The Design Process

For those of you who have expressed... um..anxiety? . ..about my not posting (and you know who you are...as do I) here's what I have been doing instead of entertaining you with the goings on at Maison Cou Rouge..

I've been working on two needlepoint canvas commissions. The design process is not unlike other media, with the added fun of not only incorporating color and texture, but also the elements of stitches, canvas and thread materials into account.

So how does it work? Well, first of all, I'm blessed that the people I design for pretty much let me run with ideas. They tell me what they are looking for, and rein me in when I go too far afield.

It helps the design process that I am a needlepointer myself. So I know what will work, and what won't.( For example, you're never gonna get a perfect circle out of slanted stitches.) Shapes have to be interpreted and repeats figured out. There's a bit of math involved. And a lot of flying by the seat of my pants.

I always encourage my clients to use the best quality materials. With all "needlesports", I prefer working in silk or wool, because it lasts. When one invests this much time into a project (hundreds, sometimes thousands of hours) one should plan on the work being handed down to one's grandchildren. Yes, I have already warned my own children that if they ever throw out one of my pillows, hangings, or objects d'art, I will come back from the grave to haunt them. I will be a little more forgiving on the knitted objects, but not much... but I digress...

So back to the works at hand. the first one is a wall hanging for a shop that is decorated in the colors of South Beach Miami. Pinks, greens, blues...and flamingos everywhere. Here's what I came up with via my watercolors and my computer...if you look closely by the tail, you can see some penciled notes for threads, stitches, or embellishments..

I'm really loving this chick's face...

Once I get a final approval, I use my incredibly inexpensive lightbox to transfer the painting to canvas (why buy a lightbox when sunlight and a large window in my office will do....) This is another commission..

I trace over my major outlines, making changes for stitch patterns where necessary


Ending up with something like this.

Next, I'll refine my design and get my paint box out...but that's for another day.

So no, my dears, I haven't been lying around eating bonbons all day...or playing on the internet...much.......................