So I've been thinking about what project I wanted to work on now that my studio is all done. Finally work is slow, the studio is cleaned and I have time to sew. But WHAT?? Lord knows, I have a ton of unfinished projects from all the false starts of the last couple of years. I also have a couple of big ideas in my head for new original projects that I can't seem to let go. Hmmmmmm
One of the ideas is to do a "Mary Blair Inspired" piece that would also have hints of Paul Klee
influences. I've been in love with Mary Blair's work every since our anniversary trip to Disney in 2017 and I made my husband ride It's a small world 4 times....yes 4 times!! (See no wonder I kept him for 25 yrs!) I seem to get a lot of inspiration from master artists because the way I look at it why not steal from the best?!? But is it really stealing???
The answer is a resounding NO!! The art world has always been based on copying from the Greats who have come before you. Why? Because its great way to learn how to successfully use the design elements. And besides that's how THEY learned so why shouldn't you?
Now remember this can extend easily to traditional quilting....art quilting....or both!!
How to be a CopyCat
- Pick an Artist ... Here's a shocker you want to pick an artist that you are strongly drawn to. Research her not only looking at her body of work but also any biographic information you can track down. What was her influences?? Her education??
- Pick a Piece to Copy...Get a good image of the piece. Tons of museums now have Open Access to their collections with great images online
- Analyze The Piece .... Print it out big....locate the focal point...how the artist wanted your eye to move...What draws you the most to the piece....Print it out in grey scale to look at the value placements...look at the palette.....look at the use of light etc etc
- Copy Exactly or Inspired By?? Now you have to decide if you want to copy the work exactly or just let it spur you into a new "Inspired By" piece.
Things I Like
Also, just a reminder....I will try to answer any comments right in the post's comment section. It really saddened me that I can't get comments in my email anymore so that I can answer them there. You're comments mean so much to me and I really appreciate them and you :)!
So What You've Been Up to Creatively?
I always think it is ok to copy a work also - as long as you do not claim it as your original. If I make a quilt based on something I saw usually I know it won't be exact and I'm not trying to make it exact so when I post about it I will say "based on so and so's pattern" but changed a little here and there to make it mine
ReplyDeleteYou know, I have been pinning a lot of illustration artwork on Pinterest to my appliqué board with the same thought in mind. First of all, if I'm recreating a painting or a drawing in fabric, it's already not an exact copy. But, like you said, better to steal from many or to be inspired by an artist's style and emulate/explore that in some way rather than attempt to totally duplicate what they created. Of course the end use of the quilt has bearing on the Do's and Do Not's as well. If you recreate someone else's work in fabric for a quilt that you want to enter into a major show, you are going to need to get permission from the artist (if living) or their estate, whoever owns the rights to the original work, and it would be a major bummer to have spent 6 months to a year on a show quilt only to find out after the fact that the artist won't give you permission! But I could see wanting to create as exact of a replica as possible if it was something like your favorite Picasso that is hanging in a museum and you want to hang that in your own home, but of course there's no way that you could ever have the real one... And attempting to recreate something like that as faithfully as possible through textiles would be an interesting way to study that famous painting that you admire. Anyway, I do like to look outside the quilting industry for fresh ideas rather than rehashing quilts that everyone else is making. I say that, but I just ordered a KIT this morning, of all things -- a pattern with fabric already chosen! Whether I actually make mine just like the pattern remains to be seen. I'm looking forward to seeing your "CopyCat" inspired project take shape in that neat and organized studio space of yours! :-)
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