How do you design and weave your own tapestry?
It isn’t as difficult as it seems, although you need to have some patience. Designing a tapestry is a process that follows some logical steps. The most important one of course, is what you would like to express in your design. Every work of art tells a story. It is an expression of the beauty inside of the artist, as you can’t create what you can’t see. ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’
The Andean cosmovision offers rich inspiration for the tapestry artist. Apart from a myriad of meaningful symbols, there are many stories, myths and fables that can be integrated in the design.
There’s for example the fable of the Hummingbird and the Condor, that ultimately tells us that however small we may be, we will find a way to realize our wildest dreams even if no one around us believes it to be possible. It only takes a strong desire and a strong belief within ourselves.
The tapestry below is a Mural Tapestry expressing the journey of a person from darkness into light, awareness and faith. It has a size of 1.25 x 4.10 m. During your visit you can learn the whole design process in person. The weaving time for a piece of this size is 7 to 10 months, whereas smaller pieces can be woven in 3 to 4 weeks.
When you have chosen your story and theme, you need to make some decisions that influence the complexity of your art work.
The process of creating a tapestry can take from 3 weeks to several months, depending on the size and complexity of each piece. So, when working on the drawing in the beginning you may want to start with a small piece and a few symbols only. A complex drawing may require more techniques and may take longer to create.
Another consideration may be the size and form of the symbols and images. Smaller images require more refined weaving skills, and clear lines are easier than meandered lines for example.
The piece above depicting two fishes in harmony is a beautiful example of a simple, small work of art.
All tapestries begin with a small drawing called the cardboard concept. This is the first sketch to scale. It is an outline of your design on graph paper.
Before drawing you need to decide what the final size of your tapestry should be. A standard size is 1.20 x 1.80 m, but it’s perfectly okay to begin with a smaller piece. Make your drawing to scale. For example, every centimeter in your drawing is 10 centimeters in the actual tapestry.
Once your line drawing is ready, the coloring process begins. It really brings your art to life. For coloring we use pencils or markers as they allow for precise and clear linings. It is also common to use software to work out and color a design.
Your color image will now go to the Color Lab, where the yarns are dyed according to your specifications. A specialist will mix the colors by hand to create what we call “butterflies” of yarn. Each “butterfly” is created by hand blending one or more solid yarns to match the required shades of a tapestry.
These are the bright, vibrant color combinations we are known for. This special process is also making it very difficult to find solid colors within a piece of Surco art. You will always find a variety of colors in a very small space, allowing for a play of light to occur.
Once your line drawing is ready, the coloring process begins. It really brings your art to life. For coloring we use pencils or markers as they allow for precise and clear linings. It is also common to use software to work out and color a design.
Your color image will now go to the Color Lab, where the yarns are dyed according to your specifications. A specialist will mix the colors by hand to create what we call “butterflies” of yarn. Each “butterfly” is created by hand blending one or more solid yarns to match the required shades of a tapestry.
These are the bright, vibrant color combinations we are known for. This special process is also making it very difficult to find solid colors within a piece of Surco art. You will always find a variety of colors in a very small space, allowing for a play of light to occur.
Hector Surco was born in Cusco, the capital city of the Incas, in 1986. Since he was a child, he has shown his passion for drawing and painting. Like many children growing up in Cusco, his grandmother showed him how to weave and create textile art
Community of Ccaccahuara, Ancahuasi District, Anta Province, Cusco Department.