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Wednesday 30 November 2011

Street Life

How ironic that my own challenge title caused me more problems than any previous one I've done! It seemed that each time I came close to a resolution something inside me complicated the original idea to a point where it became unmake-able and probably unreadable if completed.
I suspect that I was guilty of trying too hard because, in the end, it was a personal response that led to this piece which was completed within twenty-four hours of my first response.
A recent trip into Manchester lasted longer than intended and I got caught up in the evening rush hour as the already busy streets filled with workers making their way home. I used to love the buzz of the city but this time I was struck by the isolation of the individuals in the crowd and my own increasing discomfort at being propelled by the momentum of the rush hour.



The border fabric was chosen to represent my discomfort and the photograph was Colour mapped in Gimp to match the fabric as closely as I could. The photograph was then bondawebbed, slashed and attached to the backing fabric.

In the end I enjoyed putting this piece together and thanks must go to Michele for suggesting an offshoot from a previous piece!

11 comments:

  1. This really conveys that sense of confinement within a crowd whilst in an open space. I especially love the way you have adjusted the colours of the photo to match your fabric, it gives it a great sense of unity.

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  2. What a great end result! The blue and red - hot and cold - opposites as in being lonely in a crowded place. I love the way you have divided the image - so like the scene being reflected in the glass windows of those office buildings but also all those people heading off in different directions in their separate lives. Trust you to have magic tools in your box to be able to match colours and tint your image.

    Also clever way of solving the problem of having A4 fabric sheets when we need to produce 12" pieces.

    Hilary

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  3. Great interpretation. I also like the way you have divided the picture.

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  4. Well done. The slashing and colour combination has really captured your mood.

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  5. I'm enjoying comparing your "fractured" approach to this theme with similar techniques you employed in "Fresh" and "Fragments". The diagonal lines give the piece energy.

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  6. i used this technique as a scrapbooker - never with fabric. you have done it so well and enhanced it with your choices of colors in the image and background

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  7. I think this is a really wonderful piece - especially the way one is 'looking through the glass' window and all that is going on in he street with all the different paths that people are taking in their daily lives. I think this is a wonderful interpretation of city street life.

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  8. I love the use of colour, the slashing and the straight, powerful stitching really pulls it together.

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  9. Choosing your border fabric to convey your emotions, then color match your image to your border is very impressive! Your use of lines is very effective to get the viewer to focus on the images but not to linger by following the stitched lines to the outer edges of the piece. Definitely makes one feels as if you are looking at this street scene through the peace and quiet of a window.

    Very interesting use of lines and colors!

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  10. I like the way you have put this together- it's a very effective way to use a photograph. The harsh colours and the slashing really add to the frenzy of the rush hour.

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  11. Really love this piece and the anglular view you have taken to the subject matter. I am partial to pixilation and reflection which realy works here to draw interest into the work, yet lets us enjoy the detail.

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