DETAILS AND PROCESS

These works really evolve in such tiny steps but once the whole is completed it is cohesive...I hope. Here are some detail photos of what I am working on now and a bit more of my how I proceed with planning and execution.Here is a detail of some sequins and beads on the bodice of the dress.
Beading on the neck piece.
Hand stitched lettering. This is taking a LONG time!

An excerpt from my journal:
"BOUND" 11/12/07

I wanted to add text. I first thought I would do this on the boning (which is not added yet) but for many reasons this idea wont work. I remembered that 16th century portraits sometimes incorporated text. So, I have done some light research on the web. Most seem to incorporate the date with Roman numerals. It seems as if the sitters name, birth date, and portrait artists name are occasionally included. Sometimes it is a philosophical statement or something written by a notable (man) of the time. I chose to use a proverb supposedly first known to be used in the 16th or 17th century. "Silence is a womans best friend'. I chose to reproduce this, the date and my initials in Latin.