Luna: Choosing a Background

Leigh Designs' Ladies of the Night:  Luna

I've posted a photo of Luna again so we can look at the background.  I've already written that I decided to do some stitches around her feet and around the tombstones that looked like paving stones to "ground" the design somewhat.  But I don't have to do that.  The design itself reads that area as ground.  Our brains look at the sprigs of grass and her feet and think "ground."

I could do a background stitch.  But what stitch?  Do I want to cover up the gray splotches that remind me of fog?

I've seen a great many terrific Halloween themed backgrounds recently.  Stitch Niche's e-newsletter for August has a great photo of a witch in a fancy hat with a skull patterned background.
http://www.needlepointyaya.com/Newsletter_files/AugustNewsletter.pdf

Here is the same piece framed from their September newsletter--in a frame with skulls!  How great is that?!
http://www.needlepointyaya.com/Newsletter_files/SeptemberNewsletter.pdf

In the October Amy Bunger newsletter, Robin King shares a graphed version of the words Eek and Boo which she has used for backgrounds.  They would also make a great border.  While you are there, check out the background behind the werewolf from the Kelly Clark Halloweenies series Amy is stitching.
http://www.amybunger.com/f/Amy_s_e-newsletter_October_2010.pdf

All these are terrific background ideas.  But are they right for Luna?   I just can't see her walking among floating skulls or words or even big Xs.  These things are not right for a more realistic canvas.  There isn't that much room on a tall, narrow canvas that has tree limbs in the background anyway.  I'd be compensating constantly, trying to squeeze in full skulls or Xs or words.   I don't even think a border of such things would look good.  They'd detract from the solitary figure.  So Luna gets boring flagstones.

The moral is don't fall in love with an idea.  Go with what is right for your canvas, not what is a clever idea.  I have a hard time with that lesson.

By the way, yesterday's Canvas of the Day is by Needle Deeva.  Thanks, Vicky!
http://www.needlepointcouture.com/season39s-greetings-dearie-needlepoint-canv39.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow