A LOOK IN THE SKETCHBOOK

Design and color plan of overlay for "Enter Aqua", 14" x 11"   Lori LaBerge  2018

This design brings back memories of neighborhoods I have entered. The surprise of what is around the corner and what will be discovered. The joy of finding a building that stands out from others due to shape or color. The invitation to explore and feel welcome in a new place.

This idea developed from a stairway. It was like jumping off the stairs into an imaginary world. It is planned as the overlay for a painted textile.

The left edge of this stairway struck me as a rooftop. I took to sketching.

Here the various shapes from the photo are sketched out. 

The triangle on the left is enlarged to eliminate some odd angles.

 The bottom shape on the right side is elongated to start working on balance and add a bit of depth leading to the center of the piece. The architectural aspects are coming into play.

 Some of the upper lines were eliminated and a rectangular shape started the focus of the piece.

 The bottom diagonal line is straightened while the center diagonal lines are moved so they do not meet the triangle tip and top of new straightened line. This adds a more interesting shape to the center rectangle. The smaller rectangle's top is given a horizontal edge.

 Details are added in. The half circle, a smaller rectangle on the left to break up a larger shape and lines on top of sections of two diagonals and one horizontal.

A 2-value plan is sketched up to know where lights and darks will be placed. The darks surround and enclose the lighter areas.

The final decision for color use.

All that is left is the decision as to what the hooked underlayer will look like before being painted over.

LINE RELATIONSHIPS IN ART COMPOSITION

"Gallery View 2"  11" X 14"  Lori LaBerge  2018

While I worked with realism in art studio classes in college, I always enjoyed the modern. There is something about breaking things down to basic shapes that fascinates me. I enjoy the relationships, the mystery of finding something new, the experience of figuring out what the artist is trying to get across to the viewer while showing so little. 

"Gallery View  2" has been broken down to shapes from a downtown city scene. It is overall calm with the pink adding a bit of excitement. The pink area also leads one to the focus of the "painting" on the wall. The windows of surrounding buildings are left out, avoiding distractions. There is a feeling of the viewer being on their own, the only one viewing the scene.

The relationships in this work are built through the use of line. There are distinct places throughout where one line passes through multiples points of the work. The red lines below show some of these spots.

The line over to the far left starts at the edge of the dark shape up through the edge of the yellow shape and on to the edge of another dark shape. The horizontal line has the top of the right section of yellow lined up with the top of the light gray shape on the right. Two lines meet at the top of the bright green on the upper right and so on. These relationships hold the piece together as one. 

A study of masterworks will show multiple relationships of line when studied. Another way to study line is through looking at the work of master photographers. Annie Liebovitz places her subjects so various lines meet. (Ex. the profile of one figure may be lined up with the arm of another, making a diagonal line for the viewer to follow). The use of line covers all styles of art.

While not clearly seen from a distance, approaching the work shows how bright yellow was introduced throughout the duller yellow and a green with a glow to it was used to pair with the yellow. This adds a bit of a payoff to the viewer when they look closer. 

Reductionism in Art and Brain Science by Eric R. Kandel

Above is the book on the nightstand this week. The author speaks of breaking work down to its basic elements. It is a study from Turner and his start of moving toward reducing elements, through Mondrian, Rothko and others. The book questions how we view art through the brain process. The more a work is broken down, the less it resembles reality and the more creative we become when attempting to interpret it. How do we comprehend this breakdown? If there is no familiar landscape how does the brain interpret the art? Do we try to make the unfamiliar fit into the familiarity of our own world? A fascinating read.

TEXTILE ART IN PROGRESS, FURTHER DESIGN WORK

 

Partial section of work in progress,  Lori LaBerge  2018

The majority of the week was spent continuing work on a larger piece. The size is 48" X 48" and it is being hooked in a #6 cut. Here are a few close-ups of various sections:

On Thursday, I took a break from the larger work to sketch up some new ideas to work further with. Here's a peek inside the sketchbook:

This was developed from an industrial park that we passed by while traveling. The erasure lines can be seen on the drawing, showing the many variations of ideas used until one came together.

This work did not really come together until I decided to use a half circle. That led to a pathway toward it. I'm looking at orange, grays, turquoise, bright blue, gold, white and black for the color plan.

SEEING TEXTURES

"Spa Day"  14" X 11"  Lori LaBerge  2018

A slight change was made from the original color plan from last week's post. The gray and turquoise on the right were reversed placing them diagonal to their matching colors. A simple change, but the whole work looks much more interesting as it moves the eye more easily throughout the piece.

Textures are important to a work and we don't always see them from a distance so I put some close-ups from "Spa Day" below. 

 Here the bright blues mixed with navy draw the eye to what could otherwise appear as a dark hole in the work.

Grays are always in my go to stash. This textured gray used as-is adds to the work when seen up close.

 

A dull light sage green is punched up with a brighter mottled green in the mint family.

The turquoise in the work is the only wool that is not mottled or mixed with another color. It has solidity and strength giving the eye a nice break from everything happening in the other colors.

TWO-VALUE STUDIES CAN HELP WITH COLOR PLANNING

Untitled design,  Lori LaBerge  2018

This week included work on design and color planning. This has led to plans to create a grouping of black and white works from 2-value studies.

Here is how thoughts developed for two designs using sketchbook and Photoshop:

A design was drawn from a previous sketch. A half circle was added to the left hand side which can be seen in the photo at the top of the post. This balances out the work and detracts a bit from the large section of white. If you put your finger over the half circle you can see how the eye first focuses on the yellow rectangle and is then pulled to the left by the white. If you view the work with the yellow half circle, you can see how it brings the eye down from the white, so the eye is not stranded at the top of the work.

As color planning was developed, I began by separating the design into 2 values so I could clearly separate the light areas from the dark areas. It helps to think about shapes when working with these studies.

I decided on a calm, relaxing feel to the work. The light areas consist of white and sage green while the darker areas were filled with turquoise, navy and yellow. The darker colors were broken down into light dark, medium dark and dark. A black line was added to the rectangle to emphasize the focal point.

Untitled design,  Lori LaBerge  2018

Here a light center is surrounded by dark sides. It can be seen how the design also changed a bit  with the black rectangle enlarged, the right side being extended all the way to the top and a horizontal rectangle added on the right.

The eye is clearly drawn to the lighter center of the work with the bright pink rectangle the focus.

MONOCHROMATIC BACKGROUND STARTED, STUDY ON SHAPES

The background of the latest work in progress was worked on this week. A variety of dark grays are being used to follow the designs of the middle squares. The darks create a shadow effect while not distracting from the colorful squares.

Work in progress,  Lori LaBerge  2018

I can already see a change that will be made. The light gray strips between blocks will be changed to the darker gray to frame the blocks better, with the light gray left on the sides. This will be an easy change as the strips are narrow. 

Textbooks on architecture by Francis D.K. Ching

I started a self-imposed class on architecture and architectural drawing. Textbooks were received this week and 2 hours a day have been scheduled for studying. 

Exercise in sketchbook

Above is one of the exercises I completed to study positive and negative shape. A mortar and pestle was used as the subject. The exercise shows how shape is not a sole entity. Every shape has a relation to the environment it resides in. I plan on using this exercise with various subjects, more asymmetrical, to see how many interesting shapes can be found from both the negative and positive areas. 

Further Exercise:

While teaching, I have used color to study shape perception. Put a colored shape against a white background, then against the same color background. How does this affect your perception of the shape and ability to identify it? Use various values of one color against another? At what value point is the subject easiest to identify or show the best at? Do we need a bold contrast or will a softer contrast serve our purpose?

TEXTILE ART: EXPERIMENTING WITH PAINT

"City Walk"  12" X 24",  Lori LaBerge  2017

This past week I just felt like trying something new.  After puttering around the studio for a bit, I grabbed a work off the wall and decided to transform it. Sometimes you just need to stop thinking and start doing.

The original hooked work

I've always enjoyed the transparency of certain paintings. It is as if something is hidden in the background with layers of paint on top. How would I do this with rug hooking? To still keep the architectural quality of the original work I decided to paint over the top. Another option would have been to place transparent fabric randomly over the top to create a barrier yet still be able to see the original through it. 

In progress on studio table. Tape strips were used in some areas and pulled off later.

The painted work has much more depth, mystery and sophistication to it. I painted with no plan in mind, which always makes me a bit apprehensive. Sometimes we need to leave our comfort place to grow.

The photos below show a close-up of how the bowls can still be seen in the background of the new work:

When the work was completed it reminded me of walking through Asheville and viewing the work of the many local potters through a window with reflections of buildings, perhaps a rainy day. Thus the work was titled "City Walk".

FRAMING TEXTILE ART

"Residential Curve"  16" x 20" framed, Lori LaBerge  2017

Framing can make a difference in how art is perceived. Unlike paintings, which can be simply placed into a frame, framing textiles can be a bit more complex. I have been framing works open for a few years now and the tides have changed. More people are asking for work protected by glass or acrylic and over 90% of sales the past year have been pieces under acrylic .  

Some of my latest work will be placed in an office environment. Cleaning and wool dust can become an issue. Two hospitals decided against open work due to the dust and allergenic problems. Unfortunately, the work could not be reframed under acrylic in time for their scheduling. Results: lost sales and framing under acrylic for future sales.

There is the perception of textile art being difficult to care for. I have found this to be true depending on how the work is made. A mixed media work I purchased with quite a bit of bulk to it and nooks and crannies between tied rope does require a lot of upkeep as dust gets trapped. The rug hooked works I own require a lot less upkeep. I simply use a lint roller and it cleans them quite nicely. Glass or acrylic can eliminate the problem, though these works should still be removed from the frame and cleaned every 2-3 years.

"Skybridge"  16" x 20" framed,  Lori LaBerge  2017

The works shown here have been stitched to acid-free foam board before being placed in the frame. An acid-free mat board has been used and uv acrylic placed on top. The frames have a 1" rabbet (the depth of the back of frame where work sits) to allow for the depth of textile work and setting it back so as not to touch the acrylic.

When setting the work back from the acrylic, foam board was cut in the shape of the mat board, though narrower, and placed behind the mat board to create depth. 

Acrylic can be static which causes problems with wool. Remove any wool bits or dust from the work before framing (this is time consuming as it sometimes needs to be repeated during the framing process, don't skip this step as wool dust on a mat board looks unprofessional). There is acrylic cleaner that can be used to minimize static (I use Brillianize Plastic Cleaner). Use a microfiber cloth when applying cleaner or dusting the acrylic to prevent scratches.

Note: Always take photos before glass or acrylic is installed if possible. This prevents glare.

 "Downtown"  16" X 20" framed,  Lori LaBerge  2017

Whether one decides to leave a textile open or place under a protective cover is an individual decision. Present work to show it off at its best. If similar works (such as a series) will be exhibited together it is best to frame in a similar way for cohesiveness.

LARGE ARCHITECTURAL TEXTILE: IN PROGRESS SHOTS

 As yet untitled work in progress  48" x 48",  Lori LaBerge   2017

Work on the first square continued and a second was started. The color planning allows for squares located diagonally from each other to be in the same color scheme. This was work completed as of Wednesday. The majority of colors are fairly bold and the light green adds some softness.

The mixtures of wool add more interest as the viewer gets closer to the work. The rust contains a bright, a texture and a dark yarn. A main color (the texture in this case) is usually chosen and then leftover strips from previous projects are used to add variety. In rare cases, there may be some dyeing needed when the right color strips are unavailable.

For the turquoise, a mottled light, a plainer medium, and a textured dull gray-turquoise were used.

Small black circles were hooked with the purple. These smaller circles will appear on three of the four squares, with the upper left square containing a redder purple meandering throughout rather than having the black involved. This adds a bit of a surprise as the expected similarity to the other squares is not there.

Straight hooking is being used for the black and white sections. Black and white together is bold. The straight hooking adds to the boldness, showing stability (horizontal) and strength (vertical) while framing the center areas.

While I find myself delving more and more into the reasons for my choices, I don't get bogged down with it. Sometimes a choice is simply: "I just liked those colors together." or "I felt like hooking straight after hooking meandering patterns for so long." Not everything is complex. It is important to keep in mind the effect of your choices, but it is also important to enjoy the process and just let go once in a while.

INDUSTRIAL SITE ABSTRACT TEXTILE ART "SKYBRIDGE"

"Skybridge",   14" X 11"   Lori LaBerge  2017

This work was developed to be shown alongside the two paintings done last week  Unlike the paintings worked from memory and notes (due to it being night when we stopped by), the textile work was done from parts of two photos taken during the day.

When working from photos, I avoid a direct copy of the photograph. Artwork allows for imagination which is the part of it I most enjoy. Here are the photos used:

I stuck with the angled shapes of the building. The rooftop stairway was converted to a skybridge to be the focus of the work.

The factory silo was in front of a section of one of the buildings. I used this on the right hand side of the work as I wanted to add some curves to the piece. Colors were chosen to work with the two paintings.

A good idea of how the works look together before framing.