Monday, June 4, 2012

Photo inspiration

My small weekly quilt group has a challenge every year and we exhibit our results at a local library.  The challenge for this year is to use a photograph , preferably taken by you, and use it for inspiration for a small (about 18" x 24") quilt.  It can be used in any way: copy it realistically, use the colors, do a photo transfer, abstract it, etc.  


I took this picture in Istanbul at the Grand Bazaar.  I was bowled over by the colors and knew that some day it would be a quilt.  Now I have the perfect opportunity.




I definitely plan to abstract it, leaving out most of the extraneous objects, and mainly use the colors.  I almost always use my hand dyed fabrics, but looking through my small stash of solids, some left over from Brown Planet, I came up with this palette.  Pretty good, don't you think? One hand dyed snuck in there.  Can you tell?

I also took a great picture of a minaret.  I may or may not superimpose that on top.

I have a very busy week ahead, so I don't think I'll get much done, but at least it's simmering away in my brain. This isn't due until September, but I like to get things done ahead of time, if possible.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Norma, I really like this photo. The market must have been a fabulous place. And I love the rich fabrics you've chosen. One of the things I find most striking about your photo is the amazing blue that is in the background. When I cover it up, the photo is not nearly so rich. The blue is what makes your lovely golds and oranges sing.

Vivien Zepf said...

I love this picture, too, and have to agree with Lynne; please consider adding a dash of that vibrant blue.

Martha Ginn said...

This photo screams saffron and turmeric and other exotic spices; looks like fabric #6 is the hand-dye. These will be so pleasing to work with. Eager to see how you abstract all those triangles.

Kate Themel said...

Oooo! Beautiful photo. I love the colors you've selected. They really capture the essence of the photo. And I agree with Icroswell about the bit of blue as a nice balance in the background.
Can't wait to see the finished quilt!

Sarah said...

Your photo from the Grand Bazaar is brilliant. I was in Istanbul a couple of years ago and absolutely loved wondering around. Your colours really give you a sense of the smells, sights and sounds! Can't wait to see what evolves. PS I think it's number 6 from the left also!

Norma Schlager said...

Martha and Sarah are right about it being #6. I really hadn't noticed the blue in the picture, but now that Lynne, Vivien, and Kate have pointed it out, I can see that I will have to include some blue, too. I also have a lot of Dupioni silk in my stash in those colors, so I may use those instead. The picture will be so abstracted, that you will not recognize it. I am mostly going with the colors.

Linda Teddlie Minton said...

Gorgeous photo, yummy fabrics. Can't wait to see what you do with it. ("ahead of time"? what's that?)