Painting the Shorebird

I have been finishing up the Bargello/Beginning Needlepoint Project this week and it now has its official name:  Bargello Button.  It will be added to the website next week.  All that is left is to decide on the final binding for the instruction book.  I was able to borrow my daughter's Zutter Bind-it-all, but she didn't have any wire.  But she was able to find some more of the great button I used for the center of the design.  So the wire was duly ordered and arrived yesterday.  Now I can practice with this new machine (for me) and get a few instruction books ready for next week.   I really like the new small format and am anxious to hear what people think.  I'll post a few pages when it's done.  

 

The last few days I've been working on painting the Shorebird canvas.  I posted the sketch on my last blog entry.  I didn't want it to be solid colors but more of a colorwashed effect, so i used Luminarte's Primary Elements Polished Pigments for the sky/water and sand dunes.  I mixed two colors together for the sky/water and then added a third color for the horizon.  I also mixed two colors together for the sand dunes. The pigments are mixed with Simple Solutions #1, which is for fabric.  But, yes, it still needs to be heat set. 

   

However I first used Copic Ciao markers and Fabric markers to indicate the California Poppies and clover.  Then I heat set the canvas with the iron on the highest setting for a few minutes. 

Much of the canvas will only be partially covered with stitching so the uneven watercolor effect was what I was going for.  The Avocet himself (or her?) will be stitched with solid blocks of pattern in each of the three main areas on the body.   

    

If anyone wants more details on technique, the pigment colors, marker colors, brushes used, etc, please contact me. 

Now....... that's cleaned up and next to work on coloring those knitting yarns I keep talking about.  I'm really looking forward to it! The collection of threads for this next project has really been growing in the last few weeks.  I found three additional threads this week at the new card and gift shop which just opened in a shopping center close to me......great ribbons.  However, these are more woven thread than ribbon and have metallic in them and sequins sewn on every inch or so.  Very fun!  Finding new and different threads and such is what really gets me enthused!

So here is wishing everyone good holiday shopping, or baking, or tree decorating  (that's us) this weekend.