Monday, March 19, 2007

Bonnie Lyn McCaffrey - Painted Faces


I have had a copy of Bonnie's book Portrait Quilts - Painted Faces You Can Do. I read through it. I decided I couldn't and put the book on the shelf. This should not be seen as a reflection of the book, it has far more to do with my fears of art and drawing. I now know this is the case. You see now I have done the course I know the book says, do what you do with fabric but in paint. It is pretty much exactly the technique I use for all my nudes, yet when I first read the book I missed that entirely. I put that down to panic, and the voices in my head telling me I can't do it. I still don't quite believe I did, and I keep thinking I must have cheated or got lucky, so I plan on doing another as soon as possible. In fact I plan on buying some more fabric from her tomorrow so I can get to it right away. Maybe once I have done a few I will start to believe I can. It's worked with the nudes, I am now sure I can do anything I can think of.

The face is designed to be cut out and applied to a background, it also needs hair and clothes, but I think you can get the idea. Bear in mind I am really not a painter, and I am terrified of anything this artistic. In fact it was quite a stressful day, even though I enjoyed it enormously. Every time I picked up the brush to paint my hand was shaking, not helpful for drawing fine lines. Then to round of the day I got videoed again. Eeek, that is even more scary, but very worthwhile, I love Bonnie's pod casts and I would love to make it onto another, especially as it was with Decadence. I guess I will learn to get comfortable with cameras too. It helps as well that I have seen how good Bonnie is at editing, if anyone can make me look like I have a clue it is her. She is a very good teacher, and I've learned a lot today, not just about painting faces. Thanks for all the advice and encouragement Bonnie.

4 comments:

CONNIE W said...

Ferret, your work ASTOUNDS me. You are gifted, my friend. Such beautiful work! I am in awe, don't even know what to write other than this. You should enter your work in every competition! Wow. :D

Nellie's Needles said...

Whoa! YOU did this? WOW! Really, it's time you stop denigrating your talent and skills. Repeat after me, "I AM AN ARTIST." Now keep repeating that until you believe it. There's a whole bunch of us out here who know it.

Katie said...

Ferret it was a brilliant day.

Like the Blogs.... :-)

Catherine

(Patchwork Corner)

Ferret said...

Trust me the credit for this lies very firmly with Bonnie, however, I will be trying to put what I learned into practice. I have learned a new way to look at painting though which I do think will give me a lot more options. In fact it means that I can now do a project I have been thinking about for 3 years

Hi Catherine, Didn't know you had a blog, fancy sending me a link to it? Your profile isn't shared so I can't just click on you.