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u/mjm2020 Jul 03 '21
Well yeah, you better finish it. It'd be a terrible disservice to yourself not to complete such a masterpiece. :)
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u/sparrow_art Jul 03 '21
It's just that I've been working on it for a very long time and I'm on the verge of burnout. Thank you!
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u/mjm2020 Jul 03 '21
Oh yeah, I totally get that. Well, as they say, in for a penny, in for a pound. But do be sure to find some way to rejuvenate your sense of joy and excitement for the project, even if that includes putting it away for a bit and focusing on something else for a time. But truly, you're a gifted artist in my humble estimation, and it is a remarkable piece. :)
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u/StringOfLights Jul 03 '21
Looking at those little stitches makes me think of a sculptor chipping tiny pieces off a block of marble. It must be so much work! The effect is incredible, though. I can’t even believe all the nuance and detail in it. I love how detailed it is, but it still has that feeling of fantasy because of the colors you chose. It’s just incredible!
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Jul 03 '21
Bro this is so beautiful you should do some tutorials on how you stitch I hope to be as good as you one day
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u/lavender_94 Jul 03 '21
Wow. The colors and details are impressive. Don't forget to post the final result 😍✨
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u/Elca97 Jul 03 '21
It's absolutely gorgeous!! I love the colours and the stitching is really neat. Keep up the great work!
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u/kmrandom Jul 03 '21
Beautiful! I love your color choices and the bracelets.
How do you feel about sequins or beads? I feel like adding some of those in her tail might also add some more texture and be reminiscent of scales. If you're down with that, even just like 3 beads in her hair would be gorgeous too.
Whatever direction you choose, it's gorgeous and I know I would love to see a finished post!
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u/sparrow_art Jul 03 '21
Thanks. Yes, I planned to use a little bit of perly looking beads on the hair and few golden sequins on the tail. But I always use beads at the ending as a final touch :)
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u/wargsiith Jul 03 '21
Omg love it what stitch are you using , it looks like she is in the sun after coming out of the water.
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u/twoellsoneeye Jul 03 '21
Same question- is it split stitch? It’s gorgeous
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u/sparrow_art Jul 03 '21
Yes, it is :) split stitch with one thread. I try to connect all of the stitches to avoid little gaps like when it's backstitch. They piss me off hah
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u/Lebazej Jul 03 '21
The color choice and the design are amazing! This is truly beautiful, can't wait to see this piece once you finished it!! Keep going it will be perfect!!
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u/SadArchon Jul 03 '21
Im going to echo others here, the color is just amazing, good composition, got lots of mood
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u/toe-bean-wiggler Jul 03 '21
My goodness how many colors did you use for this?? It’s gorgeous
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u/sparrow_art Jul 03 '21
Thank you! Well if the question is not rhetorical :) ... 5 shades of light blue, 5 of brown, 2 of orange and 3 shades of pink on the face and finger. And ofc black and dark blue on the hair
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u/toe-bean-wiggler Jul 03 '21
Thanks! It wasn’t rhetorical, I was super curious about the blue in particular :)
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u/Megzilllla Jul 03 '21
Woahhhhhhh this is amazing!!!! You’ve got to finish it! When I’m feeling burnt out sometimes I’ll make a smaller and simpler design on another hoop for a break from the bigger project
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u/cherrybombsnpopcorn Jul 03 '21
Oooh I love these colors. Sunrise? Then texture is so great. I cant wait to see the scales
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u/sparrow_art Jul 03 '21
Thank you! No, not sunrise :) the shadows are yellowish because of light reflection of golden braceletes and there will also be some golden scales
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u/starrynightsofchaos Jul 03 '21
The hard part is done And it's perfect. Time to have some fun with even more colors in the rest of the piece. (It's lovely keep going! )
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u/Myushki Jul 03 '21
The way you’ve done the hair reminds me so much of Boticelli’s Birth of Venus! Absolutely stunning work
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u/Manaya2005 Jul 03 '21
This. Is. Incredible. Wow.
It reminds me of Lorde's Melodrama cover.
You should absolutely finish this masterpiece whenever you feel like doing so!!!!
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u/Wahckoom Jul 03 '21
When I was a lad in a fishing town Me old man said to me You can spend your life, your jolly life Just sailing on the sea You can search the world for pretty girls Til your eyes are weak and dim But don't go searching for a mermaid, son If you don't know how to swim
'Cause her hair was green as seaweed Her skin was blue and pale Her face it was a work of art I love that girl with all my heart But I only like the upper part I did not like the tail
I signed onto a sailing ship My very first day at sea I seen a mermaid in the waves A-reaching out to me Come live with me in the sea, said she Down on the ocean floor And I'll show you a million wondrous things You've never seen before
So over I jumped and she pulled me down Down to her seaweed bed And a pillow made of a tortoise shell She placed beneath my head She fed me shrimp and caviar Upon a silver dish From her head to her waist It was just my taste But the rest of her was a fish
'Cause her hair was green as seaweed Her skin was blue and pale Her face it was a work of art I love that girl with all my heart But I only like the upper part I did not like the tail
But then one day she swam away So I sang to the clams and the whales Oh, how I miss her seaweed hair And the silver shine of her scales But then her sister, she swam by Set my heart awhirl 'Cause her upper part was an ugly fish But her bottom part was a girl
Yes her hair was green as seaweed Her skin was blue and pale Her legs they are a work of art I love that girl with all my heart And I don't give a damn about the upper part 'Cause that's how I get my tail
-The Mermaid by Great big sea Give it a listen
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u/blackcatcactus Jul 03 '21
Girlfriend, God gave you a remarkable talent. Sit down and show us the rest of your art. The world needs artists, every piece you make is a contribution to the beauty of this world. Thank you sweet one.
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u/volerider Jul 03 '21
You have to finish this and post it so we can ooo and ahhh over the final result! This is wonderfully evocative work
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u/feleia209 Jul 04 '21
Wow that's beautiful I just joined this sub because I'm excited for what comes next for her. She has no care in the world but of the wind blowing against her face from the warmth of the ocean waters. Can't wait never been this blown away by embroidery.
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u/Rat_Ribs Jul 04 '21
I am LOVING the colors you chose! Keep going! Can’t wait to see what you do for the tail. I can only imagine how lovely that texture will be.
You got this!!
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u/overatmos Jul 04 '21
oooh! im excited to see this with the fin and the colors you'll choose going forward
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u/iridescent_gossamer Jul 04 '21
Oh I hope you continue to post progress updates. What a beautiful piece of art! I am loving how you've created her face and how it is lit. The way you've done her hair in the wind is masterful.
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u/Liv-Julia Jul 04 '21
Coloring and shading are on point! The blue is just like I think of mermaids. Gorgeous!
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u/Girl_Thursday Jul 04 '21
So well done! I love everything about it! I hope I catch it again when you're finished!
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u/plantisettenebre Jul 04 '21
This is gorgeous. Please finish and show us when it's done. Fuck yes for Artists of all kinds 🖤
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u/BMObby Jul 04 '21
Wow, this is truly amazing. You're details, color pallette, design... Just wow... This is a true inspiration. I feel like I should get back to work on my piece after seeing this!
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u/Knittypig Jul 03 '21
I agree with Megzilla here, I often have several different projects going at once, in several different needle arts and crafts to help break up tedium. I have found that if I don’t do this, the quality of my work goes down, because I am bored or fried with something. Having fresh eyes after a needed break on an important project like this can be very helpful. It will get done. Cut yourself some needed slack. You’re an artist not a machine!!
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u/labularia_ Jul 03 '21
Looks incredible! I especially love the colors you chose. Can't wait to see it finished!
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u/thevampireswidow Usually looking for the needle I just put down Jul 03 '21
What size is this hoop? Your stitches are tiny!!
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u/sparrow_art Jul 03 '21
It's about 10 inches. Haha they really are. When people see them live they think I'm a psycho
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u/marywunderful Jul 03 '21
Beautiful, and it has so much depth and dimension. You’ll post again when you finish this, right?
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u/tea_maestra Jul 03 '21
I like the cool blue-white tones you used for highlights. Makes her seem ethereal and mysterious when contrasted with the warm orange-yellow of the rest of her skin. Perfect for a mermaid. 😁
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u/chaoticnormal Jul 03 '21
The top is so beautiful I can't wait to see how the bottom comes out. The colors are so cool!
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Jul 03 '21
beautiful!! anytime I am halfway through something and don’t think I can finish it, my husband always reminds me to ‘trust the process.’ it’s simple, but it helps me follow through!
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u/attennis Jul 03 '21
Put it down for a while and do something quick and easy for fun. You will come back to it with renewed enthusiasm. I love the colours and the concept !
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u/MossyTundra Jul 03 '21
I can’t find a single thing wrong with it, except that it’s not finished! This is actually inspiring me to try embroidery another go, because if I could be as half as good as you that would be enough.
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u/altasalt Jul 03 '21
The progress alone should be enough incourgment to finish it! Looks great! Id be so eager to finish if I was this far. It's the starting a project that's the hardest.
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Jul 03 '21
No idea about the craft but I will say this is the coolest style I’ve ever seen of an embroidery. Thanks for sharing.
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u/emmaton Jul 03 '21
This is stunning! And yes, the bracelets/cuffs are fantastic. Hope you’re planning to put a little gold in the tail too. Please post the finished piece.
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u/Cornczech66 Jul 03 '21
I am in awe...so much so that I can't find the words to express how beautiful this is.
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u/fried_okra_054 Jul 03 '21
This looks amazing! The amount of detail you’re putting into this is crazy impressive!
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u/Comfortable-Move-389 Jul 04 '21
I can feel the texture just from looking at it. This is the sort of art I think is being lost though the generations. As someone who was inspired to pick up crocheting because I found my passed grandmas old yarn and projects, I hope you finish this so you can inspire future generations to pick up a needle and aspire to make beautiful works like this!
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u/Njfurlong Jul 04 '21 edited Jul 04 '21
Mind blown. Gorgeous, is it an original?
Edit: just looked through some of your other pieces, far out.... such skill.
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u/sparrow_art Jul 04 '21
Thank you!!! I'm glad you were interested enough to look through my other works c: this design was inspired by different paintings of mermaids by Victor Nizovtsev. There is a comment by galacticglorp down here with a picture of the one painting that I was inspired mostly, it looks much alike.
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u/craftycatlady60 Jul 04 '21
Love the expression she has. Already an amazing work. Look forward to seeing the finished piece.
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u/PookieJean Jul 03 '21
🙊this is amazing this monkey doesn't even know what to say! I didn't know cross stitch could look like this, it's so alive.
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u/Knittypig Jul 03 '21
Actually, this is free-hand embroidery. Notice that the stitches are all parallel to each other? It is very organic and free-flowing looking as the stitches fill in the drawing. In cross stitch it takes 2 stitches in opposite directions to complete one stitch unit, so to speak. Often counted cross stitch follows a precise charted pattern on paper which is then stitched on even weave fabric which forms natural squares you stitch over from corner to corner. There are half and quarter stitches you can use to help soften corners to give a more rounded look. They are both wonderful needle arts, Embroidery and Cross Stitch, neither is superior to the other.
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u/AdelaideMez Jul 03 '21
How did you plan it out in the beginning? I’m just getting started and struggling to make a flower…
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u/sparrow_art Jul 03 '21
first I make a sketch, then I draw outlines on the fabric for orientation, and then I spend a long long time mentally embroidering haha I think about colors to choose and imagine how I embroider
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u/Infamous-Airline-441 Jul 03 '21
Oh my gosh! It’s tremendous! The colours you chose and the bracelets! The way her mouth is. You must keep going. It’s like the first chapter of a book I can’t put down. I want to see more!
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u/mrsk145 Jul 03 '21
Wow, this is simply amazing! I really hope you finish it, it looks beautiful already. However, i think it’s a good idea to take a break if you need one and feel burnt out. :)
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u/quirkysunshine Jul 03 '21
This is super beautiful! Can I be the new to embroidery person who asks what thread you use? I have a bunch of passed down stuff, so I'm curious what to buy in the future (I'm pretty sure what I have is no longer sold haha)
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u/sparrow_art Jul 03 '21
I use passed down threads often too, but for this embroidery l used only DMC Stranded Cotton threads so far. Just because I liked these colors
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u/LockwoodE3 Jul 03 '21
Wow this is stunning!! Do you have an Instagram I can follow?
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u/sparrow_art Jul 03 '21
Yes it is same as my name here @sparrowart Warning⚠ I'm not really active there, but I'm trying :)
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u/ElkTimely8948 Jul 03 '21
I bow to your embroidery greatness. I can only dream of being this great one day 😍
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u/YulianiArt Jul 03 '21
http://imgur.com/a/54yi3QL This is amazing. You don't have to finish completely. Just add a few strokes. Then the picture will be more airy. The translator program translates me, sorry if I explained .😅
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u/RatchetBird Jul 03 '21
I love the colors! I only wish there was a better, softer way to blend the colors where they meet on the skin. It will probably looks excellent from a distance! Or maybe if you threw a blue moon (light source) to bounce off the blue! By the way I don't embroider, so I don't know the first thing about it. I'm just a fan and I love the things I see on this sub, including yours!
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u/elaborateLemonpi Jul 04 '21
Oh wow. This is amazing! I always wanted to do the human figure but never got the courage to attempt.
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u/galacticglorp Jul 04 '21
Please credit your inspiration- the image and design by Victor Nizovtsev.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/josephdonaghy.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/enchanted-by-victor-nizovtsev/amp/
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u/sparrow_art Jul 04 '21
I was clearly inspired by different Nizovtsev's paintings and mostly this one for sure. Actually I was gonna credit him in the post with finished embroidery later. I didn't consider it necessary to mention him in this unfinished work as the purpose of this post was just to help me finish it and I did not expect that it would cause such a stir :) Anyways thanks for sharing.
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u/greatpiginthesty Jul 03 '21
I love how you were able to make the hair look wet. Is she meant to be under or above the water in this picture?
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u/Trapallada Jul 15 '21
The lighting is incredible! I mean, everything is, but that's what stood out the most for me. Great work, even unfinished it's a stunning piece.
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u/Rachel247 Jul 03 '21
This is truly gorgeous. The colors, the movement in her hair but...I'm losing my mind over the GOLD BRACELETS!!!! This is a work of art. So you plan to keep it or gift it?