Sunday, March 1, 2009

Technique Lust

Definition: [n.] The desire to create something, which includes learning a new technique or combining techniques already mastered but previously uncombined, thereby giving the creator satisfaction; however, the creator also is being distracted from a creation she should be working on, and the new creation is, once complete, not interesting anymore: the desire is gone.






I made a fishy. This is from a online class I took from Joggles.com. It was fast, so I wasn't being distracted forever.

The class involves making a wrapped-fabric bead (something I've done with paper before), encasing the bead with stitched felt and then distressing the felt with a heat gun until basically nothing remains but the stitching (I've done similar things with Solvy - a soluble stabilizer). Then the stitching gets painted (never done that before - woowoo!) and the fins are made by distressing some organza (also new to me) and attached with fabric glue. Then I glued on the eyes.




Well, I know I'm never going to use these techniques in any of my quilts, so really this was just a study in distraction. Distraction can be good, if you are under stress and so forth, but on hindsight, I would probably just advise myself to skip it.

Another symptom of Technique Lust: once you've made your thing, you haven't any idea what to do with it.

5 comments:

Carmen Rose said...

What a charming fishy! It should be hung somewhere, in the window, on the lamp pull or from a ceiling fan or near the mirror in the bathroom. Distractions help to release creativity in new directions and grow into new media. Don't underestimate what this lovely diversion did for you!

Anonymous said...

Stunning! You just never know when these new techniques will come in handy!!!
Its nice to know that you can do something different once in a while to keep the creative juices flowing.

Melody Johnson said...

Shame shame shame. hahaha, pretty neat, not goldfishy enough tho.
Lovest Mel

Akiko said...

What else can you make besides fish with all those techniques you learned? Maybe, dolphin or mermaid?

CB said...

The techniques sound interesting... "distressing" and all. Still, pretty fish. Love the fins! I think I have kindergarten level technique lust :)