Let's clear up the brain clutter, right here and right now with this no-nonsense guide for making your dream Pet Portrait.
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Hi Reader,
Just like that, it's September, and the pumpkin spice latte fans among us are rejoicing to see these calorie-laden drinks on the Tim Hortons and Starbucks menus once again.🧋However you feel about it, the PSL is a sure sign that fall has arrived.
For many retired folks, fall is the time to pack their bags and a good map and book it to the airport, while others make plans to tackle a new project or finish a work-in-progress. Whether you will be heading somewhere on a plane or starting a project, both can present us with hurdles that can easily knock us off track. Maybe it's my girl guide upbringing, but I find that mapping it out in advance can make a world of the difference.
It got me thinking about how and why I like maps so much. Maps allow me to enjoy the moment, whether I am imagining travel in the future or getting to my destination when I arrive.
It just so happens it's the same when I enroll in a course. I want, rather need, to know what's going to be covered so I can focus on learning. In fact, I become a little testy when an instructor expects me to follow along without knowing what lies ahead. It turns out that many of us learn better if we understand what's involved before we begin.
If you have decided to make a pet portrait, you may have tried to work out all the steps by scouring the internet for instructions. Perhaps you sifted through social media feeds and youtube in hopes of getting some much needed direction. Quite honestly, it can be hard to piece it all together, and you can begin to feel like Mr. Stickman in the cartoon below after bushwhacking through all the advice and videos online.
Now, it's not that a map will ever be on a workshop supply list, but if you find the fabric collage process a tad confusing, in whole or in part, you are not alone. And to be clear, this can happen anywhere along the way. It happens to all of us. We encounter a step we are unsure of, and we put the project aside for a while, then the search for help begins again. Sound familiar?
To rectify this, I present the Pet Portrait Overview: a pictorial guide (a map of sorts) to making a fabric collage pet portrait from a photograph.
Whether you are mid-project or have yet to start, keep this handy. You can focus on the task at hand while knowing what lies ahead. Better yet, pin it to your design wall to track your progress. Use it if you get stuck or are unsure of the next step.
However it goes for you, enjoy and savour the journey. Bit by bit, you will watch in amazement as your portrait takes form. And, don't be surprised if you can't wait to start your next portrait after making the final stitch because the more you put into it, the more it gives back and soothes your soul.
I select a new topic each month to share my love of making pet portraits with you, my readers.
If this has whetted your appetite, I encourage you to reach out to suggest a topic for a future edition of Ruffly Speaking. Thank you to all of those who have been in touch. It means a lot to me.
Remember, you can view the previous newsletters here to see more Artsy Fabric Collage tips.
Thanks for reading Reader, and until next time, be well.
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Click here to see Anne's online Pet Portrait Courses: annemathers.thinkific.com​
Anne Mathers
Animal portraits to love and cherish.
Collage Artist, Teacher, Animal Lover
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