You know the piece I was working on last week, when I made this lovely wing? I'm not working on that anymore.
I may go back to it at some point, but having painted and quilted the background THREE separate times (and these are not small backgrounds! They're all 60 x 45 inches) and stalling out on it realizing that they weren't appropriate for the other elements; I have decided that clearly, the Universe doesn't want me to make this piece right now.
So I have withdrawn from the show (well, the other two pieces will still be in it) rather than rush to finish it in time and turn in substandard work. I'll probably come back to it when (if ever!) I decide on what background to put it on.
In the meantime, when I looked at the most recent failed background and realized it wasn't going to work, I immediately saw this new piece, whole in my mind.
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(This pic is clickable if you want to check out the detail. Click once to open him and once to embiggen.)
And speaking of whole - check out my little boy, here!
I cut open most of his face, laid fusing under it, carefully ironed the skin bits down, and then trimmed away the excess. It gave him a more lopsided smile (and a surprisingly mature look as compared to my original sketch). Then I had to re-paint his skin in order to cover up the "impetigo" making a darker shade of brown than I'd originally intended, but he's quite lovely in my opinion, and I'm really pleased with the results.
And then I quilted the dog out of him! Using five shades of brown, one of eggplant and two of black, I ended up giving his face some lovely texture and a more "human" look.
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(Another pic with a ruler in inches for scale - the middle pic is more accurate in terms of colouring)
Previously, I have fused my lutradur to my backing fabric before painting, and have had really good results using that method - and will likely go back to it in the future. But this dense quilting of the face thing?
That's a good thing!
I also thread painted his eyebrows and pupils and am liking that result as well.
All things considered, my mistake was a good one!
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Kit - he is truly. Handsome in every sense. Lovely and it all worked out!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a fantastic mistake !!!
ReplyDeletethanks Jodie.It did turn out rather well. :)
DeleteIt was meant to be...
ReplyDeleteHe's beautiful!!!!!!! On so many levels, you've captured vitality, youth and expression.
ReplyDeletenice work kit
ReplyDeletewhat a handsome chap! congrats on solving that dilemma!
ReplyDeleteI love it Kit! Keep it coming!!
ReplyDeleteHe's fabulous Kit. Sorry the other piece is on hold, but I think sometimes you've just got to go in the direction the wind is pushing you.
ReplyDeleteHes really striking kit and kinda good looking!
ReplyDeleteThe Universe is talking and you are listening. Always a good plan!!
ReplyDeleteHe's lovely. I knew it would end well. Your stitching is wonderful too. And the other piece may just have to percolate a little longer - or get tossed into the roses, lol!
ReplyDeleteHe is a handsome young man, and your free motion sewing is to be admired!
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you managed to rescue him. He has so much more character now with the stitching, and of course that lovely smile.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful stitching to make this lovely piece , well done Kit!
ReplyDeleteKnew you would do it ... he looks great !
ReplyDeleteReminds me of a free-motion portrait of Michael Jackson that I did soooooo many years ago for the back of a jean jacket
... and before I knew that I was doing free-motion machine embroidery !
Sometimes a piece just needs to be set aside for a while ... but you'll figure out the perfect way to go forward !
ps. not to mean that this portrait of yours looks like MJ at all !
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