The peacocks

While the photoshop is fun for quick design work, when I have specific shapes and elements in mind, it is back to the pencil and paper...

Such is the case for the peacocks for the 2010 challenge block. I intentially chose peacock colors for this landscape block... Peacocks will be the focal point and the success of the block depends on the them so I spent a lot of time with a pencil and even more with the eraser. But I have the designs now.. I wanted them stylized and the neck of the peacock to echo the shape of the silkie as they are close together. I wanted the tail to be fan shaped (January) rather than long and flowing. Finally I wanted the wings shaped so I could do them in a paisley design... The standing peacock will be done in sections as I use small hoops.

Since the whole purpose of the challenge block is to try new things, I look for every opportunity to try something different. I'm playing with the whole flowing art nouveau thing and also anything goldwork...

I love the way Lauri B. fills in with chain stitching and I am going to do that with the resting peacock... I will also show how I use a cut-away technique to transfer designs when I can't trace or use transfer papers...