The subject is birds, the method is using bondaweb -- lots of possibilities! Battery hens came to mind immediately, but I decided to rise above that depressing thought. So, a quick rummage through the sketchbooks. These drawings from years ago
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5UpHJ6uSMyDk5osKRiFvrW2knteeyIqLtalOBL4bg9sGPF9cC2nKzZFqQDhqBXb0tsrMP5YTmuuxxlAhIt-Km9IY7ipBlPx7LDfrh7sIta9ywD8d1ZO264QMUsSwwLiapOUvTA/s320/CIMG8883drawn.jpg)
were also interpreted in collage - influenced by an early applique piece by
Janet Bolton -
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlCPNcg4VCaPQ7gNEHzudE9YZJzzSANk3zWgUaGuwYPDs12PJ2t95v6W27GRePQb4_dXqE0xcskip8F3U6Ivz9T4NJrLnTWNoJJv3OAlYwfnDmWppHpTksSX7HPJ-YxGsF0QKJw/s320/CIMG8884collageChooks.jpg)
This time I wanted to do doves rather than chickens - inspired by the (misremembered!)
dovecote at Rousham![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7x4gxenEK4r1CkZc_60ENZYjHtf390WMBWWvoLSaeZhhpsYqmXGwOu9pa0IQJ9u3YLMQ6WLXuNYSNcrmjbTnwGW5MG8pL53S46te1bYXPSxKn3p2eHAndWz6c6F255v0LeLBXg/s320/CIMG8888collage.jpg)
My twists on
Jane's instructions are: getting the bird shapes via cutting them out of paper rather than tracing a drawing, and using the bondaweb for the background - here it is drawn on the paper backing -- but I'd forgotten to reverse the drawing -
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83UlQF523Iu_TR75vaMxuXZNtMhO9rYvlPm8I00wlqjJGD3Ih2IDTeyN2XSUkRnw3bUb1wabiI-HyF4QeO_TErgy1ck3NVvBhCvdCmuNx7-r5kJx-eDYnR1HK7wsJ4FwS9SsYPg/s320/CIMG8889drawn.jpg)
Here's the fabric palette - muted blues for the background, colourful silks for the doves -
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uGApdgU57rsGGQklSNQmefve7WpSAQJNWtd6n9SatcPe494EJvxiIpqlbhDp4NodkWXBXxRQku2r9FGiHPbzFHqLMS9deRW_jGpdIbhx23K3WSm2lBTuzUQTD_bAl5zWa0sf3g/s320/CIMG8891fabric.jpg)
The background in place, and an idea of how the little (and big) doves will fit in.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegBw5CKRQ9jXjsMNkezxb43Sl2PAfoyKneT3DmBOh7ZKX7MMgGOuV33Nz7YAzFC1fDmZdOfJ3GCn_I8atW1VtZwXDcNCBLkzSLX488MyN_Q3COfeDPofXruE4FRXQQ2jpIeuIFQ/s320/CIMG8892background.jpg)
When it came to adding the details, the coloured birds just didn't work. I'd been thinking about Picasso's "
palomas" series in the Barcelona
Picasso museum, in which the pigeons in his dovecote are white. It's enlightening to see how simply Picasso has depicted the doves - just a couple of circles - and in some of his lithographs, like this one
here, the bird appears to be just a couple of squiggles!
Mine of course were much, much more laboured. Clunky, even. As I was laying out the pieces of the big bird, Tony happened by and moved the head and beak to the side, a tiny change that makes all the difference --
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGohwctZSlRWyTPPK_prw8MP7FS48YqXhgQo0MD87zj8lBD8DX9pJSm-VmNCzD_cGVyqTSoHSkMz1SSHHzKx7nGPIK785DS3zl1nYii3lrMMdJPLEgwHxL5duhiTWAhO63chkhw/s320/CIMG8934done.jpg)
The "tail feathers" are done with free machining, and the eyes are french knots.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWqKHd0pG_jM-hwVeqpEYMJtzGGdDEUpg9X0PEXMF9Pa6_lDFYqjzgdNb4z8Tzci-LYPfLzbdYou1LNiJGHCnklYREKYLNeNQpTLxMx19iqkN8DsC988XEyMJjg_C4JRl9EdEMrQ/s320/CIMG8935detail.jpg)
To develop this further, I'd look harder at the structure in Picasso's pix and also do some ink-dropper drawings of memories of birds in motion and at rest (which will involve looking harder at birds in general). And be less restrained in my choice of fabric - look at the bright blues and ochres in the Picasso pix, after all. Just break out a bit, free up....
Clever Tony! Isn't it just a bit annoying when people do that. Just one little tweak and voila. I like the idea of "chunky" birds - made me smile.
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ReplyDeletewonderful post! I really enjoy your blog, and your intellectual creative process. The doves are wonderful!!
ReplyDelete(and I hate to be a pest, but would you fix the link to my name? Thanks!!!
http://janeville.blogspot.com/ or to http://www.PlainJaneStudio.com )