surface.  

A Robin for Houston

Whenever I'm scheduled to do an extended demo ( I'll be in Open Studio next Friday morning at Houston International )... I warm up in advance doing a small a painting..  this being a new piece of a sweet robin in the snow. I had yards of this exquisite sateen used in the border. There is not much more gorgeous than quilted sateen.  This piece is fairly small ( 14.5" square)  and  because of the overall small size... you will see I was able to somewhat disproportionately quilt.

Simple wave lines in upper background.  The bird merely needed to be secured to the double layer of batting designed to give a bit of stability to the overall piece.

Tiny bubble circles in darker snow bank areas

What to do with the border was a challenge til I decided a real feather-like  fill would work. Easy and pretty quick.

Hope to see you in Houston this next week AND please take a look at the Libby Lehman auction addressed in the previous post.  

PREVIEW LIBBY COLLECTION going up for auction

It's almost here and we are all excited.  (Auction begins OCT 22nd) 
Many thanks up front to Clara Lawrence for the idea and coordination of so many artists participation and contributions. YOU can own a piece by one of your favorite artists.

               click here to preview a UTube upload of the
                        Inspired By Libby Collection 
                     that will go on the block for bidding
                                 Oct 22 - Nov 5th .
   Quilts will be exhibited at Houston International later this month. Please stop by the exhibit... and bid when bidding opens on Oct 22nd.    The bidding will take place at benefitbidding.com accessible directly or  linked via http://www.inspiredbylibby.com 

  I am one of many international artists having contributed to the Inspired By Libby Lehman collection for a fundraising auction. All monies from this auction will go to Libby's rising medical fund. Each  30" x 30" art quilt in the auction has been inspired by either Libby's spirit (including this one below/my contribution) or inspired by one of her own beautiful quilts. I can't tell you how much fun it was to design a one of a kind piece so playful as that is how I view Libby.

She is getting better... talking... standing, some walking.  Good chance we will see her at the exhibition in Houston.  She has viewed and caressed all these quilts... and repeated " I am overwhelmed" several times. Please take a look at the entire collection shown as a preview on Utube link above   ( see "click here" near the top of this post.)

click on photo below for an enlarged view.