Over the past 10 years of teaching feltmaking 'Painting with Fibres' has become
my most popular workshop... And I can understand why...
It is a marvellous introduction to making felt!
Beginners feel they have achieved a great deal in a day, not only learning a new skill
but coming away with a substantial piece of work.
Then in the hands of more experienced feltmakers the combinations of
colour, fibre and texture are endless...
For this new season of workshops I wanted to felt a pair of pictures that illustrate
what can be achieved in just a few hours of "painting with fibres"
using a simple design and lots of interesting fibre & texture..
Although it can be a broad, bold medium, felt pictures can also be
planned and executed in a controlled way.
I suggest everyone brings along a small sketch or photo to the class as a
starting point. You can see mine in the photo below,
click on the photos to enlarge...
The first panel demonstrates the felting process,
laying out wool fibres...
adding textures and a simple bird shape cut from prefelt.
The finished felted picture below has no further embellishment
The second panel shows the same laying out process,
with a different choice of coloured fibres + textured threads
After felting, this picture is taken to the next stage with embellishment
using machine and hand stitch, with beading
to create extra detail and interest
The contrasting colour schemes completely change the mood
from a fresh cool early morning scene
to a warm glowing evening sunset,
with the shape of the black bird identical in both!
When people handle the fibres for the first time they are drawn to
the tactile softness and the colours...
the tactile softness and the colours...
Those who would never dream of boldly mixing paint onto a canvas seem
to have less inhibitions when it comes to using fibres.
They discover the joys of using colour!
It's not threatening, it's a very gentle process!
Bright colours merge as in the second panel - orange/cerise/purples/magenta -
blended together with your hands...
This workshop demonstrates that you can create pictures in felt,
using fibres and textures as if you were painting a landscape and
'Painting with Fibres' describes the process perfectly.
The first 'Painting with Fibres' workshop in March is now fully booked
so I've added an extra date on Sat 1st June
and you can find all the Spring workshop details here...