I knew very little about mark making and its importance before starting this embroidery course. Anything that involves paint and making a mess has to be good in my books!
I will share with you what I have discovered. Mark making can be achieved with anything that leaves a mark or impression on a surface – eg. paint or pen on paper, drawing in the sand at the beach, or even playing with string as it falls its own way onto a flat surface. The original ‘mark’ created is an original form of source work perfect for a future design.These are some designs made using bits and bobs I found in my kitchen. I found it very effective using white paint onto black paper. Also I liked using black and white rather than specific colours because I found they created a neutral, unbiased design.
Design sheet 1:
Design sheet 2:
These are a selection of marks evoking movement and emotion.
The Staccato design was developed further into a homemade stamp that was then embroidered.
The one thing I have discovered is that anything goes, and that all designs – especially the ‘mistakes’ are useful. I keep mine in a pile and sift through them occasionally when I need some ideas – it may only be a small section of an image that fits the bill. Have a go yourself!