Author: Cherry Hirsch

  I couldn’t resist adding eyes to the geese and a few reeds as in the original image. I only used one layer of padding – two would have been more effective.  I forgot to turn my tracing over so the birds are facing in the opposit direction.  I think I would have preferred them...

I assembled various images of flying birds from my image library. I like the effect on tissue paper – a somewhat ethereal quality, but the design is clearer on the sketchbook page and the rice paper. I liked the three geese heads (somewhat modified from the original image) and combined these with eggs and feathers....

I love the subtle effects that paintsticks give and how you can blend colours.  In this first example on black paper, some of the paper came away as I removed the masking tape – the lighter areas. The second sample is on black fabric. In the bird sample below I was worried that the paint...

My first attempts with automatic patterns were not very successful – too many holes. I also found it much easier to use a frame. The bird design above was stitched using a frame.  I first stitched a simple grid which I then enhanced with a grid using an automatic stitch.  I added a machine cord...

The following are sketch ideas for the set of six pieces.  Due to my fractured shoulder they are somewhat limited but gave me enought to work with. Birds and nests:   Border and feathers: Egg shapes: the first multiple tracing, followed by simplification. Footprints: I decided on an A5 size as this would give me...