Summer Heat #1 by Charlotte Ziebarth
I so admire the imagery in Charlotte Ziebarth’s new book Artistic Photo Quilts. She has a wonderful eye for color and composition. She says that “There are many useful design principles listed in art books: rhythm, balance, unity, and so on. I have found the three that were taught to me by my friend, mentor, and art professor, Helen B. Davis, to be very useful and simple to remember: Simplify, Exaggerate, and Repeat.” Charlotte uses those principles to stunning effect.
Return of the Robins by Charlotte Ziebarth
I also really appreciate that even though I’ve been working with Photoshop Elements for a while, I learned a number of new things. My favorite is blending modes (if you have Photoshop Elements, the blending modes are located in a drop down menu in the in the upper left corner of the layers palette). Blending modes are one of the ways that Charlotte creates her complex layered look.
Layered with solid blue fill as the top layer using Difference blend
Layered with solid blue fill as the top layer using Overlay blend
Charlotte prints on 8 1/2″ x 11″ fabric sheets so her quilts show creative and innovative ways to incorporate her images into larger quilts.
If you are at all interested in using your inkjet printer to print on fabric you must have this book. And even if you aren’t sure about this new technology, you’ll find much to be inspired by in Charlotte’s awesome quilts.
6 Comments
Interesting that this should come up today… I have on my sewing room table, propped up, page open to 38/39 of the QA Magazine, Issue 28, August/September 2007… with a view to getting into my Photoshop Lessons and using this as a guide for my photos.
Wow, I am going to have to look into getting her book, altho’ I’ve sworn off getting any more [room problem, re: condo]…
Thank you for this.
Hey, I’ve done many photo quilts but never used this technique. Can’t wait to get this book and play, play, play!!!! :) Joyce R. Becker, Landscape Quilt Artist/C&T Author/ Designer, Teacher
For Joyce….
Hey, cool to meet you here!! I have your DVD…
such fun.
Absolutely beautiful. Looks like this would be a delightful book to make quilts with. Great ideas. Can’t wait to get a copy and make quilts with these techniques.
SewCalGal
http://www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
Does anyone do this kind of work with PaintShopPro? How well does it work for this purpose?
Kathy
Kathy – I’ve played a little with Paint Shop Pro and you should be able to do many of the things that Charlotte talks about in her book. I do know that Paint Shop Pro has many of the same features/functions–you’ll just have to poke around a bit to find them.