Do You Have a Favorite Visual Effect in Artworks?

      When you visit an art gallery or museum or exhibition do you notice that certain types of art attract your attention more than others? Do you try to take time to find out why you like them so much? Over the years, as I’ve explored art, I've realized that one of the things that appeals to me is subtlety. I do like bright, bold colors, also, but find that what impresses me most are details that suggest rather than state loudly. So naturally, as my work has evolved, I found that I often use varying levels of values of the same hue to create subtle contrasts which has led me create a look of transparency.   
     When I dye fabric using fiber reactive dye, I often dye several pieces at the same time using different dilutions of the same dye mixture. I manipulate the fabrics the same way so that they will have the same type of patterns on them. To get the effect of transparency, I place two of the fabrics, one light in value and one darker, side by side. I look for similar markings on them that will line up with each other to make it look like one piece of fabric is partly transparent and overlapping the other.  Or I print an image across them to connect them, visually. Below is a close look at the bottom section of Letting Go where I placed three different values from the same dye mixture.

Letting Go (detail at bottom)

     

Letting Go

     Sometimes, even different patterns will work. For example, In my piece, Emerging, I put a dark gray rectangle on top of a medium gray background. The background was created by printing a shibori-type pattern with thickened dyes. The dark gray piece was dyed using low water immersion and scrunching the fabric. I had not originally intended to use these two fabric together, but when I placed them together on the design wall to check values, I could see several places where, if I cut them correctly, I could match up patterns to look like one flowed into the other. To me, it looks like a semi-transparent darker rectangle is sitting on top of the background, letting the background peek through. In reality, they are both cotton broadcloth (opaque).

Emerging (Detail)

     I can also get that effect with two fabrics of different hues. If part of their edges line up with a similar marking on both sides, it will suggest that it one piece is overlaying the other. For example, placing the gray fabric next to the blue fabric looks like one is laying on top of the other because the darker markings on both line up. To do that, I had larger pieces of both fabrics and moved them around next to each to find a place where the patterns matched. Then I cut the fabric pieces using those portions of them.

Little Transformation 22

     That same sense of layering can be accomplished with paint. I use transparent paints which can allow some of the background to show through. On the lower portion of Emerging, I printed the embroidery image with a dark paint. Above it, I used a much lighter value of paint, matching up the markings on the thermofax screen as I printed. So again, it looks like a semitransparent piece is laying on top of the background and that the background is the layer with the printed embroidery instead of the darker top rectangle on which it actually is painted. 

Emerging

Another way to aid in transparency is to alter thread color. I add to the transparency effect by varying color and value in the threads I chose to use to finish the artwork. In the Transformation series, I stitched a running stitch along the outer edges and changed the color of the thread to match each fabric. On Taking Root, for example, I switched the thread color from light green to darker green, to very light gray to darker gray.

Taking Root

Taking Root
Detail of edge

I want to give a shout out to some artists who have helped me learn about transparency. One of them is Christine Barnes. I've learned a lot about how to get the transparency effect by reading her newsletters. Another source for me was the book Color and Composition for the Creative Quilter by Katie Pasquini Masopust and Brett Barker.

     I find that I’m at the point in my artistic practice where I actually try to plan on having these effects in my works. I enjoy the challenge of doing it and it is one of things that has helped me to define my style. One of my favorite things to do when admiring art is to take the time to analyze specifically what I like best about it. It allows me not only to appreciate the piece, but also to be inspired to incorporate it in my own art in my own way. 
     Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope to hear from you in the comments.