Thursday, October 1, 2009

Free At Last

You know the other day when I was talking about all that creative rule breaking that I do, well what I didn't mention are the self made rules that I have a hard time getting past. I do a lot of different craft type activities and when I first started my etsy shop it was full of various crap I had created. Crochet, knitted bears, macrame necklaces, beaded bracelets...all kinds of stuff. Eventually I was confident enough and focused enough on my tatting to say no more and turned it into a tatting only emporium. Okay, maybe not emporium, but it's a cool word. So know I sit here attempting to create a mask based on a video game image my husband showed me. It was a trailer for the game Bayonetta and one of the characters sports a lacy looking butterfly mask. I was then charged with attempting to recreate this piece.

I printed out the screen cap and started drawing potential motifs upon it. When I though I had a good section to attempt I began a bit of free form tatting. It was an utter failure. Besides the long unruly chains, the rings are well...too round to recreate the feel of the mask. After much musing I realized what my problem was. I was thinking inside my own little box. Who said every element needs to be tatted? Well...I did when I tatted my first mask. I only used wire for the eyes to give the piece structure.

No more! I shall break free the chains of my own oppression. I have in my hands a spool of wire and with it, I shall create the mask. Upon the sturdy base of metal I shall place any tatting that shall occur. Sure it feels a little wrong, but just because I'm a tatter, doesn't mean that it my only means of creation. I know that I put myself in this box. I've no one else to blame and I shall set myself free. Not all at once though...maybe just a step or two at first, but I'm moving, I swear.

5 comments:

Emi said...

*cheer*
I am all for thinking outside the box, especially the ones we put around ourselves; they are the most important ones to step out of every once in awhile. The picture looks cool, I bet the finished product will be awesome!
Happy tatting!

mermaiden said...

that's a pretty intense step for a very structured person such as yourself. right on. you're freeing yourself for another channel of inspiration. can't wait to see what new creations come of this.

Artsnark said...

ooh- looking forward to the new dramatic looks you'll get with more armature

H J Hess said...

How about creating it only with chains, split chains, and very-small-picots for joining? Avoid rings, unless absolutely necessary. This might help with the acute and obtuse angles in the design. What do you think?

Gina said...

Welcome to mixed media! Tatting mixes well with so many other forms of art.