A blog about making art and other things using cloth, paper, paint, colour, stitch, and all sorts of exciting techniques, some of which I'm sure I still have to discover! I hope that the joy all this gives me is visible in what you can see here.

Tuesday 1 July 2014

Those Pesky Seagulls!!


The background went well, but then I ruined it with the seagulls in the foreground. They are too large and very clumsily done. Hmmm! I decided to play around with it in photoshop to see if I could salvage anything from it!


Paint daubs, again, I quite liked the effects in the background and sky, but those pesky seagulls......


.......still no good, and this one looks like a very cold and damp day at the seaside!


The only way to get rid of at least three of them was to put them behind some rocks, but I'm still not convinced! Oh well, you can't win 'em all I suppose, but at least I tried!


This one seemed better, at least these gulls were more in proportion, although I'm still not over the moon!!


Couldn't resist having a play in photoshop with this one either, but again, the weather has changed...looks like a sea mist is coming in!!!


So, this afternoon I decided to forget the seagulls and make my JQ for July instead. This has gone much better, so my spirits are happier again. This is the third in the wedding rhyme, and is called 'Something Borrowed'. Our daughter borrowed one of my gold chains, so here it is, machine embroidered in gold thread, and surrounded by flowers with two butterflies appliqued and free machine quilted.

I think I will be taking a rest from the gulls during the next few days, but I may have a play around with more of the seascapes. 

Thanks for reading, and please come back again soon.

4 comments:

  1. Hi Mum, Well from your post I was expecting something much worse and actually quite liked your seagull pics! I thought the seagulls had lots of character especially the last one with his head slightly tilted. and like you titled it, they are pesky and I think that came across in quite an amusing way! It was extremely enjoyable to watch your process and see all the effects you can create, I actually liked them all. The background as you first mentioned is fantastic, and I understand what you mean about the sizing, they do look better in the last two, but I honestly still liked the first ones too! and im not just saying that! I wasnt so keen on the rocks! And only because they covered the seagulls up.........I liked those little ones in the background. The seagulls added great character! For me they give a cheeky feel, and a look at me feel which I like. I look forward to you going back to them one day! Thank you for sharing. x x x

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    1. Well thank you Ems, and for taking the time to give such a full and thoughtful response. I'm afraid the three seagulls are now permanently behind the rocks, so there they will have to stay, but maybe I'll have one more go! I agree that the rocks aren't any better, very heavy looking, but it's a learning curve, and it's good that we never stop learning isn't it? Thanks for your comments. xxx

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  2. I really like the seagull backgrounds that you have created, both real and virtual. My feeling is that the seagull in the foreground hovers between being not quite dominant enough and not being integrated enough, depending on how you want him to appear. I certainly prefer the last one where he seems to be engaging with the viewer. I really like your JQ

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    1. Thanks Maggi, that all really makes sense, and I agree that the last one works much better, although still not anywhere near as I would have liked! I will probably leave it for now, and maybe come back to it at a later stage. The proportions were all wrong, and I also think that maybe it would help if I did another on a larger scale, These two were 7"x5", and I found it fiddly trying to 'draw' the smaller gulls with my machine needle. Hmmm, what an excuse eh!!!

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