City and Guilds Progress 1

So it has been 8/9 weeks since I started work on my City and Guilds.

The first 5 modules are all about the design elements of machine embroidery. They are all about letting go of the creative safety net you sit in and jumping into an unknown world of drawing, painting and colouring..

I will admit I was a bit worried at the start, and in many ways I still am, but the worry is giving way to excitement and creativity!

I started with peppers:

After drawing them I had to take a section of the drawings and enlarge it:

I had to take 2 sections and work with colour to develop their design potential.

The next step was to look at texture through design elements - this was like machine quilting so I really enjoyed this section:

It was great fun working through this part! I could see lots of potential.

Next was cutting up the design and experimenting the pieces to form a final design piece:

Now comes the fun bit.... making embroidery samples and completing an final piece of embroidery.

So far it has pushed my abilities, scared me and made me want to know more.... so a great journey so far!

I have to remind myself daily that there is no right answer - it's not like maths! My brain is struggling with that concept!

Once the embroidery piece is finished I have to pull it all together in my first portfolio on Line Design.

Making a Start... City and Guild

So the email arrived delivering my first 3 modules of the City and Guild course... it kinda scared the pants off me!

It is really in depth and full of information!

After glancing through it and freaking out, I gave myself a stern talking to!

Take a step at a time like I do everything in life..

So yesterday I spent a small fortune on:

It is 20+ years since I bought artist equipment - I dropped art GCSE for biology.... So I panicked about even having to draw!

You start with simple line drawings:

Than add some structure, I cut into mine:

Peppers are pretty beautiful things! I do remember spending hours in art at school cutting fruit and vegetables to draw in the internal structure.... Not too shabby, given a total lack of drawing for 20 years!

Then create a window using card to focus on a section:

Take a section and enlarge it. Then fill with design - like you are doodling:

And there it is!

The first 2 exercises nearly done got to copy this and colour it in with 2 different colours. Then repeat the selection of a window to enlarge.

It has been fun and I am not feeling so freaked out - so slow, steady and one chunk at a time is the way to go!