Barton - Inspired to Design: Seven Steps to Successful Art Quilts

Text and Photography copyright 2013 by Elizabeth Barton

Artwork copyright 2013 by C&T Publishing, Inc.

PUBLISHER: Amy Marson

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Gailen Runge

ART DIRECTOR: Kristy Zacharias

EDITOR: Lynn Koolish

TECHNICAL EDITOR: Alison M. Schmidt

COVER/BOOK DESIGNER: April Mostek

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Jenny Davis

PRODUCTION EDITOR: Alice Mace Nakanishi

ILLUSTRATOR: Jessica Jenkins

Quilt and Inspirational Photography by Elizabeth Barton, unless otherwise noted; How-To Photography by Christina Carty-Francis and Diane Pedersen of C&T Publishing, Inc.

Inspired to Design Download

Copyright 2011 by C&T Publishing, Inc.

ISBN 978-1-60705-635-5

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For Clare and Jane

Thank you to Carol Miller and to Lynn Koolish who encouraged me to write this book. Much gratitude goes to all the students in the workshops Ive taught who have been so welcoming and so responsive.

Have you ever wondered how to create an art quilt from a beautiful inspiration such as a gorgeous photograph, a memory of a lovely place, or even an evening drinking and dancing your heart out? The goal of this book is to show you how to work from those inspirations and at the same time help you to discover your own personal voice. Its your inspiration and you want your voice to express what you saw, heard, smelled, and experienced. It can be so satisfying to make something that shows your own feelings about the flowers in your garden, the day on the river, or the wintry walk.

Its also important to create well-designed and well-composed quilts, so in the process of showing you how to develop designs from your own inspirations, this book will also cover the basics of good design that are relevant to the art quilt.

I often see people writing in their blogs these days, Oh, dont forget the Es and Ps of good design!

I fear they confuse these terms, for they are not the same thing. The Es, or elements, of design are simply the objects that are available to use in two-dimensional design: shapes, lines, values, colors, and textures. Everything in a work of art, be it a quilt, painting, or photograph, is made up of these five basic elements. Every design is made of shapes and lines that are of various colors and values; some of them have a significant pattern (or texture) while others do not. The elements are the building blocks. They are what you work with, so theyre not something youre likely to forget! In quilts, shapes are made from fabric, but they are still just shapes; stitches are lines. Textures can be the design printed or painted onto the surface of the fabric, or the density of the quilting.

The Ps, or principles, refer to how well you arrange the elements in two-dimensional space. The principles, simply listed, are unity/harmony, variety, rhythm/repetition/movement, balance/proportion, and economy. There is much more to come about the importance of these concepts.

Well go through all the steps from the initial idea or inspiration through the formulation of a strong composition. Its a step-by-step approach because a great composition does not happen by accident. It takes planning, patience, and knowledge. It requires you to think. Every step in creating a quilt design involves choices, and choices are determined by the power of thought.

After youve had a lot of experience with looking and designing, however, many of the steps and things you have to watch out for become more automatic. This is why experienced artists often appear to be working quickly and effortlesslywhat you dont see is the hours and hours, weeks, months, and years of practice. Making art is the same as playing the piano or dancing ballet: It requires practice.

West Cliff Steps, the original photo, by Elizabeth Barton

West Cliff Steps by Elizabeth Barton, 40 63