Linda Poole got me interested in fairie applique, and as I haven't taken the class from her yet, I don't want to start on 'her' version of her fairie. She's coming to our guild's retreat in November, and I'm really looking forward to it.
But looking on the web for inspiration, I found another lovely site with artwork of fairies, and got permission from the artist to try one of her designs in fabric. I'll write and ask if I can tell you her name, she may prefer not to be recognized. :)
I have a lot left to do on this one - I'm using a teeny blanket stitch around the tree branch and leaves (I fused the bits down first) and I've used the smallest applique stitch my Janome had and some invisible thread to go around her body and the orange flower she's trying for a hat. I've got some lovely fabric with flowers that I'll fussy cut and add to this in some of the obvious blank spots, so it looks like she's picked the one on her head from the branch beside her. I'll also add veining on the leaves, and a lot of detail on her wings and little leaf outfit. Probably some beading too, but that will come much later. And her face right now is drawn on in one of those water-erasable inks, I'll do it with a pigma pen later, probably in black.
The only thing I am not happy with so far is the lack of contrast between her peach skin tone and the background. I really didn't want to outline her in black, but can any of you think of another way to make her arms and legs stand out a bit more?
I was planning on making 4 fairies, one for each season of the year, putting them all on a batik fabric, and giving them different props appropriate for their season. The fabric this one is on varies quite a bit, and there's enough of the bluey you see at the very top, but mixed with more pale purple and white, that might do for a winter scene. I'm not sure if this one will be Spring or Summer yet, I'm leaning toward Summer, especially when I get more flowers on. And because she's not really dressed for Spring!
Linda's fairie pattern has long blowing hair, and is wearing a long skirt, so I'm thinking that one might be good for either Fall or Winter.
If I can find appropriate fabric, I'd LOVE to make this wall hanging more ethnic, and make the fairies for the other seasons have different skin tones. I'm thinking it'll hang in my library, where we have a pretty diverse population. No luck in finding anything but this peachy tone yet, though. All the browns I found were just toooo dark to be able to put a face on.
9 comments:
It's very cute. Maybe you could outline the skin with a darker version of the skin color rather than black Something like a sepia tone. She looks like a summer fairy to me.
Adorable! I love your idea for a 4 Seasons project!
Wonderfully whimsical... maybe use a light brown micro-tip pen and add some shading in a few places on the face, arms, etc.
Do you have a Joann Fabrics near you? They are having a wonderful sale (thru Sat) of fabric dye markers. Maybe you could just touch up her skin with a dye marker to make her a different color. Who says fairies have to be pink, hmmm? Personally, I think a green fairy like in Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book would be perfect. If you want a better look at the fairies go to The World of Froud at http://www.faeries.net/www/cott/lcbook/index.cfm
cute cute cute! But if you are sewing it on the machine, what makes it a hand project? I thought you'd crossed over and was appliquing the fairy by hand.....guess not! hehe
You are definitely on to something with this one. I can't wait to see how she develops! You are so talented!
Your fairy lady is lovely -- what about outlining her in a darker shade of the flesh tone? It wouldn't be black and if you used hand embroidery, the dimensionality might make the break you want.
I would try colored pencils to tone the skin.
Aren't we a lotta help, lol?
I was thinking shading too - first of the faerie, but then I thought you could also shade the background instead of the faerie, depending on the look you wanted.
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