Creating the Backdrop

The fiber art that I enjoy most are the ones that make me look closely to see how a piece is layered, how depth is achieved, how color is moved. How I achieve this in my own work follows:

•  I start with a sketch. Generally on a plain piece of typing paper. 
• I create some sort of vague nine-patch,; no straight lines here, just roughing in. I use a nine-patch for the same reason the rule of thirds is so appealing in all design.
• I generally draw in another rectangle between the outside edge and inside lines.
• From this starting point, I begin to manipulate the individual lines to create a less structured space.
• I don't like the look of any line moving from top to bottom or left to right.
• I choose a light source. That is, where in this box will my piece be the lightest?  Just as if you are taking a photo and have a window casting light, where on the surface will the lightest place be. I prefer for the light to land anywhere be absolute center but plan to test this soon.
• After this decision is made,  I move around the diagram and mark individual boxes with value phrases. There are five: dark, medium dark, medium, medium light and light.
• I prefer to have the darkest values around the edge and to move from one value to an adjacent without skipping over a value in order to achieve a better flow.
• The darks are not totally around the edge. Near my light source the value will most likely be a medium which is dark compared to the light source value.
• Notice, I have not yet spoken of color.

Here is an example of a background created this way.

This piece is not yet finished as their are elements yet to be placed on top but I save that for a later date.

A number of years ago, when vacationing family reunion style in Durango, CO, my Sister-in-laws and I saw this piece of pottery. We fell in love with it and knew we had to gift our Mother-in-law. She is the mom to 10, add a handful of daughter-in-laws who claim her as theirs, grandmother to 27 and great grandmother to 14. (Although she really is just GREAT to all!)

Once again I don't know who the artists is. I didn't have enough sense to look for and keep that piece of information back in the day.