Exploring Stitch Painter

Promises, promises, promises...finally fulfilled! At least partially!

Since the opening of this blog about three (gulp!) years ago, I have been meaning to walk you through the process of importing an image into Stitch Painter, and turning it into a diagram for your needlepoint, or cross-stitch projects.

The day finally has arrived.

I know, I know, you're shocked.

To keep from overwhelming you (and me), we'll do it in installments. [grin!]...More...... First of all, how do you pick the right image? Unless you've the patience of a saint, whether or not you finish the project probably depends on this, so let's look at a few images, together.

One of the first images that pull at our hearts are those of family, but photographs can be very tricky. Lots of detail (wanted and unwanted) and lots of distractions.



Take this lovely snap of a casual and happy family moment (MH900422784, courtesy of the free images in Microsoft Clip Art, thank you, Microsoft). Why isn't it suited to become a needlepoint design?

The faces are visible, well lit and fairly close to the camera--some of the things to keep in mind--but they are too far apart from each other, and still too far from the viewer. There's lots of distracting background detail, too. A studio snap with a plain background already would be helpful (but might feel too posed), or you can just plan on erasing the background from the photo, before or after you import it. It just takes a little time, but it has to be kept in mind.

Using an image like this (MP48491, thanks, again, Microsoft!)...

...will help you avoid heartache. The background is plain, the faces are identifiable, close to the picture plane, and engaging. All are well lit and turned to the viewer. Finally, the background is quite plain, so even if you decided to needlepoint it "as is," it wouldn't give you extra grief.

So, start rummaging through your photos for a few that inspire you. The next time, we'll confront importing images into Stitch Painter.

Enjoy!

(P.S., the hand--courtesy of Microsoft MP900425546--is gigantic, is now in one of Rome's most important museums, and comes from an ancient Roman statue of the Emperor Constantine, who ruled in the first half of the 4th century A.D. I, ahem, added the string!)

Library mouse (04): Beth Russell's William Morris Needlepoint

Oh, happiness. Yesterday, Beth Russell’s William Morris Needlepoint (Conran Octopus, 1995) arrived. Apart from only whishing close to a reference to his leonine bursts of rage and tickling an interest in his poetry, the book gives a good biographical picture of (fascinating) Morris, while it explores examples of his work and Russell’s adaptations of them (complete with diagrams to follow), which was the point, anyway. (For more about Morris, see my: http://arsacupicturaestellae.blogspot.com/2010/08/library-mouse-02-again.html#0) Apart from delighting in all the images, I also learned two interesting things, and the seed of a much desired future project was planted....More...

What did I learn? First, as I had been coming to suspect, William Morris detested my other design inspiration, Owen Jones, as too rigid (though they do have in common at least their original reliance on natural principles, I can understand Morris’ opinion, but there still are lots and lots of inspirational, helpful and challenging things to be had from Jones, who would have had—I suspect—a few criticisms of his own for Morris, so I’ll be writing about Jones, later). Next, in line with Morris’ own wishes to avoid copying for himself and for his clients doing their own handwork, Russell more actively adapts Morris’ designs to the project at hand (and rightfully so) than the faithful Morris spirit might imply at first.

What about the seeds of my much desired future needlepoint project?

I don’t love, I *adore* William Morris, and *really* want to do a Morris needlepoint. Whenever I went into a bookstore, even for something entirely different, I would pass through the hobby section, hunting for a book on Morris in needlepoint. Found one, but it seemed much too costly. Sigh. Back it went onto the shelf. This went on for years and years. Why not try in eBay? Great idea, but it would flash into my head when I was away from the computer. This, too, went on for years. Recently, the two finally coincided, and I found this and other books, snapped up on the spot.

Ahhhh, finally Morris designs to caress and needlepoint. So many beautiful designs, but one I liked for something, another for something else, and—because the designs are quite complicated—my desire to lazily work up a pre-existing pattern warred unsuccessfully with my urge to be creative. Results? Stasis. The inner “Yes!” switch just wasn’t flipping. It finally did last night.

My future Morris project flashed into existence in my head. Now I “just” have to translate it into a StitchPainter diagram. The line forms at the back, Mr. Project, there are at least three other needlepoint projects already waiting patiently.

Time flies

Why not take advantage of the idea of the passage of time to enliven and enrich your designs? I did in my “CARPE DIEM” in which ...More......the idea of the passage of time is a reminder—in the true Stoic sense of the phrase—to take advantage of every moment of the present to be a better person, individually and socially.

It also provides a thought-provoking artistic synchronization between the concept and its presentation.

The concept reminds us to be aware in the present of the fleeting passage of time, while the needlepoint displays the passage of time. Like a snapshot (in itself evoking the sense of the present), the—for the moment, new—needlepoint depicts a detail of an ancient cracked fallen architectural fragment, invaded and surrounded by wild plants, such as the acanthus on the left, the inspiration for the leaf design found in ancient classical art, thus forcing us to note the passage of time.

It is, for me, a personal reminder to try to be a better person every day, but also my own sad comment on how this unselfishness--like a fallen architectural fragment in a field of wild plants--is forgotten, in many ways big and small, in today’s society.

The comparison between the design and the worked needlepoint also is a good example of the difference between the colors in my designs--bright, for visibility during the working phase--and in my worked pieces.

Reflective serendipity

"Hmmmmmmm, what if I try to do...More......some reflections in needlepoint? It would be rather difficult, given the rigidly gridded nature of the medium, but getting something fun would be the challenge and pleasure, wouldn't it?," I had been pondering for days. Then this post popped up in one of my favorite blogs, "The Textile Blog." (http://thetextileblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/virginia-abrams-reflections.html)

I can't display any pictures because of copyright laws, but, clicking on the title of my post, you can see some lyrical examples by a textile artist called Virginia Abrams, who gave her permission to John Hopper for his inspirational and informative blog "The Textile Arts," which provides so many stimuli for needlepoint projects that it would take a hundred life times to do them all! Now that the bug has bitten, it's very likely that just such a challenge will pop up as a project of mine, once the things already in the pipeline have been finished.

How do I decide on a project?

How do I decide on a project? First, I get the "bug." Unless my life is horrifically busy, when...More......after dinner all I can do is collapse, then I have the urge to do needlepoint. It makes me feel quite virtuous, because just watching T.V. seems a waste of time, and I'm often too tired to read. So, I like to watch a good program AND needlepoint. The repetitive action of the stitching is also 'hypnotic' and relaxing.

When deciding on a new project, I turn first to my needlepoint books, and thumb through them, looking at the designs and kinds of projects, hoping for inspiration (or, rather, trying to sift through the various inspirations, and decide on just one!). Couple this with a possible particular need for myself, or as a gift, and voilà!, the project imposes itself on me!

In the image in question, my love for cats, the adorable grumpiness of the Victorian cats in E. Bradley's book, and the need to create a draft-stopper for the window in our bedroom all coalesced into this row of grumpy Victorian kitties, which provided yet another needlepoint lesson: as much as I tried to needlepoint each and every kitty exactly the same, counting the stitches ever so carefully, teeny differences crept into the work, enlivening it, and making a close examination of the individual personality of each of the kitties quite fun.