Thursday, March 1, 2012

Part Two: Project 3 - Stage 6: Exercise 1

Combining Textures and Colour Effects

Exercise 1  asks us to create a stitched sample based on the theories of Pointillism and colour illusion.

I have decided to use:
  • black fabric as my background.
  • red, yellow and orange colour threads.
  • a range of different yarns - matt, shiny and textured.
  • french knots as the choice of stitch.
We are asked to choose two different primary colours: I have chosen red and yellow.
Using french knots, stitch the colours close together, mix the colours and separate them.
Some areas should be densely stitched, other areas should allow the background to show through.
Begin to add a third colour, I chose orange.

Lastly, I am to make observations regarding the colour effects that have been created when using different proportions and mixes of the colours. 
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Having read these instructions, I started to plot out on paper where to place the colours, where to stitch densely, when to allow the background to show through.
I then threw away my piece of paper, placed the black fabric in the hoop and began to stitch.

I started by finding red cottons, silks and wools in the same shade of red.
I stitched these randomly across an area and then introduced the yellow range of threads.
Lastly, I stitched two shades of orange onto the sample.

Finished sample of french knots

My findings are:
When the yellow is stitched densely, the colour appears to be very bright and very yellow in colour.

When the yellow is stitched sparsely and the black background shows through, the yellow seems almost greenish in colour and much darker.

When the red is stitched densely, the colour appears to be very bright and very red in colour.

When the red is stitched sparsely and the black background shows through, the red seems darker, almost a cherry red in colour.

When the red and yellow colours are mixed evenly, the red changes to an orange colour, and the yellow changes to a gold colour.


When the red, orange and yellow are mixed together in equal quantities, they lose their distinct qualities and almost become one shade of orange.


When the orange and yellow are mixed together in equal quantities, the orange becomes more yellow, and the yellow becomes more orange.

When the orange is stitched densely, the colour appears to be a very rich orange, as it is stitched more sparsely, it becomes a darker shade.

When the orange is mixed with red, it becomes a richer, redder orange.
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This was a good exercise, it was interesting to create an illusion in colour.

If I hadn't stitched the sample myself, I would have assumed that the sample contained many more shades of red and yellow than it actually does.

Having created this sample, I really do have to keep checking on the colours, it seems amazing that one shade of red can look so different depending on where it is placed, and which colour of thread it is next to.

The stitching of so many french knots was very hard on my fingers - pulling the needle through the fabric when it was threaded with tapestry wool was hard work.
Saying that.... it was the variety of threads, textures and finishes that made the sample so pleasing to look at.
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Finished page:
Top: Colour effects using primary colours

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