Becoming a Quilt Artist: The Basics

Class Preview

If becoming a quilt artist is your heart’s desire then this class can help you get there. Let accomplished quilt artist, author and instructor, Heather Thomas, provide you with invaluable lessons that can help you cross the chasm from relying on the instructions of others to relying on your own skill set and artistic inclinations. Heather has written and taught extensively with an emphasis on color & design. In this class she will provide you with a hearty introduction to color theory and how to utilize the elements and principles of design. She will teach you the importance of learning technique and mastering the ones that you rely on most. She will help you find and listen to your own unique visual language and show you how you can refine that language into one that the average viewer can understand and appreciate. She will show you how to build a good composition and understand the three basic building blocks of great design; balance, unity and variety. Finally, Heather will introduce you to the idea of working in a series and how it can greatly increase your skill set, product output and build artistic maturity. Taking your work from the craft level to the art level asks you to be brave and rely on your own unique vision, in this class Heather will help you achieve your goals by providing you with many of the tools you need to succeed.

Introduction

Meet your instructor, Heather Thomas and hear about the journey you have the opportunity to join her on as you find out what it takes to traverse the chasm between craftsperson and artist. Get a feel for the depth and breadth of the skills you will want to add to your tool box so that you can become the master of your own creative will. See how Heather uses the elements of color and the principles of design along with a bevy of integral techniques as she introduces you to the idea of bringing something new into the world; your art-work!

What Makes an Artist

Learn what it takes to go from cutting your teeth on commercial patterns to creating your own unique artwork without the benefit of an instructional pattern or a book to guide you. Learn the importance of paying attention to each step you make and the “call & response” symbiosis of art making. Heather will help you find comfort in the freedom of creating from the depths of your being using every technique, tool and skill you currently have, with an opportunity to learn something along the way.

A Short Introduction to Color Theory

Color is energy and learning to harness that energy is a surefire way of ensuring great results in your unique artwork. In this segment, Heather will introduce you to some basic ideas about color and the system we have at our fingertips. This system can help us understand how colors work together with us as we strive to achieve our artistic goals. If you have no idea how value and color scale can affect your work, this is the segment for you! Gain some understanding and get unique techniques you will be able to use in your future projects.

A Little About the Elements & Principles of Design

Just as with the study of color, design has a system unto itself. Chances are, you will recognize and may already be using some of this amazing system without your knowledge. Follow Heather and work within this system using skill and precision. Once you are introduced to the elements of design, you can start putting those elements into play using the principles of design. This system isn’t a dogmatic one, rather, it allows for lots of personal exploration with the system simply acting as a guide helping you to understand why things may or may not work.

Technique, Technique, Technique

In this segment, Heather will talk about the importance of learning everything you can about your chosen medium and how to use and manipulate it. Innovation comes about by those who are willing to try new things and make big mistakes. Every new technique you learn adds another tool to your tool box and the more tools you have, the easier and more pleasurable the job can be. Get the most out of this segment by following through with Heather’s suggestions for learning more.

Creating Unique Visual Language

Most artists make every effort to create something unique; something that is new to the world. This can be a daunting task because there is “nothing new under the sun”. Part of our job as artists is to start conversations that lead to growth and understanding for us, the makers and our audience, the viewers of our art. How we express ourselves becomes our visual language. There is great risk in borrowing techniques verbatim from other artists. In this segment, Heather will help you understand how you can take any technique and make it your own by putting your own unique spin on it. She will also explain the concept in which visual language can be constantly changing, if you let it!

Working in a Series

Ask just about any professional or journeyman artist if they have ever worked in a series and they will answer yes. A series is making several pieces of art that are intertwined in concepts such as technique, subject matter and more. In this segment, Heather will show you how working in a series can help you grow more quickly as an artist.