Tag Archives: thread painting

Introduction to Thread Painting Course begins April 1.

Excitement is building as the start date for my new online class is fast approaching. Introduction to Thread Painting begins April 1. That’s next week and there are still a few spaces available.

Additionally, in the coming months, I will begin Color & Composition courses, and will offer Coaching Sessions, along with free behind the scenes content for all to enjoy.

I feel strongly that connection is essential to successful learning, and hope to build a vibrant, sharing community where creators feel emboldened to learn and apply new skills and concepts. If this appeals to you, read on to find more details about each of my offerings…

Introduction to Thread Painting will begin April 1.

-Course includes 12 lessons that increase in difficulty and complexity to help you build yourstitching skills.

-Each lesson includes an instructional video, lesson notes, support materials, and ideas for further exploration.

–Because I believe face-to-face contact is so important to learning: All participants are invited to join a weekly video check-in with Lea on Wednesday evening, or Saturday afternoon.

-A new lesson becomes available each Monday for 12 weeks, with an additional 4 weeks access to all course materials.

-The cost of the course for Beta testers is $180. That is just $15/lesson

To learn more CLICK HERE

Color & Composition courses-Coming soon!

-Learn to use color with confidence by gaining an understanding of color theory and elements of composition.

-There is so much information to cover on these topics that it will be divided into 2 courses. Color & Composition I will be available in June 2024, and Color & Composition II be offered in January 2025.

-Each class meets for a 2-hour online video session once a month for 6 months.

-Each session features an in-depth look at a color scheme, a concept related to color, and another related to composition, along with ideas for further creative exploration.

-Participants will respond to monthly challenges and share their work at the next meeting where we will celebrate and give feedback as requested.

-This is meant to be a very nurturing experience that provides inspiration and encouragement, while celebrating experimentation and artistic exploration.

To learn more about this, and other upcoming courses and offerings, CLICK HERE

Individual and Group Coaching Sessions available in the coming months.

-This is an opportunity to talk through iussues or obstacles encountered inyour creative process related to color, design, composition, or execution.

-Advice and guidance is also available related to submitting to competitions and exhibitions, publishing, and teaching about your work.

-Sessions are offered for 30 or 60 minutes via video conferencing.

-These are single session events, so no long tern commitment.

-Sessions are suitable for individuals, or a small group working on a single project.

If you want more information on Coaching Sessions, CLICK HERE to add your name to the waitlist, and you’ll receive notice and more details as they become available.

New Work: Dogs & Cats

My last blog entry was last summer when I gave a teaser about my new work, and now, we’re fully in the winter holiday season. Has it really been that long? The winter solstice, at our house, is a time to stop and reflect on the events & accomplishments of the closing year, and set goals and expectations for the approaching year.

Body Building

I set a goal last year to lose some weight and get in shape (sound familiar?). My body building efforts were really about building up a body of new work.

Got Kibble? at CF Gallery opening,

Got Kibble? is just one of the new works that I completed this year. It was a hands-down favorite at my show in the Creative Framing Gallery in Louisville, CO in Sep-Oct. Pet compositions are fun to show in the Boulder area is because we are such an animal oriented community.

Cat Nap, 44″ x 24″, fabric & thread, © Lea McComas, 2018.

Not to be left out, that other favorite pet, the cat, is featured in my new piece, “Cat Nap”. This work was inspired by a photo I took while traveling in Greece, back in the mid-1990’s.

Pet Portrait class sample

Previously, I completed a couple of small studies using this image. Two versions were made for my online Pet Portrait class. Here is one with a tetrad color scheme. Prior to that, a small work was donated to a charity event. Finally, after 20 years, the full up composition has come to fruition. Now, it’s subtle charm makes it one of my new favorites.

Cats VS Dogs?

At the show, a survey of viewers revealed that cats are more popular pets than dogs. Now, I’m getting a lot of pressure (and fun photos) for a series featuring cats. What about you? Are you a dog person? or a cat person?

I’m thinking dogs rule.

Cats rule, Dogs drool!

Stay tuned, there is more work to share in a future blog. In the meantime, if you’ve been inspired to attempt your own pet portrait in fabric, check out my online Pet Portrait Memory class with The Quilting Company.

No time for that?!? I do commission work. Contact me and let’s talk about capturing a favorite image of your pet in fabric and thread.

Border Wall Quilt Project

Can’t write a blog without mentioning the Border Wall Quilt Project. We’re still accepting bricks and the wall continues to grow.

Vigil is Finished. See This Endearing New Work

It is exciting when a new work is completed. Vigil is finished and I’m thrilled with the results. It’s been photographed and added to the Genre gallery on my website. However, in this week’s blog, I want to share some of the details.

The lonely dog, a faithful companion, lies, waiting, and ever hopeful of the return of a loved one.

Vigil: Stitching the Dog

One challenge I faced in stitching the dog was to get the direction of the hair just right. Stella, the dog in this composition, is similar to my own dog, Bosco. So, anytime I was uncertain about the direction I should be stitching, I would sneak up on Bosco as he napped and use him as my reference. Of course, he would wake up and expect to be held and petted in return for his services.

Detail of dog hair

When you ask Bosco for help on a project, he is all in.

Vigil: Creating Depth

subtle value changes create feeling of depth

Another challenge was to give a sense of foreground and background. For this, I rely, as I often do, on value changes. It is very subtle, but the black fabric used at the lower edge is slightly lighter than the dark fabric used for the upper part of the composition. This subtle contrast was enhanced with the thread choices in the stitching phase. As a viewer, you may never consciously notice the changes, but the image will register in your mind as having depth. Also, creating a broader field of gray below the white band brings that area forward.

Vigil: Stitching the Background

Subtle changes in thread and stitch design hint at what’s behind.

A final challenge was to add variation and subtle detail to the very large dark background area. I wanted to give the impression of a floor with a wall in the distance, but didn’t want to get too specific on where one transitioned to the other, and also wanted to maintain the feeling of a dark abyss. For this, I employed a circular stitch design for the carpet, and an elongated vertical stitch pattern to represent the wall and then varied where I transitioned from one pattern to the other. I also used two threads in this area: a solid black in the area around the dog, and a variegated thread of very dark values as I stitched further away from the figure.

In the end, I think this resulted in a very sweet piece that will be hard to part with. However, plans are already being made to exhibit this piece. When things finalize, I’ll let you know. For now, visit the Genre Gallery of my website to see some of my other works. You may notice another new work, Cruisin’. I’ll be sharing the story of this piece in the weeks to come.

I Use Pets to Inspire Others, and Inspired Myself

Pet Portraits

We love our pets, don’t we?? Two years ago we made a frantic, late-night trip to the emergency pet clinic. Three hours later, we came home without our precious Gretchen. It was devastating. That’s why I jumped at the chance this winter to put together a class where my portrait techniques are applied to Pet Portrait Memory Quilts.

I’m a dog person with lots of dog pictures. However, in this class I wanted to address pet portraits for a variety of animals: cats, birds, horses, in addition to dogs. So, I put out the call for precious pet photos to my friends and colleagues and found myself with many more great photos than I was able to use for the class.

I made some adorable samples for the course. A few of them are included in this post. As you can see, for these, I simplified the compositions. I did this to teach the techniques and focus on specific art concepts. I’m hoping that students will learn the lessons and then apply them to more complex compositions.

I Inspired Myself

More complex compositions: now that sounds like advice I should follow myself. So, I went back through the photos and set aside a few more images for a new series. The exciting thing for me is that these new compositions will include more context and will tell a larger story. I’ve chosen some images that address the reasons we have and cherish our pets: loyalty, companionship, comic relief. . .

Last year, I completed Puppy Love. That will soon be joined by “Vigil.” This second piece in the series is still a work in progress, so stay tuned to see how this piece and the rest of the series develops.

Cat Lovers Stay Tuned

And, if you’re a cat person, don’t worry. A cat series is soon to follow.

Moving from Fabric to Thread

Shifting gears, moving to the next phase, changing the focus; that’s what I’ve been doing in these last couple of weeks as I transition from the fusing stage of my project to the stitching stage. I find it helpful to take a break and clear my head so that I can look at the project with fresh eyes. So, during this period, an idea that has been floating around in my brain for several years actually came alive and demanded to be brought to creation. I’ll share that with you in a few weeks. It is a total departure from this project and did allow for the fresh perspective I needed.

Before going of on this side trip, the fused fabric foundation for “We Don’t Talk” was loaded onto my longarm machine. You can see here all of the layers and how they are placed. If you’ve done your own thread painting, you may know that it is always a struggle to end with a piece that lies flat. I’m always on the quest for a better solution. In the past, I’ve used a layer of raw artist canvas. This has been marginally successful, so, this time I will use 2 layers positioned under the batting so that the grains are perpendicular to each other. I’m giving it a shot, but the tradeoff is weight. This baby is going to be heavy for it’s size.

(2 weeks go by)

Thread, thread, so much thread needed. Just as with my fabrics, I like to create selections for each element in the project, and just like with fabric, I use my trusty value scale to make good choices. However, with threads, I usually put together sets of 7-10 threads: one each of the #1 and 5 values, and then two or three each of values 2,3,4. However, given the size of the figure in this piece, I may have 3-5 threads in every value. Here is what it looks like in my studio when the threads come out to play.

Hmmm, I think I’ll start on the face first. Check back next week to see the progress.

Making Faces All Summer Long

As a school teacher, I love summer vacation as much as my student, maybe more. For me, it’s a chance to spend more time showing my fiber art, talking about my process, teaching my techniques, and of course, making thread-painted portraits.

This summer was no exception. Check out this photo travelogue”

Thread-Painting workshop in Colorado Springs:

5-day Summer Retreat in Lyons, Colorado:

Portraits on Parade

Fused fabric portraits in Wichita, KS:

A quick visit to Longwood Gardens with Cheryl Lynch after speaking to the Calico Cutters guild in Philadelphia, PA:

And a mini-workshop and gallery lecture in Brigham City, UT

But the fun doesn’t stop… There are more opportunities in the fall. Join me if you can:

Workshops in LaConner, WA and Fort Collins, CO. See my “Upcoming Events” for more details

Let’s Make Faces

Look what I did!

I hope you are enjoying a beautiful summer: picnics, camping, swimming, baseball…

But, when you are ready to come in, cool off, and do something creative, I invite you to join me in a portrait quilt class or workshop. There are spaces open in these locations:

CraftU Courses are once again open for registration:

“Fused Raw-Edge Applique” begins August 1, 2016.
“Thread-Painted Portraits” begins September 26, 2016
We made mouths

Buy both courses and receive 25% discount on the second course.

August 13 – Brigham City Museum, Brigham City, Utah.

Introduction to Thread Painting 1/2-day workshop,12:00-3:00 PM.
Gallery Gala, 6:00-8:00 PM. Artists talks and time to chat

Jo’s Self portrait

September 30-October 2, 2016 – Quilt & Fiber Arts Festival, LaConner Quilt & Textile Museum, LaConner, Washington

Preview Party, September 29
“Fused Applique Portrait Quilts” – 2 Day Workshop; Friday, Sept. 30 & Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016
“Thread Painted Portraits” – Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016

October 15-16, Jukebox Quilts Store, Fort Collins, Colorado

Portraits on Parade

“Portrait Quilt Workshop” Sat-Sun, October 15-16, 2016. Call (970) 224-9975 for more information.

January 19-22, 2017, Road to California Quilter’s Conference, Ontario, California

Thread Painted Portraits 2-day workshop, Thur-Fri, Jan 19-20
Fused Applique Portraits, 2-day workshop, Sat-Sun, Jan 21-22
Blue dog in progress

“No” to the Nose

Original photo

When I thread paint, I rely on the thread to do the bulk of the work. My technique allows me to blend colors and create subtle shading and contours, as if I were working with paint. In my process I find that there is an OTZ (Optimum Thread Zone). Stitching below the zone creates what I consider dense quilting, and stitching above the zone overloads the fabric and causes it to expand and buckle.

With this in mind, I consider the facelift that is needed by my horse. As mentioned last week, the shape of the nose needs some adjusting. However, having applied heavy stitching to the face already, there is a limited amount of thread that can be added without exceeding the OTZ. This means I need to get it right, right away.

In the original photo, the horse is moving his head as the photo is snapped, so it is blurred and doesn’t provide the details that I need. It is off to the internet to find images of horse heads that face the right direction, at a similar angle, and in the right light. I also look to reference books of paintings done by several Western artists.

sketch of nose on plastic sheet

Next, I place a clear plastic sheet over the face of my horse and outline its shape and key lines with a red marker. That sheet is then set on a white background where black lines indicate where stitching is to be added or changed. In this way, I can audition the additional stitching, erase, and redo as needed until it’s right.

Back at the longarm frame, I keep this plastic sheet handy and begin the facelift. In addition to creating a more boxy snout, highlights were added around the nostril and above the eye to give them more depth.

Facelift results

First Face

A Horse of Course

I’ve been away from the blog for a while, but, as you might have guessed, progress did continue on the horseman. In my race to finish it in time to submit to the Houston quilt competition, all available resources were diverted to making progress on this piece. I did take some photos along the way and will share that progress with you in my next few blog posts.

Shiny and dull threads for this horse

This week, let’s focus on the stitching of the first horse.

I selected a variety of threads in the full value range. This first horse is pretty dark, and if I think about what the horse would look like in real life, my thread choices would fall in the medium to dark range. My analytical brain has to take over to pick the very lightest threads. Because this horse is standing in water, a selection of threads with dull and shiny finishes were chosen to differentiate between the wet and dry parts of the horse.

Often, stitching begins with the lightest threads, working toward the dark areas, but this time, I did the opposite. I can’t say why with certainty. Perhaps it’s because the dark threads will complete most of the stitching and the lighter threads will add the finishing touches. The first step is to make some broad, sweeping stitch lines to hold things in place. That is followed by several passes, filling in more and more each time.

These photos show how the work progressed.

While working up close, it’s hard to fully appreciate what is happening. I have to rely on

Reference photo on the computer

what I know should work as I’m stitching. I also keep my laptop near by with a reference photo on display. It is always such a treat to step back and look at the work and be able to appreciate that it has come together as planned. Sometimes, it’s even better, like the stitching along the neck of this horse. That’s when I smile, pat myself on the back, and say, “Lea, you’ve done well. You should have some chocolate.”

After a cup of tea and a few Thin Mint cookies, I had to admit that I was not thrilled with the nose. More on that next week…

See Me on The Quilt Show

I recently taped an episode of TheQuiltShow.com with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims. Subscribers to that website got to see that episode last week. Many thanks to those of you that sent kind words through email and Facebook.

Photo by Gregory Case

Now, I can share a link to that show with the rest of you. Click on the link here and you can watch too.

“Watch The Show”

This link will work until May 11, so make a cup of tea and sit back to enjoy.

Let me know what you think Also, for those of you that subscribe to The Quilt Show, I have a new series of lessons in the “Classroom” section of the website. This course is on “Contemporary Batik” If you’ve ever wanted to try batik, but were afraid of the mess, check out this class. It will be FUN, and EASY!! http://thequiltshow.com/learn/classrooms FTI: you have to be a subscriber to the website to access this class.