The Embroidered Art of Chloe Giordano

"Welcome to the beautiful needle painted world of young artist Chloe Giordano.  This book shows how she makes her stitched studies of woodland animals, taking an in-depth look at her working process and the inspiration behind each piece. I enjoy doing needle painting myself, and am always intrigued to see how other people work when doing something I enjoy.  This is not a book of projects, although if you want to try this style of embroidery it will certainly inspire you to have a go.  If you are a beginner Search Press publish books on how it is done, but this book shows what it can look like when done by somebody with real talent.  Discover what tools and materials Ms Giordano uses, what inspires her and how she gets the raw ideas down on paper first.  There are chapters on how she makes multiple sketches to get the composition just right, and her use of colour both for the animals and the hand dyed backgrounds to the work.  This book is mostly going to be of interest to those who already embroider so the practical parts on hoop preparation and transferring the design will be of interest, as will the staged photographs showing how she builds up a piece.  I tend to use floss when doing this type of thing, but this artist uses ordinary sewing thread which makes for a far more detailed image.  Watching it build up from sketch to lifelike creature is fascinating, and each chapter after the basics is devoted to a particular piece of work.  Most of the subjects are British animals such as deer, rabbits, hares, mice and badgers.  There is a wolf cub and Arctic fox too, plus a kingfisher and they all come to vibrant life, usually taking about forty hours to complete each one.  This is an illuminating guide to how to get the best results from thread painting, showing one possible way of working but also giving plenty of useful tips to anybody keen on learning more. -- Rachel A Hyde * myshelf.com * This book is so inspiring, Chloe explains the process she takes to produce her beautiful work and the equipment she has used. There are no instructions or tutorials, however it contains stunning photos of Chloe’s work. A truly inspiring read. I am so glad to have read it, I love to embroider and it has fired my passion, I am not in any way up to this standard, but a lovely book I would recommend.  -- Sally Mitton * Customer review * From conception to completion Chloe Giordano shares how she creates her beautiful embroideries of the natural world/ She demonstrates how to refine your designs, how to select colours and blend threads, so you can create your own sublime embroidery. * The Textile Art Magazine - Embroidery * The image on the cover of this book makes it very attractive to pick up and browse but don't be mistaken this is only the beginning. This is not a typical ""how to"" project book it feels much more like looking at someone's personal project book from initial sketches that you are shown developing into the most stunning pieces of embroidered art and throughout there are personal notes sharing the author's thoughts. The author explains her background and choices of subject, medium and methods used, all little nuggets of information which will keep me returning to read. There are beautiful photographs throughout showing multiple pieces of work at various stages of the process. The photographs also include images showing the sketching and drawing process that has been used to develop ideas. The embroideries are in five categories (Hares, Foxes, Fawns, Rabbits and Deeper into the Forest); for the first four categories the author describes how she developed on each of these subjects to create variations on a theme. The latter section gives a quick glimpse at a wider range of subjects. Whether you want to learn from this artist or are simply content to be in awe of her beautiful work this book has something to offer. -- Lisa Carson * Customer review * The hardback version of this book is exquisite, beautiful quality paper and photographs. Inspirational content showing how the artist achieves intricate detail in her nature embroideries. Helpful information about her work practices and lots of beautiful photographs of drawings and embroideries both during the process and finished. A delight to look at and contemplate how to improve your own projects.  -- Caroline Morgan * Customer review * This book is incredibly beautiful. Such detailed exquisite works of art which are explored in detail. She describes how each is made with sketches then transfer and how she stitches them with her chosen colours of thread. Very inspirational and a wonderful read.  -- Nicki Mansfield * Customer review * With beautiful photography and plenty of illustrations this book is lovely to look at and makes a great 'coffee table' book but it is also a useful 'how-to' with information on preparing fabric and transferring designs. It then starts to get a little more personal as they artist explains her thoughts and processes and we see the pictures come to life. There are no patterns to follow and I imagine it would be difficult to work to this level, especially as she stitches with sewing thread which would require good eyesight and/or magnification. I think this would appeal not only to those with an interest in textile arts but to lovers of British wildlife as it features, hares, rabbits, fawns & many other forest creatures. -- Nicola Urmenyi * Customer review * This book details the thought processes behind creating these magical pieces of art from the start, from sketching out the subject matter to choosing colours and preparing the fabric. Large, colour photos clearly show the various embroideries, sketches and the different stages which went into completing the finished creation. For those who are experienced in embroidery this book provides plenty of inspiration to stray away from mass produced patterns and create a work of art that is truly unique. -- Sarah Dennis * Customer review * This book is quite simply one of the most stunning books I've ever seen. I come from a family of sewers and have always loved embroidery so I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of this book, especially after seeing the beautiful cover. It turns out that's just the tip of the iceberg and the contents of the book is beyond what I expected. The first third of the book concerns various tips and tricks for how to do Chloe's style of embroidery and needle-painting, and there are a lot of really useful nuggets of information here about where and how to begin, basics of how to blend colours, how to keep your work neat and how to finish and display your piece. The last two thirds of the book are filled with heaps of high-resolution photos of Chloe's pieces from beginning to end so that you can see each creature being built up. There is annotation throughout from Chloe about her process, what she's learnt, how she's changed her style and various notes about each piece. It gives real insight into her thought processes and her craft. As someone who's never tried needle-painting and is very eager to start, I found this book really inspiring and I'm absolutely itching to give it a go. Although there are loads of process images, the colours aren't specifically detailed and the animal shapes and shading patterns aren't provided so you can't create your own version of any of Chloe's work. This isn't a problem and it wasn't in the description of the book or anything like that, it was just something I personally hoped for because this style of embroidery is so beautiful but as a beginner, it feels very overwhelming to know where to even start and although I'm very inspired and eager, so I will be seeking out other books and tutorials. For those who are more experienced, I'm sure this book would be ideal because it'll help you troubleshoot any issues you're having as well as improving your techniques and almost certainly teaching you things you didn't know or hadn't thought of yet. The images throughout are really high quality, very detailed and vibrant colour and you feel really immersed in Chloe's world from the first page. It honestly is one of the most beautiful books I've ever seen and if I manage to create one piece that's even half as good as any of those shown in this book then I'll be delighted and I know the tips and tricks I've read about here will really help me achieve that.  -- Lucy Fyles * Customer review * Without sounding too precious or in fact precocious, as the reviewer I feel overall that this is a publication to lift ones heart.  I may be biased, as I have followed this artist on Social Media for a good while now, letting her imagination flood my feed.  ‘Embroidered Art’ as a title really is self explanatory, that’s they book, it is fine art in a fabric, tactile form:  A treasury of Fine Art to Stitch – in its most visual form. Who is it aimed at? Those with a keen interest in embroidery or those who come from a Fine Art background and wish to peruse a different way of working.  Giordano was originally interested in Illustration, thus we see this aspect merged with her embroidery style.  This has led to many commissions and collaborations with clients such as Penguin and Vintage Books.  She is now classed as one of the great embroiderers of this time. The contents allows us into her world, this artists mindset and way of working. Practical areas are covered, exploring colour, types of thread and image composition – making that transition from sketch to stitch. After these practical areas are covered, the artist then delves deeper into her own world, allowing us to see how certain works of hers have been put together.  The imagery, which embraces nature and shows it off at its very best. Speaking bluntly, if you are a cold hearted person, or one who simply does not appreciate beauty and nature, then you are pretty doomed and will find this treasury boring.  However, for the rest of us, without sounding too worthy or twee, it is joyful and uplifting. -- Ailish Henderson * Mr X Stitch * In this beautiful new book, the reader is introduced to Chloe’s delightful embroidered creatures, from fawns to hares, foxes to rabbits and a host of other birds and beasts in between.  Although not a ‘how to do it’ project book, we are invited to follow Chloe’s step-by-step progress as she designs and then hand stitches in fine threads the beautiful ‘Fawn’.  Her love of all British wildlife creatures is apparent in each of her exquisite embroideries and this stunning book will amaze and inspire anyone who enjoys depicting nature in stitching.  Gorgeous colour photography throughout – this is a book to treasure and return to again and again. * East Kent Embroiderers * In this stunning volume, readers are invited to take a walk through the stitched world of Chloe Giordano, discovering a sublime collection of textile art that's inspired by a love of the natural world. The book follows one project from conception through to completion, demonstrating how Chloe plans each design, chooses colours, selects threads and finally stitches a delicate embroidery. There's guidance on every aspect of the process, including hooping and framing.  * Craft Focus * An exquisite book of gentle embroidery. Follow Chloe into her woodland wonderland of flora and fauna. Encounter rabbits, foxes, hares, a wolf cub, a fawn or dormouse all lovingly embroidered. See how the author works and how her embroidery has progressed into delicate backgrounds that complement the subject. She uses sketching and painting to create the designs, blending thread colours for each piece. Good details are given on the working methods. However, there are no guides to threads used or what to buy. This is the artist talking you through her work. Each embroidery is produced in a hoop. There are many samples of work and detailed step by step photographs to guide you. An inspiring look at the artist's work for any lover of animals and embroidered art. -- Karen Platt * karenplatt.co.uk * Chloe Giordano is an embroiderer known for her exquisitely detailed realistic wildlife embroideries. She describes her technique as needle-painting, bridging the gap between embroidery and painting. This book, as well as showcasing many of her beautiful designs, tells you how she made them. The introductory section of the book focuses on how she comes up with her designs, giving you ideas for creating your own. She also talks about the equipment and materials she uses. Then she shares her techniques so you can replicate the immense detail found in her embroideries. The majority of the book focuses on many of her individual embroideries, taking you through her processes step by step – from initial sketches to finished embroidery. This means throughout the book you will find tips for creating and stitching up your own designs. The book is full of stunning photography that really shows off the detail in her creations. -- Fiona Pullen * Sewing Directory * For every embroidery enthusiast, this book will be inspiring and encouraging. It is quite simply one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. The designs are gorgeous, life like and incredibly intricate. Although not a book of patterns, it is one that will motivate any embroiderer to achieve a simple but stunning piece of art. I did learn why I never get a perfectly professional finish with my own embroidery and discovered it is because of the thread I use. Chloe Giordano gives us all the know how we need to get that perfect image. The tiny forest animals are delightful and I loved the idea of creating the same creature but in different positions, that gives movement and motion. The designs are wonderfully photographed and the glossy pages bring vibrancy to each piece. -- Tracy Shephard * Postcard Reviews * I’ve been waiting for this for a while! I want to show you a new embroidery book that will be on the market very soon. I think I can safely say it’s going to be Huge – not size-wise, but popularity wise. This is not your typical embroidery book. But oh! How I love it! It is everything I hoped it would be, all bundled up between two hard covers.... I think one of the main take-aways from Chloe’s story is that you don’t have to follow rigid rules laid down by other people when it comes to embroidery. Do what you want to do, achieve what you want to achieve. Take your vision for your embroidery, try, practice, try again – see what happens! If you’re keen on realistic needlepainting of animals, the book is must-have in that regard. But for those who love embroidery, who love art and illustration, or who just enjoy a good burst of inspiration now and then – whether or not you want to stitch in this particular style – the book is a delight and worth having on hand! I am certain it is going to be wildly popular – if you want it before it sells out of the first print run, I’d get it pre-ordered now! Read the full review here: www.needlenthread.com/2019/08/embroidered-art-chloe-giordano.html * Mary Corbet's Needle 'n Thread * Without doubt this is one of the highest quality needlework publications we’ve ever seen. * Inspirations Studios *"