Indian Paintbrush Continues
I have been slowly working on my Indian Paintbrush artwork. Since the last time I showed you, I have painted the stems and added some blue flowers in the background.
Here it is after I painted the stems and leaves. I didn’t add any further color to the flowers themselves as I thought I might do. Once I was finished, I decided I should have left the bottom stems alone so they blended better into the background. I could add more paint on top but so far I have just left them as they are.
Here’s a closer view of the stems. Next up was to decide if I needed to add anything else. I decided to enhance the blue areas with some hand stitching. I found a hand dyed greyed down blue that was multi valued.
So I used fly stitch and the thread was a thin cotton slightly bigger than one strand of floss. It’s actually hard to see in this photo but you can click on the photo to enlarge it.
Here’s a closer view of the blue stitching. So what’s next? I’m not sure. I have been looking at the piece now for several weeks hanging up in my studio. Does it need more? If so what? I still haven’t decided. What do you think?
On another note, I finally saw the Northern Lights here in Kalispell, Montana. I never realized that you need to look through the camera’s lense to actually see the lights very well. Paula took the photo above and I took the one below. Do you see the constellation?
13 thoughts on “Indian Paintbrush Continues”
Just a minute, those Northern Lights photos have banished all thoughts of flowers, so I’ve got to go back and read about them again!
OK. I think that the picture does look unfinished because the orange flowers appear to be laid onto the background rather than growing out of it. I wonder if you need to add more foliage at the bottom of the stem and possibly some “grass” stitches?
Back to the Northern Lights, both of those images are lovely.
Paula’s image has the Lights looking like blended tops laid out ready to felt; but I think that yours (which looks as if taken over a river or lake?) with the Little Bear constellation – known as The Plough over here – is a better composition with The Lights repeated in the reflection below. It would make a fantastic textile image – your next project?
Ann
Thanks Ann, I have thought about grass but haven’t decided yet. The Northern lights were amazing, we call it the Big Dipper instead of the Plough.
What an experience! The colours in the sky are magnificent but I regret to say that I still haven’t seen the Northern Lights for real. Yes, as Ann rightly says, in the UK the constellation is called The Plough.
The textile piece is beautiful with its graceful movement and pretty colours. It stands well as it is, so does it need more? Hard to tell.
Thanks, I have not added more because I can’t decide. I guess I will give it more time.
Seeing the Northern lights was on my bucket list. So luckily, I saw these between 8:30 – 9:00 pm. I never wanted to get up at 3:00 am. And I never realized that you can’t see them very well with the naked eye. The cameras pick up more light so view them through your phone camera.
I do so love the colour that you have achieved on your background piece.
Yes, I can see the constellation clearly. I saw the Aurora also on Thursday night here, so beautiful, I opened the kitchen door at around 10pm BST here (UK), and noticed that the sky was light, and lots of stars. Then I could see red patches over westwards, and lighter paler colours northwards. Took a walk up the lane and marvelled at what I was seeing. Lots of photos taken, I spent about an hour or longer outside just watching, I only went inside as I was cold!!
First time ever seeing the lights in real life – other than on TV.
Thanks Marie! You sound like me, staying out until I was frozen. I’m glad that you got to see the lights in real life as it’s really amazing.
Ruth your Indian Paintbrush flowers are lovely but as mentioned they are lying on the background as if laid down on it, waiting to be put into a vase for display.
I think, rather than asking ‘what else is needed?’, the question you need to ask yourself is – what story am I trying to tell or what info am I wanting to convey?….is it just the flower itself in all it’s glory, how it grows in the wild, how it emerges from, or blends with, other plants etc etc? I hope by asking yourself this, it will inform you as to your next step.
Your Northern lights sighting must have been awesome. We had a similar display here which I missed. The following day friends and family were posting spectacular photos and all of them said it is better through the camera. It was thought the same would happen the next night so every half hour I poked my head outside….sadly nothing! I remain quite jealous.
Thanks Antje, all your questions are good and perhaps the issue becomes “I don’t know the answer” to any of your questions. So more thought is needed. I haven’t planned this out well and I guess I will do some samples of foreground grass to see what it might look like without stitching it down first.
Seeing the Northern lights was really great as I had wanted to see them since I moved here over 25 years now.
I vote for something to be added to the “ground” so the stems don’t seem to be hovering 🙂
As for the Aurora Borealis, I’ve had the privilege to see two this year, and it’s always a wonderful experience. I’m glad you caught it too!
Thanks Leonor, I do think that grounding the stems will help. So more sampling to occur sometime or other before this is finished.
Glad you got to see the Northern lights, such an awesome sight.
You learn something new every day. No one had ever told me the are better through a camera lens. I have only seen the green ones.
As for the flowers, at first I thought maybe just cut the top down to remove the top 1/3 of the petals. But I really like the close up, could you cut that flower out for one small picture and a cut out a bigger one of the other 2 flowers leaving more stem and some of the fly away petals? I am sure what ever you do it will look great.
Thanks Ann, I never thought of cutting it up into different pieces but I doubt I will use that as a solution here. I would like it to work as one composition.
And yes, I never knew that Northern lights are better through a camera either. It makes a big difference so definitely try it next time they are in your area.