I painted these yesterday. Freezer paper stencils and fabric paint - lumiere and assorted others, on white 300 thread count cotton fabric. Then today was howling with wind so I stayed inside and touched them up a bit. Hubby took the kids for a jaunt to the shops to spend some of their pocket money so I had a couple hours of solitary painting time (aaaahhhhh!).
I'm pretty pleased with this one. It is the kokako, or blue-wattled crow. It is severely endangered, and has the most beautiful haunting call.
The keruru or wood pigeon. It has the most distinctive heavy wing beats when it flies overhead, and is known to get drunk and stumble around on lawns from eating fermented berries!
And the tieke or saddle back. I'm pretty sure it survives only on off shore island sanctuaries.
I'm undecided whether to try and cut these out and appliqué them to my background, or paint them directly. These were practice pieces but they've turned out so well that I'm tempted to try the cut and appliqué route. If I painted them I think I'd have to paint the background white first.
And this is a background on which they will all be placed (the design wall is still under construction). The majority of these fabrics are my own hand dyes or surface designed fabrics and there will the a nikau palm in the centre. I better get moving on this quilt as I wouldn't mind exhibiting it at the Auckland Festival of Quilts (aka Calico Christmas) in November. Chop chop!!
I'd go for the cut and applique method. At least that way you can move them around until you're happy. And as you say, it probably would't come out so crisp on a coloured background.
ReplyDeleteI'd do the applique too - they look really good though :)
ReplyDeleteviv
WOW!!! You are very talented.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work. I think I, too, would do the cut & applique. However, if you decide to paint new ones I'd be happy to have your "practice" pieces :)
ReplyDeletemdmontalvo@yahoo.com
I just love you birds.I think applique would be good,if you use something such as bonderweb it will help to stabilize them.
ReplyDeleteTricia
I think the applique (or reverse applique) would be great. You could put a little bit of extra batting under them thru the back to make them a little more raised from the surface like they were feeding/flying over the surface.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your blog entries as a fellow kiwi mum quilter - amzed at the time you do find to quilt!
Lee-Ann