The Answer Book
Don't you wish you had an answer book for your exclusive quiltmaking use? I have one. It is not for technique help, for that there are other books that anyone can buy. This one is for design help.
I was stuck last night and couldn't figure out how to solve a design dilemma. I went to sleep knowing that my subconcious would work on it and voila! this morning I knew I could find the answer in my design scrapbook.
It is a book of pictures of art, culled from lots of different sources, but only pictures of art that appeals specifically to me. I eliminated anything that smacked of 'art I should like' and put in everything else. I glue-stuck the pictures and postcards and catalog parts in NO particular order. After having this book all these years, I can pretty much find whatever I need just like you know what the next song will be when listening to an entire cd.
There are oodles of different artists and styles, as well as differing media represented, and as I look at the design in the paintings or whatever they are, I see some good ideas that could maybe work in my quilt design. I am not lifting the exact design, but only the concept which is much easier than copying anyway.
I eliminated any names of artists or text of any kind as that shifts the brain's perceptions and one can't absorb ideas in the same way. Another helpful part is that these artworks are generally not quilts, and I think of my quilting as paintings anyway, just dry, so that helps me much more than looking at quilts for inspiration. Plus then there is no jealousy or envy to deal with on my part. You know how I am.
I keep this book handy for other uses too. When I think my work is going to be too outlandish, I see these paintings and think how really pedestrian my work is, and then I pump it up a bit more. Risk takers fill these pages. And when it comes to quilting, I like risk taking design.
I am off to our monthly art quilters meeting, in the rain, and I will be showing my new Cruciform quilts, Red and Green. I'll let you know how they were received.
O, now I have the solution to my new work and will be putting it to use tomorrow, and will have pictures pretty darn soon. I am so relieved!
That's a great idea! I'd like to start one for my quilting. I have a general one that I started in fashion school--like a designer's inspiration book. It's a work-in-progress as I'm always finding something new and beautiful to go into it.
ReplyDeleteThis is a much better use of my stack of sketch books and journals. I am going to start pasting pictures I love in them. Right now they are all in a file folder.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea, thanks for sharing it. Especially the part about leaving out the words so the image part of the brain gets to work. I love the "art I should like" comment, absolutely!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantabulous idea!!! I've been trying to figure out how best to arrange the piles and piles of pictures that I rip out of magazines and newspapers. Your idea of no particular order and no words is great. Me thinks I'm going to create my own book of answers...
ReplyDeleteLooks like a well tumbed book too!!
Oh mine is the same as yours, and I don't use words either (I feel better now!) Great idea to show it. Yours is so wonderfully colourful and organised - wish it was mine!!
ReplyDeleteI'm in a cleaning frenzy in my studio and you "idea" notebook just made my day. I can clean off the walls and the piles and piles and make my own notebook (notebooks?)
ReplyDeleteHello, I just started reading blogs...what fun. I also rip, tear and collect what appeals to me. I like the idea of putting them in the wonderful sketch books with heavy paper. I have journals I have written in years ago...know I really don't want anyone else to read them...thought about burning them a few days ago. But now I know what do to! I think the journal writing under the pics will be interesting!!!
ReplyDeleteLorese