Quinn Knits a Twisted Yarn

A New Camera, a phone and some water colours

So Today I took the plunge and upgraded my gadgets. I was due an upgrade with my mobile and although I'll admit to be a little lacking on the technical side of things I really struggled with my old phone, it was awkward to use and never notified me about messages, so now I have an all singing all dancing phone that if I can wrestle it off my son seems very easy and responsive to use.

But the big decision made today was to invest in a new camera. I have worried over this for a few weeks with finances so tight it seems an odd time to spend big bucks. My main incentive was that my photos are just not good enough, my little canon is fine (but I feel a lot of the images are washed out,  just not crisp enough)so when it comes to documenting work and especially selling on line I think your photo's have to be the best they can.

Whilst worrying about the spend involved I did extensive research and came up with a good short list and finally opted for the Olympus E PL1, there was a good offer on this camera at my local camera shop as it is a 2010 model and it's had lots of good reviews. Well I think I really love this camera already, it looks great, feels lovely to hold and makes a proper clunky click when you take a picture, I know, my camera review is so up there with useful information!! but I only had about half an hour to play around with the camera, I took it with me to collect the girls from school, the following images were taken on this short journey, it was a grey grey day today and I just used the basic automatic setting with a couple of fun shots using the art options.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the above images were fast snapshots on automatic and I'm really pleased with the colour and detail on such an overcast day. Below is a shot of the rose using the art button, I think this function is called 'pop' and it heightens colour.

Then two shots using sepia.

Rosie above was climbing, and Sadie below was singing.

More camera shots taken with my little canon

 

 

 

And for fun here's my new phone showing mostly cloudy in bristol. And lastly, because I have been working as well, a couple of small water colours.

Some time ago I did a series of sketches from early black & white photos. This drawing was inspired by those images and below is a nurse character who has appeared a couple of times before, I like that she's a little odd even menacing.

I'll sign off now, it's way past my bed time, good night. Well am unable to publish, this has happened a few times now!! will have to try again in the morning. Oops there we go it's done, good night again.

Small Drawings

I had a slow start to the day. When I drop the kids at school I often call into Mum & Dads for a coffee on the way to my studio, also as I have no internet access during the day it gives me the opportunity to check on emails before I start work for the day. My parents computer was blowing out air like a small air conditioning unit! I spent a while trying to discover a way to calm the fan down but since system preferences had disappeared as well, I was unable to do anything, it only took me about an hour to admit I had no idea what to do.

I then had lots of phone calls to make, organising starting work next week, and visiting the house we are moving to in a few weeks. Oh and my son was with me after a fall at school yesterday he had a soar wrist and back. Well this is all a bit boring really, just me ruminating on how I got so little done today!

But finally made it to the studio and got some sewing done then home on the train, rushed the girls to gymnastics, cobbled together a supper of dubious nutritional value, bathed two children, fed the animals (all three got cat food tonight as I've run out of dog food!) then sat down with a cup of tea to draw. More ideas for brooches or badges. Results below ready for printing & shrinking.

And that's it for today, I'm still exhausted from too many children in my bed the night before last (nightmares) so I need sleep. Good night.

Brooches and ear studs

I was up late last night printing and shrinking. Then playing around with the results in the studio today, thinking about how I might put the brooches together and package them. I'm not sure I've got the printing quite rite, the instructions say to print lighter than you may think onto shrink plastic as the image darkens during the heating and shrinking process. but my drawings are quite delicate so may need beefing up a bit.

I also did some designs for ear studs, again I'm not sure how I want to put these together yet.

I've put together these kitty ear studs as a sample for me to wear and see what I and others think.

This is Candy Cane, she is based on this wonderful little girl I saw recently who had a cloud of hair bouncing above her head and the most entrancing smile (really she was genuinely the most openly happy person I've seen in ages)

Emmeline is a tribute to Emmeline Pankhurst . Isabella is from an earlier drawing I did loosely based on Isabella Adjani in Nosferatu.

Miko the clown and his little sweetheart Molly. and Sophia inspired by an outfit Sofia Loren wore in I think Arabesque.

Drawing with Me

I have not been feeling at all well for the last couple of days, I have been coughing for three weeks, which has exhausted me (chest infection caught from the kids). So I have been resting and drawing. Adding more characters, some strange, some sinister, some benign and some that are almost sweet. I am enjoying this a lot, it has been soooooo long since I have been able to spend some time with my own work, I feel a little lost as I try to find my flow again, but ideas for textile dolls are forming, I just need to recoup a little more energy before I proceed. So here are some images of the growing drawing.

Pencil on Paper

The Wolf is Slain. August 2009

Another drawing, pencil on paper. I am wondering where I am going with these, out of necessity I have been using coloured pencils, graphite pencils, A4/A3 paper and a few ink pens, these are the things the children and I have to hand, they are small, transportable and not too messy. This obviously limits what I can do, it's very 'un- art school' the drawings are small, domestic, illustrative, pedestrian even, all materials bought from WH Smiths bargain table and shared with the kids. But despite all this I kind of like them, there is something I want to keep from them. I remember drawing like this as a child/ teenager before I was taught to 'loosen up' use sweeps of charcoal, don't be confined by the conventions of paper size, create large imposing pieces of work, all good but somehow I am still drawn back to this way of working and running with it's limitations, for instance sticking to the A4/A3 paper size 'consciously naive' maybe (I've just read I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith) and love that expression. But still something to work with I think. And of course I enjoy jumping from 2D to 3D, bringing the two together is my challenge at the moment, characters emerge that are suited to soft sculpture/ doll making but how it all flows as a body of work I am not sure yet.

Any way here are some details and the beginnings of a new drawing.

Small standing dolls and a Blurb book

So this week I have spent sitting at my computer putting together a Blurb book of my drawings and made objects from the last year or two. It has taken me ages, largely due to an underpowered computer, but has been really interesting, choosing what to put in and how to present the images. So probably another couple of days working on that then a couple of weeks before I have the finished item.

I have also finished another standing doll, this one is three in a row, inspired by my own three little darlings. I'll post some pictures then go and make a cup of tea, young Rosie (one of the little darlings) woke me at 5 am this morning and I have been unable to get back to sleep, she however is spread across the full width of my bed snoring away.

 

 

Mayfly finished

Mayfly is one of my woodland or forest girls, I started these dolls a while ago but could not decide how to finish them, other projects took hold and it's only now (wanting to finish them for christmas) that I am working on them again, I am really enjoying these dolls, they do take a long time with all the little details and hand knitted extras. But they can't be rushed and with three more to go they may not all make it for christmas.

I've used lots of lovely bits and pieces on Mayfly, vintage lace, vintage Japanese silk, linen, wool tweed, vintage viyella, wool felt and merino wool........I just love the dressing part when I decide which fabrics to use on each doll!

I'll post a couple of pictures then I have a moleskin exchange to complete, birthday presents for twin boys to make, Sadie's knitting lesson and her peg dolly project to start......oh and she wants to bake a cake!!!.........sunday lovely sundays! (I don't even know what Tom & Rosie may have lined up)

 

The pictures are not great because the weather has been so grey. The picture above shows the next doll Lilybay, she should be completed within the next two days.

Little Robin Red Breast

This little bird has been sitting on my desk for a long time, I finally finished her by fashioning a little pair of red boots to keep the winter chills out!

More vegetables and a little bit of christmas

Half term is drawing to a close, the weather has not improved, it's firework night (which I have to admit I completely forgot) somehow the excitement of Halloween and then having to sit through High School Musical 3 all this afternoon has wiped out a large part of my functioning brain.

I have persuaded the children that the best viewing point in the whole of town for fireworks is their bedroom windows, top of the house and on top of a hill so not a complete fabrication on my part. I feel a slight twinge of guilt but as much as I love bonfire night it is just too cold and I am just too tired, I blame Troy and Gabriella for that....too too much high energy acrobats for my weary eyes.

So some more bits and pieces, due to be listed next week on Etsy and NOTHS

Turnip, carrots and parsnip

A snowman and some Christmas trees

Still working on the trees!

A few finished things

I've spent the weekend finishing a few bits and pieces for my portfolio also packaging some items to post, it's sale time and I have sold a couple of things. Alan was away so it was just me and the kids so all in all a pretty busy weekend made more tiring as I can not shift this silly head cold.

But whats really exciting is I was offered a few days work, I started on Friday and am back to work on Monday, it was very nerve racking (actually quite terrifying) but I felt it was a good omen to start work on Independence day after 10 years of child rearing. My job for the next couple of days is making tiny clothes for an animation company, Friday was amazing (once my hands had stopped shaking) and I am sure I will enjoy every minute of this experience. So I am off to get myself packed up and ready for tomorrow, wish me luck and I will let you know how I get on.

Here are some pictures of the weekends finished work. Three ink drawings, the last is a little gruesome but a mother's love is a powerful thing and apparently they were warned!!

Some tiny creatures modeled from fimo.