June 14
As a long term fan of the fantastical this book piqued my interest. While there are many books on fairies and elves, this was the first book I had seen detailing these water bound creatures. The book varied from simple instructions to more detailed techniques and I found had an attractive use of colours throughout to highlight the designs. The instructions were helpful and laid out nicely. My personal favourite was the design which culminated on page 109. It's both a nice reference and a teaching tool. Thankfully you don't have to be an underwater creature to enjoy the book.
* Marian Carr, Bradford College *
June/ July 2015
Illustrator Elaine's pencil, gouache and watercolour depictions of mermaids in their myriad forms are perfectly suited for stitch. Flowing Art Nouveau lines typify her romantic, fluid approach. Mermaids dwell, Elaine says, 'in a world where the sea meets the sky and myth merges with reality'. An intriguing history covering the myth and legend of mermaids includes a cultural overview and details of mermaid 'species', such as the ningyo, with its human face and the body of a fish. Catching one is said to bring storms and misfortune. All the skills described can relate directly to producing your own stitched design or tracing off the images provided. Makers of cloth dolls or those creating stitched portraits will find the sections on faces and hands invaluable. Elaine's advice on laying down washes, working with colour and planning a design are useful for many stitched formats including applique and quiltmaking as well as embroidery. Her design 'Neryn' - a pensive mermaid in a seascape complete with 'galleon sailing away into the starlit night, silhouetted against the full moon' cries out to be translated into stitch, It's embellished with sequinned stars and beaded detail highlighting Neryn's enigmatic features, while the calm seas suggest layered organza over a washed background.
* Stitch *
