It's pouring rain here today. Has been all summer. So I am in the studio. I want to paint, but I don't want to think too hard about what to paint. My concentration level is a bit on the low side. I have boxed canvas that I had previously painted on, then didn't like the outcome. If I paint over it, I can get one of my books from my all time favourite artist Jo Sonja Jansen, pick a design, then recreate it to fit the canvas. That will be a great exercise in brush skills. So, I choose this design. This is the back cover of 'The Art of Folk Painting', by Jo Sonja Jansen (and David). I bought this book over 20 years ago, as you can probably tell from the scuffs and scrapes on it. It will be a good subject for practicing brush skills, but I don't want mine to look so 'neat'. Let's see what we end up with... Here is my canvas, all painted up and ready to go. Ok, I have the pattern sketched on there - yes, I did say 'sketched'. It is a good habit to get into to freehand your designs on, and this isn't too hard if you keep a few things in mind. Like, if you look close enough, you can see that I have divided the canvas down the middle, both horizontally and vertically. You could then split those areas in half again if you liked. These lines help you place things in a balanced, symmetrical way. No real detail here, just enough for you to base in the shapes. The more you practice, the better you get. No shortcuts here.Here is the palette that I have chosen to go with. All acrylic. Going from the white on the top right, anticlockwise, we have - Titanium White, Moss Green, Sap Green, Green Oxide (2 splodges of), Teal Green (but I didn't end up using it), Celadon, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Storm Blue (there is a splodge of Blue deep there, but that wasn't used either), Purple Madder, Burgundy, Napthol Crimson, Red Earth, Napthol Red Light, Raw Sienna, Yellow Oxide, Turners Yellow. Most of the colours are Jo Sonja Artist Colours. I always use a wet palette, when working with acrylics. One in a shallow container with a lid. Most folk art designs require you to base in the shapes in a medium value. Then we come back to shade, highlight and decorate. Can you see how I've used a sponge and a rough bristle brush to 'scrub in' colour to the background colour of the canvas. I stroked this colour around most of the design objects, to 'ground' them. It also gives the canvas more of the rustic look I was after. Here is the finished painting. till next time Fiona .
Update June 14, 2016: This pattern has been removed and is no longer available. Read Copycats? post for explanation. Update September 21, 2018: After receiving many supportive comments on my Copycats? post regarding design inspiration versus copying, I am ready to share this pattern again. Happy crocheting!! * * * * * I continue to crochet critters using my Blue Bunny pattern as a prototype. This time I've altered the pattern to make a bear. I made him a bit chubbier with slightly longer arms. He has a little round tail and his ears are totally different of course. Meet Boo Bear. He was happy to pose for photos last night before the sunlight faded. Isn't he a cute little bear? Boo Bear is a shy little bear. I think it would be good for him to have some playmates so I plan to make more in a rainbow of colours. As always, I'll be sure to share photos as my bear clan grows. I've included the free pattern for Boo Bear below in case you would like to make one too. Boo bear PATTERN PDF Version Materials used: 1 ball (5 oz) of worsted weight yarn in dark grey. 1 ball (5 oz) of worsted weight yarn in cream colour. Hook size = 3.5 mm yarn needles to join pieces Polyester Fiberfill for stuffing Small amount of black yarn (for eyes) Small amount of pink yarn (for mouth) Stitches used: ch - chain stitch ss - slip stitch sc - single crochet inc - sc increase dec - sc decrease (sc2tog - single crochet 2 together) Magic Circle - see how here (start each piece with magic circle) Time to Complete - 16 hours (approximately) Finished size - 14 inches tall Legs (x2) Use dark grey yarn. Working from the bottom up, starting with a magic circle, use stitch marker to mark end of rows (work in continuous rounds with no joining) R1 - 6 sc (6) R2 - inc x6 (12) R3 - (sc inc) x6 (18) R4 - (2 sc inc) x6 (24) R5-R6 - sc around (24) R7 - sc2tog x4 + 16 sc (20) R8 - sc2tog x4 + 12 sc (16) R9-R16 - sc around (16) R17 - (3 sc inc) x4 (20) R18-R20 - sc around (20) R21 - (4 sc inc) x4 (24) R22 - sc around (24) Finish off and stuff leg. Body Join legs on middle 2 stitches as shown in this tutorial. The instructions are in German but the video alone is enough to understand the technique. Once the legs are joined continue crocheting around both legs to form the body. R23 - sc around (49) R24 - sc around (49) R25 - (5 sc inc) x 7 + 7 sc (56) R26 - sc around (56) R27 - (9 sc inc) x 5 + 6 sc (61) R28 - sc 24 + (sc inc + 2 sc) x6 + 23 sc (67) R29 - sc around (67) R30 - sc around (67) R31 - sc around (67) R32 - sc around (67) R33 - (8 sc dec) x6 + 5 sc dec (60) R34 - sc around (60) R35 - sc around (60) R36 - sc around (60) R37 - (8 sc dec) x6 (54) R38 - 14 sc dec dec + 23 sc dec dec + 10 sc (50) R39 - sc around (50) R40 - 14 sc dec + 23 sc dec + 9 sc (48) R41 - sc around (48) R42 - 15 sc dec + 21 sc dec + 8 sc (46) R43 - sc around (46) R44 - 14 sc dec + 20 sc dec + 8 sc (44) R45 - sc around (44) R46 - 13 sc dec + 19 sc dec + 8 sc (42) R47 - sc around (42) R48 - 12 sc dec + 18 sc dec + 8 sc (40) R49 - sc around (40) R50 - 13 sc dec + 17 sc dec + 6 sc (38) R51 - sc around (38) R52 - 12 sc dec + 17 sc dec + 5 sc (36) R53 - sc around (36) R54 - sc around (36) R55 - (4 sc dec) x6 (30) R56 - sc around (30) R57 - sc around (30) R58 - sc around (30) R59 - (3 sc dec) x6 (24) R60 - sc around (24) R61 - (2 sc dec) x6 (18) R62 - sc around (18) Finish off and cut yarn leaving a long tail to attach the head. Stuff body firmly. Arms (x2) Start with cream yarn R1 - 6 sc (6) R2 - inc x6 (12) R3 - (sc inc) x6 (18) R4 - sc around (18) R5 - (4 sc dec) x3 (15) R6 - sc around (15) R7 - (3 sc dec) x 3 (12) Change to dark grey yarn at end of R7 R8 - sc around (12) R9 - (4 sc dec) x 2 (10) R10-R37 - sc around (10) Finish off and cut yarn leaving a long tail for joining. Stuff only hands and part way up arm. Head Use cream yarn. R1 - 6 sc (6) R2 - inc x6 (12) R3 - (sc inc) x6 (18) R4 - (2 sc inc) x6 (24) R5 - (3 sc inc) x6 (30) R6 - (4 sc inc) x6 (36) R7 - (5 sc inc) x6 (42) R8 - (6 sc inc) x6 (48) R9 - (7 sc inc) x6 (54) R10 - (8 sc inc) x6 (60) R11 - sc around (60) R12 - sc around (60) R13 - sc around (60) R14 - sc around (60) R15 - sc around (60) R16 - sc around (60) R17 - sc around (60) R18 - sc around (60) R19 - sc around (60) R20 - sc around (60) R21 - (8 sc dec) x6 (54) R22 - sc around (54) R23 - (7 sc dec) x6 (48) R24 - (6 sc dec) x6 (42) R25 - (5 sc dec) x6 (36) R26 - (4 sc dec) x6 (30) R27 - (3 sc dec) x6 (24) R28 - (2 sc dec) x6 (18) R29 - (2 sc dec) x3 + 6 sc (15) R30 - sc around (15) R31 - sc around (15) Finish off and cut yarn leaving a long tail for joining. Stuff head and neck firmly to hold shape. Hood Use dark grey yarn and follow pattern for Head up to Row 24. Check to make sure hood fits head as and adjust tension based on fit. You may have to move up a hook size if the hood is too tight. R1 - 6 sc (6) R2 - inc x6 (12) R3 - (sc inc) x6 (18) R4 - (2 sc inc) x6 (24) R5 - (3 sc inc) x6 (30) R6 - (4 sc inc) x6 (36) R7 - (5 sc inc) x6 (42) R8 - (6 sc inc) x6 (48) R9 - (7 sc inc) x6 (54) R10 - (8 sc inc) x6 (60) R11 - sc around (60) R12 - sc around (60) R13 - sc around (60) R14 - sc around (60) R15 - sc around (60) R16 - sc around (60) R17 - sc around (60) R18 - sc around (60) R19 - sc around (60) R20 - sc around (60) R21 - (8 sc dec) x6 (54) R22 - sc around (54) R23 - (7 sc dec) x6 (48) R24 - (6 sc dec) x6 (42) R25 - ss loosely around (42) Finish off and cut yarn leaving a long tail for joining. Position on head as shown in photos above. After attaching head to body, I like to wrap the tail from the hood around the neck to cover joining stitches. Ears (x2) Use dark grey yarn. R1 - 6 sc (6) R2 - inc x6 (12) R3 - (sc inc) x6 (18) R4 - (2 sc inc) x6 (24) R5-8 - sc around (24) Finish off leaving 8" tail for joining. Fold ear in half to form a natural curve and attach to head (see photo above). Tail Use dark grey yarn. R1 - 6 sc (6) R2 - inc x6 (12) R3-4 - sc around (12) Finish off leaving 6" tail for joining. I just stuffed starting yarn end into tail but so it is only lightly stuffed then attached to form a neat little ball on his backside (see photo above). Refer to photos of Boo Bear before joining ears, head, arms and tail. I like to pin the pieces in place to pick the most pleasing look before attaching. Be the first to comment - click on No comments: below
Rosemaling ist eine norwegische Handwerkskunst, bei der hölzerne Gebrauchsgegenstände wie Truhen und Schalen dekorativ bemalt werden. Seit dem 17. Jahrhundert haben sich verschiedene Stile entwicke…
Crochet. Needlepoint. Cross Stitch. Tole Painting. There wasn't a craft Grandma couldn't do.
What is Rosemaling? A traditional form of Norwegian decoration folk art, practised more in America today than in Norway itself. Find out why.
