Dragon Reflections
Chris Daly 2011 created for
Art Quilts Around the World "Another Place" Challenge
I am an avid reader of fantasy fiction. As a child I was immersed in the Land of OZ series by LF Baum. Not only did I love the stories but I marveled at the fantastic illustrations of John R. Neill. Later I traveled with Ursula Le Guin to Earthsea and Anne McCaffrey to meet the Dragon Riders of Pern.
This quilt was created for the Art Quilts Around the World "Another Place" challenge. We were to create a quilt using a technique we had not used before. We also had to use plastic and paper in our quilts.
The idea of a dragon theme quilt came to me immediately. Trying to figure out how to incorporate plastic and paper into this project kept me from starting my quilt top for quite a while. I tried thinking in an abstract mixed media sense but kept coming back to my original theme. Once I had the idea of a reflecting pool it all came together.
The dragon reflection in the pool is drawn on card stock using colored pencils. I quilted the batik fabric then covered the dragon image with the plastic from a Ziploc Freezer Bag. I tried a cellophane type of bag first but the stitching perforated the plastic. The plastic in the freezer bag is very pliable and stands up well to the machine quilting.
I worked on the quilted dragon head separately. I drew the quilting details on the top fabric first using a pencil. Next I layered the top with batting and a muslin backing. I machine quilted the scales on the dragon head and neck. Once that was complete I applied Daler Rowney acrylic inks over the top of the quilting, a technique I have wanted to try for a long time. The inks covered the pencil lines, toned down the turquoise blue quilting thread and added a vibrant shimmer to the dragon. I added 2 more layers of batting under the dragon's head to give it more dimension. The head is appliqued it in place using a straight stitch.
The Daler Rowney acrylic inks were a gift from my mom this Christmas. I had read about the inks on Leslie McNeil's blog MarveLes Art Studios. I love these inks. Thanks Mom, thanks Les! The inks have more substance to them than some of the other fabric paints on the market. They were easy to mix and apply. I love the subtle shimmer they add to my fabrics.
Wishing you a very Happy New Year!
Chris
7 comments:
Wonderful piece, and technique. My son loves dragons, so one day I will have to make a dragon piece.
Debbie
Nice quilting! :)
that sure is a beauty!! great work.
Karen
Chris, this is so cool -- of course, I am a dragon lover also. I think you used all the techniques well together. And a Ziploc -- how clever!
Don't you just LOVE those inks? Which ones did you use? I would love to see some detail shots -- or maybe just in person...
Love the dragon and his otherworldly reflection. Can't wait to meet him or her in person. What thread did you use to quilt the background? It gives a starry effect on my computer screen. So glad you're enjoying the inks! Love and happy new year...
I love your idea for the water reflection. Cute idea too.
You are an amazingly talented lady Chris. Awesome quilt!
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