Showing posts with label stitching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stitching. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

STITCHED LANDSCAPES

 This technique uses the gel prints that we made in the last class, Small Texture Gel Prints. Tearing the pieces of gel print into small pieces and layering them, you can create wonderful landscape designs that are then further highlighted with the use of hand stitching with metallic threads to hold it all in place. An alternative is to use a sewing machine to stitch the papers down. I have done both in the samples below. These are all created on 200gsm Baohong watercolour paper that has the sky area painted before layering the papers. Such a satisfying technique, and it's a great use of gel prints, but could also be done by using plain and small patterned papers. For the first time, I'm using no quotes or words on these as I want the landscapes to speak for themselves; however, I had to call them something so each has a name as a description.

Red Sky

Moonlit Sea
(Here's a good trick to get that perfect moon on
watercolour. Wrap a 5c piece (approx dime size)
with a tissue and while the sky is still wet, press
the tissue-wrapped coin into the sky.
It will leave the perfect moon shape.)


Barren Hills

Golden Sun

Chocolate Hills
(In the Philippines, there is an area with hills that turn
brown when the green dies off. They
are called Chocolate Hills. This reminded
me of the pictures that I'd seen of them.)

Blue Lake



Wednesday, July 30, 2025

STITCHED WATERCOLOUR

 In my previous life as a costume designer/maker, I had a collection of specialty metallic threads that were used on the costumes. So when I saw someone had used metallic thread as an added accent to a watercolour painting, I just had to give this a go on my ATCs. I love the simple style of the painting that is elevated with the addition of the metallic thread, and as usual, these all look so much nicer in real life. I know this technique can be used with simple stamped designs, but I like that you can paint whatever you want and then embellish it with metallic thread. The thread is doubled, so it shows up more as it is quite thin, and you simply attach it to the back with a little double-sided tape. I used Daniel Smith watercolour paints for all of the painting. I think the amount of white background space also helps to enhance this particular style.
If you click on the picture, you will get a better idea of how the stitching looks.

"Grow with the flow"
(Silver metallic thread)

"Bloom"
(Gold metallic thread)


"I paint flowers"
(Gold & orange metallic thread)

"Life's a painting"
(Gold metallic thread)

"Lookin' sharp"
(Gold metallic thread)

"Be-leaf"
(Gold metallic thread)


I saw some cards on Pinterest and made a couple following the same style. They inspired me to try this technique on ATCs. I did my own stitch designs and the possibilities are endless.

"Possible"

"Ordinary"