I’ve been able to take a break from welding this week and focus on an on-going fabric design project. This past spring, working on a collaborative project with my friend Jana for her quilt shop, The Quilted Raven, we designed some Raven themed fabric that is being custom screen printed on batik fabric. Jana also owns the very cool gift shop Cabin Fever -both shops are in downtown Anchorage. We also decided to produce my popular Raven Garden Flags. In Jana’s quilt shop she sold the flags in kits and at the Market I sold the flags already assembled. Both versions were a success and we are on our second si
lk screening of that project. For some time I have wanted to design quilted wall hanging patterns using Raven and other fun designs. The design part for me is fun and comes much easier to me than planning the fabric colors and print combinations. I’ve said before that I’m not very color brave and on my to-do list list this winter is Judy's on-line Color Theory class, but until then I'm on my own. You’d think that all artists should have an eye for color but just as all artists can’t draw, not all artists (ME) know how to use color! UNTIL I found this handy color wheel called the Rainbow Color Selector at a fabric shop. This wheel helps you select colors that “guarantees (I like the word guarantee) your color choices will be based on proven principles of balance and harmony.” The printed mini companion piece that came with the wheel is very educational and informative.
I’m sure a lot of this color knowledge may be obvious to some, but it wasn’t to me. I know I should have paid closer attention to Color Theory in school –but I didn’t and there is not a whole lot of color variations in steel -well there is various patina's of rust and I've got those down pat! What I like best is the wheel actually inspires me to try other color combinations I normally wouldn’t consider, especially when I look at combining 4 different color combinations –all done by pointing the “Rectangle Tetrad.” By turning the wheel there is even a complementary, triad and split complement stars to better help me with color selections. There are also Square Tetrad, Analogous, Monochromatic,
Counterpoint and Multi-color color combinations the wheel can suggest. My first 3 pattern designs are done and now I’m working on all of the packaging and printed pieces that will accompany the design. I also still need to double check my measurements and proof the sewing instructions, but that stuff is easy compared to selecting the various fabrics and colors that you hope inspires the customers!
