Another Rabbit Hole

I thought this post would describe emerging from a creative rabbit hole with new skills and ideas. And it does – sort of.

My winter obsession started with a spark from a Spoonflower fabric design contest. The contest was “ditsy sheep.” It turned out that “ditsy” did not mean “silly.” My sheep had to get smaller and much more scattered.

Which was great, because it forced me to explore Corel Paintshop Pro (ancient version X1!). I also picked up the wonderful Field Guide to Fabric Design by Kimberly Kight for tutorials and practical design advice (Stash Books, 2011). By the time Spoonflower sent me swatches of my fabric, I could ditsy like a novice. I sketched cottontails in coral, mint, black and white (another contest), and was back down the rabbit hole, ignoring the warning signs of addiction.

Elsewhere in the studio I began a series of colored pencil pieces on mylar. Here’s the Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum, probably thyrsoides) and some carnations in progress. One of my last posts mentioned a love affair with acrylic paint. The image behind the Ornithogalum is an acrylic painting.

I keep planning to spend more time on the botanical series, but I’ve let two dozen pink carnations wither in the vase while playing with fabric. I’ve been texting friends and family with pictures of my latest designs. I scribble motifs on napkins and see colorways when I close my eyes at night. The mailman delivered a new set of swatches yesterday. Every day I tell myself “one more pattern. I can stop any time I want.”

Then I discovered Paintshop’s kaleidoscope option.

So I really have gone down a creative rabbit hole and acquired new skills and ideas. I just can’t get out. I feel a little more Go Ask Alice than Alice in Wonderland. Over the weekend I worked on the beagle contest. Feel free to ignore my texts.