An energizing and thought-provoking group of design exercises has been developed for this new workshop with the intention of strengthening one’s understanding and practice of figure/ground composition. Students will work freehand, cutting by eye all the parts of each compositional exercise while learning to better engineer the construction of a composition. Lines, shapes, and curves will be used to develop geometric configurations.

There will be a STRONG EMPHASIS on geometric LINE AND SHAPE CONFIGURATIONS…plus…the USE of FLAT & GLOWING COLORS/VALUES. In this workshop, a variety of sewn-together compositions will be created that will incorporate percentages of FLAT & GLOWING COLORS/VALUES making it very important that each student bring appropriate fabrics. Fabrics of choice will be a broad palette of hand-dyed or commercial solids and values. NOTE: Marbled fabrics are not appropriate for this class nor are splotchy hand-dyed fabrics. All sewing will be done in direct machine-piecing.

Students will be given TIMED EXERCISES that explore classical design concerns such as COLOR, VALUE, PROPORTION, SHAPE, CURVES and LINE RELATIONSHIPS. SEED IDEAS will be GENERATED that could be used for working-in-a-series. One-on-one and group critiques will be integrated into the class.

• MAKE SURE YOU BRING A GOOD SKETCHBOOK (not a yellow lined pad of paper), DIGITAL CAMERA and SMALL PRINTER!!!
• Do not come with an agenda! Be open to experimentation and working quickly!

PRESENTATION

• Optional but important: Each student should come prepared with a digital presentation/laptop or 3-6 actual quilts and be prepared to make a short (3-5 minutes maximum) but articulate presentation about their work including future goals. The Crow Timber Frame Barn provides use of a digital projector connected to a laptop.

• PLEASE NOTE: The DESIGN EXERCISES given in this workshop are not the same as those given in LINES: PART II. Students are required to take BOTH Part I & Part II. Independent Study options are available for BOTH weeks.

all images by @NancyCrow