Saturday, December 17, 2011

Drawing yarn again

Its that time of year when I get itching to knit, or at least draw it. Its fun to draw something that's not an assignment, or a commission, or with an eye toward selling it somehow. Just for fun, or to practice, or to work out an idea.

These two hearts were supposed to be an idea about joining two hearts together, but at some point I realized it could be just the opposite - two hearts coming undone! Oh well. 

This was done with Polychromos on Bristol. I defined the knitting rows with some warm grey over the pinks. Trying to make knitting look 'real' requires a good bit of standing back from the piece, or walking away and coming back and seeing it fresh - at least for me. Its easy to get caught up in the pattern of stitches, and lose site of the whole. Actually, I wasn't going for a super realistic look here, but rather an illustrative realism. 




And I do love my cables, so had to draw one. This one is a simple single cable knit on 8 stitches, with no background (usually there would be some purl stitches flanking either side). I isolated it to make it look almost like an architectural column, and left it a little flatter and graphic.




I would love to do a series of invented knitting pieces. In colored pencil though? Hmmm, not sure. I do love putting in those fuzzy bits all around with pencils - not sure it would be half the fun with paint. Hey, maybe I can do portraits, or still lifes, or house portraits - in knitting! Do you dare me to try? I think that's the kind of thing that could be unbearably tacky in real life (like, actually knitted). OK, not maybe - definitely. But maybe, just maybe, it could be kind of cool as a piece of art. Or not. I could just be tired. The holiday hoopla makes everyone just a tad loopy I think. I went out for a while today, and got in a good bit of people watching as I ate my chicken teriyaki bowl near the entrance to Barnes & Noble. Boy howdy, people are fun to watch. Some of them would look good 'knitted' I think. 

Anyways. Hope you're all having a nice holiday season with warmth and loved ones (two and four legged) and nice food. And something knitted. 

8 comments:

Claudia Karabaic Sargent said...

These are so lovely. I would love to see you do knitted loopy portraits! I think they'd be awesome.
My favorite parts of these drawings are all the little fuzzies coming out from the yarn. A detail after my own heart. <3
GORGEOUS, as always!

"JeanneG" said...

Of course try a portrait. Then if you like it, do more. Always a pleasure to see your art and knitting. Love your details that I can't seem to do when I make art. Don't have the patience.

CC said...

Love these. My eyes water just imagining how carefully you have looked at your "model" and then at your work as it progresses.

Beautiful inspiring stuff, as always.

Susie Tenzer said...

Love the fuzziness! Very creative, really interesting.

Paula Pertile said...

Thank you ladies!
Claudia, the fuzzy bits are my favorite part too.
Carolyn, I actually didn't have a model for these - I just invented them. I don't have the patience to knit something, then also draw it. Its one or the other! :~)

Sarah Melling said...

So lovely! I love the hearts...great valentine or wedding image. Years ago, I bought my kids' Christmas stockings with their names knitted into them from this place (http://www.specialtiesinwool.com/trad.html) and when I got them out this year, I thought of your knitting art!

Koosje Koene said...

It's unbelievable. I want to touch them!

Curious Art said...

The little fuzzies absolutely make these-- don't lose them!!! Also, I love the way the heart one could be unraveling or joining, depending on your point of view. Clever!