As usual when given the challenge of 'beginnings' I started with brainstorming, recording ideas and sketches. I
immediately thought of my beginnings in quilting, beginnings of art
quilting and also beginnings in color. Below are a few shots from my
sketchbook as I worked through some ideas.
Looking back now I may have preferred the finished quilts of my first
sketches but I settled on the last one, partly out of time constraints
but I did know I wanted to make a quilt based on black and white blocks
and this was a good opportunity to do it.
Then which color or colors to add? That was quickly decided with the
three primaries as this is a 'beginnings' quilt. As you see from the
sketch I hadn't decided to put Itten's theory to work yet, but as I
glanced at my book shelf , that old book from Color Theory class junped
out at me and I immediately knew I would be using Itten's theory of
Harmonious Proportions.
I took those relationship ratios and put then into a relationship among
the three primaries and came up with 6 to 8 to 3. I decided I wanted my
widest strip to be 2" so the blue was cut 2", red 1.75" and yellow 7/8".
As I started to cut fabric for the binding it hit me that I needed to
use the same relationships there.
Here are a few shots of the piece.
Thanks Vicki for fun challenge!
Wow Gina, you put a lot of thought into this one. I have itten's book, too so it is very familiar to me. It is very clean and streamlined and I love the little extra detail of the binding in proportions, too. The stitching with the variegated thread is very effective and gives it great depth. Love it.
ReplyDeleteGina, I love black and white with shots of color, and your piece has that and other elements I love. It is clean and streamlined, and I like the juxtaposition of the straight and curved lines. And I love the way you bound it!
ReplyDeleteOnce again you have effectively used art principles in your work to good advantage. The contrasting colors make a bold graphic statement.
ReplyDeleteOh Gina I love how you have managed to take simple piecing and through colour and proportion make a bold and complex statement. Someday I may understand your explanation behind proportions, but suffice it to say that I will always look to your piece as an excellent example of proportions.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Johannes Itten, my bible in Art School! You’ve made a well balanced and colourful composition and a great quilt!!
ReplyDeleteGina, I love the boldness of this piece. I am not familiar with Itten... goes to show you how I entered the art world backwards, I guess. You really put a lot of thought into your work. I love the quilting!!!
ReplyDeleteI really like this! I'm not familiar with Itten, either, but you've created a wonderful piece. The black and white with the primary colours works so perfectly, and the binding is fabulous.
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