Embroidery Painting on Colored Fabric

 Embroidery on colored fabric is an intriguing way to create a vibrant contrast with various colors. It also establishes a mood that is difficult to achieve through other means. I have worked on two portraits using colored background fabric, and I found it very helpful for two reasons: first, it assisted in building the color scheme of the picture, and second, it contributed to the storytelling and dramatic compositional effect.

While working on "The Renaissance Gold," I selected a light blue cotton fabric. This choice allowed me to begin with highlights and the lighter tones of the face. The cool tone of the fabric made it easier to see the immediate effect of the highlights and helped me determine the correct way to build the planes of the face.

After I completed the "Renaissance Gold," I wanted to deepen the effect and go further.

This time, I decided to replicate Caravaggio's effect of "tenderbroso," which refers to creating a dramatic beam of light in an otherwise dark area. I began by carefully staging the lighting while working with the model to create an accurate reference for the project.

Now, I was ready for dark fabric and the dramatic storytelling in my next work. 

Working with black fabric presented both a significant challenge and a lot of fun. I began by using the lightest tones for the face and gradually built up to the darkest values. It felt similar to sculpting. Additionally, the black fabric amplified the vibrancy of the colors.

After finishing the face, I embroidered additional elements of the composition and finally assembled them together. This process led to the creation of "Overcoming Darkness."

In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed working with colored fabric. I discovered that it enhances color blending and creates interesting color effects. I highly recommend experimenting with it. My next step is to dye my own fabric.

Please let me know about your thoughts or questions about the process. I will happily answer them.