Last Weekend at The Museum in the Park
Time really seems to have flown by. It feels like only yesterday we were hanging the UNmaking exhibition in Stroud, and here we are in November at the end of this run!
It was a wonderfully busy closing weekend for me, featuring a Saturday workshop followed by a "Meet the Artist" session on Sunday. The workshop was specially designed for anyone who finds drawing faces intimidating and wants to learn practical, approachable methods for transferring drawings onto fabric.
Vivienne Beaumont, Samples
We explored relaxed, low-pressure drawing techniques that focus entirely on the joy of creating rather than "getting it right." You might enjoy trying these exercises at home:
Quick Warm-Up Exercises (5 Minutes Each)
- Describe Your Face (Looking in a mirror): Write down what you see. No drawing yet—just words, to encourage use of both sides of the brain.
- Non-Dominant Hand, Continuous Line: Switch to your non-dominant hand. Keep your pencil on the paper, letting the line flow without lifting it. You will need to connect features—these lines add energy to the drawing. Make sure you are really looking at your face in the mirror, responding to what you see rather than what you think you see.
- Mirror Study, No Peeking: Study your face in the mirror. Use your non-dominant finger to mark where your nose is as a reference point (and keep it there while you draw). Draw with a continuous line without looking down at your paper.
- Dominant Hand, Continuous Line: Switch back to your dominant hand. Observe carefully and draw with one flowing line, again trying not to lift your pencil from the paper surface.
- Hand Switching (15 mins): Flip between your dominant and non-dominant hands every few minutes. Notice how each hand "sees" differently.
Repeat these exercises using a portrait photograph! Do you prefer working from life or an image?
Review Your Drawings
Remember, these are just your starting points—no judgment, only exploration. Try ripping up your drawings and rearranging the pieces into a more pleasing composition. This is your chance to play with proportions or embrace interesting distortions. Snap photos of the different options with your phone, stick down your favourite layouts to add to your sketchbook.
There is no right or wrong here—just your own unique way. Our brains all work differently, and these warm-up exercises are a wonderful tool to help reveal your natural drawing style:
- Line lovers: You emphasise flowing contours and outlines.
- Shape thinkers: You prefer cutting out forms with scissors.
- Detail enthusiasts: You love intricate details, patterns, and embellishment.
- Refiners: You enjoy carefully correcting and perfecting your work.
If you try these exercises at home, I’d love to see what you create! Share your drawings on Instagram using #tsgfabricfaces so we can follow along with your work.
From Paper to Fabric
During the workshop, students transferred their drawings onto fabric using stencilling, mono-printing, appliqué, and stitch.
Mono-printing, in particular, is a simple and versatile introduction to printing on fabric. I personally love using this method in my own work because of the hand-drawn quality and the subtle shading it allows.
Creatives. (A room full of wonderful faces, open minds, and beautiful work.)
To wrap up the weekend, I hosted a "Meet the Artist" session with Sue Green on Sunday afternoon. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with many interesting, engaged visitors and to share stories about our UNmaking series.
Sue Green. Meet the Artist
While this chapter of the exhibition has come to a close, the journey doesn't stop here. The next version of UNmaking will be heading to The Station Gallery in Richmond, North Yorkshire.
Categories: Workshops & Talks, Sue Green, Vivienne Beaumont, UNmaking: An Exploration of Process and Practice
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