Hans My Hedgehog
Yes, that is a hedgehog. Well actually, technically, it is a half-hedgehog-half-human. And yes, he is holding a pair of bag-pipes. And he is riding a rooster. Not just any rooster, a “shod” cock-rooster – see his fancy shoes? This is Hans my Hedgehog. The finished piece is 27″ x 23″, a whole-cloth piece created using pigments on black fabric.
Hans was inspired by a Call fo Entry by Edsel & Eleanor Ford House called “Once Upon a Time: Grimmly Inspired”, celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the Grimm’s Brothers.
Hans My Hedgehog is one of the lesser-known Brothers Grimm stories. It was one of nine selected to serve as inspiration for this juried exhibition. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm first published this tale in 1815 in volume 2 (no. 22) of their “Kinder – und Hausmarchen”. From the second edition onward it was given number 108. It was translated from German by D.L. Ashliman in 2000.
I was delighted by the tale, though there were some dark parts true to the brothers’ genre of stories. I had such fun designing this illustration for the piece, inspired by the story. You will need to read the story to understand all that is included in my design.
I wanted to challenge myself with this piece and I thought that using black fabric as my base would add to the tribute of the brothers Grimm. The darker fabric also provided some great lessons in using pigments on fabric.
The first challenge was transferring the pattern to the black fabric. Once I accomplished that, I started using colored pencils to add pigment to the fabric. I loved how rich the colors were against the black. I was able to create depth using layers of pigments as I developed my design. All in all, I was very happy with the results. It was quite an adventure in my creative journey using pigments to color on fabric.
This piece was accepted into the show. It was the only art quilt entered. I was excited to be awarded a special “Story Award”. This piece remains very special to me because it is my own original design. I plan to create more original illustrations and use them to create other fun pieces. I have already created a few. Perhaps I will highlight them in future newsletters. So what will inspire me next?
If you are ready to focus on learning to use pigments on your fabric in you work, but have been unsure how to begin, perhaps I can help you!
There is still time to get involved with my next 8-week Get Pigment Confident (GPC) Challenge. It starts this Saturday, January 22. I are still a few open spots in the group. Come join us!
This would be a great way to kick-start your adventure in using pigments to color on fabric. I consider this 8-wk Challenge your “initiation” into the world of coloring on fabric using pigments. I created this training using a very flexible format to fit into a busy lifestyle. There are three components to it:
- Educational Content. Accessible in my web-based App, Pigment-Patchwork.passion.io. You can view it anywhere, anytime as long as you have an internet connection.
- On-line Accountability Group. Private, secure, and on-line with access anytime, anywhere you have an internet connection. You can post your project photos, ask questions, exchange ideas and get to know the others in your Challenge group.
- Weekly Zoom Team Meetings. Here we can share victories, ask questions about the assignments and talk about coloring on fabric using pigments.
So invest in yourself and come play with me! Fill out this Application form. From there, you can schedule a no-obligation Zoom call with me to explore this option for you.
If this timeframe does not work for you, no worries! I offer my challenges throughout the year. I will be sure announce the dates of future ones in my newsletter.
Do you know of someone else who may be interested to learn as well? My 8-week challenge to gain confidence using pigments to color on fabric would be a great opportunity to learn and create with a friend.
Here is another testimonial from one of my GPC Challenge participants:
