The Coloring Issue and a Skull Quilt.

TO COLOR OR NOT TO COLOR, THAT IS THE QUESTION...

I've done another self portrait! I like it best out of the three so far. Right now, it's only in the inked stage. I haven't gone any further, because even though at first my plan was to color it, now I'm scared to make the plunge.

Knowing when a piece is "done" (or ready to be "abandoned" as my painting teacher says- "I've never actually ever FINISHED a painting; I've just abandoned them!" So true, so true) is the hardest part of art making in my opinion. There is always the quandary of whether or not it could be improved. The problem comes because just as easily as it COULD be bettered, it could also be made worse (or totally ruined!) And overworked is never good; once you go too far there's no going back, unless you decide to reincarnate it as something else. I asked some people about their opinion on the coloring issue- most of them thought that it was worth trying out the color idea, but that I should try to make a photocopy so that I would still have a black and white version. The drawing is too big for a regular scanner unless I want to try to scan it in pieces, but I can fit most of it on an 11 x 17 piece of paper, which could be done easily on a photocopier. I'm pretty sure that my public library has one, so I'm going to make a few copies to try out different coloring techniques/materials, and keep the original just as it is. I'll keep you posted!

Do you recognize that little guy? (The gross white glare on his eye is from the camera flash. I hate flash, but I couldn't get a proper picture otherwise :/)

This weekend I also embarked on my first quilting adventure. I've never done any quilting, but as you know I love sewing (PLUSHIES!! PLUSHIES!!! ^__^) sew I though I'd give it a go (haha!) It's a skull quilt made entirely from 4 x 4 squares of scrap fabric. I found the idea on one of my favorite websites of all time, Cut Out and Keep. If you're a crafty and kooky person, you should definitely take a look. It has all kinds of great inspiration.

Yesterday I finished cutting out all the squares and laying them out where I wanted them to go. I may start sewing today :)

The skull isn't super prominent because I since I only had scrap fabric to work from, I didn't have many choices. But I think it's kind of cool that way. I had SO much fun cutting out all the squares, as monotonous as it sounds. I could remember what each fabric was originally used for...there were a lot of scraps from various shirts my mom made before I was born, and there are even some squares from some of my old pajama pants!