#textileexperiments

My next test is using Derwent Inktense pencils. In theory it sounds great. Draw on, blend and shade as you go, apply water, and once dry you have a permanent finish. For my needs, I found the pencils a bit hard. They dragged the fabric, which also made the application process quite slow. Once I added the water there was quite a lot of bleeding. If I was working on a sculpture with them, that kind of unpredictability would be very unnerving. It did dry back well, and the colour bleed almost disappeared. Though it didn't adhere very well to the printed finish on the fabric. You can see that white patch, which I had coloured over, is now showing through again. I don't think the pencils are for me I'm afraid, but next I plan to try the pastels and compare finishes. #textilesart #textileexperiments #textile #sampling #testing #derwent #inktense #inktensepencils #wipart #workinprogress #trialanderror #colourblending #experiments #artisticprocess #artexperiment #tryandtryagain https://www.instagram.com/p/CeLY-3xotzF/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Failed experiment number two. I had the idea that perhaps, if I mixed fibres with paint, it might create an interesting texture to compliment the smooth lines and distressed prints in my work. I cut some wool fibres up and mixed them in with acrylic, and this was the result. I don't really like the sheen of the paint, it was also really hard to control the position of the fibres, meaning I needed to use extra paint to do so. I am not certain what the result would look like, if I were to blend white, grey and black. Perhaps it would be more pleasing. But for now I am moving onto another idea and shelving this one. I need a technique that I can easily control, as when working a blending finish onto a completed sculpture (that has taken a lot of time and effort) there really is very little room for error. #paintexperiment #textileexperiments #textiles #surfacetexture #ideas #ontothenextone #tryingsomethingnew #tryingoutideas #samples #sampling #artisticprocess #trialanderror https://www.instagram.com/p/CeJkGj-oYZk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I am so sorry I have been silent for so long. Feels like my world is all upside down at the moment. First losing my fur baby, then the move, and losing my workspace. My mojo is awol, it's a very unsettling time. I am going to try and post once a week, and build my momentum back up. It may not sound like much, but I have a lot going on, so free creative time is hard to come by. Please stick with me, I promise I will get back to more interesting posts, once I get past this blip. Here are a few shots of my first felting experiments, just testing to see how well the strands would punch and hold through different layers. The aim is to find a way to achieve a natural looking colour blend, to imitate the colour variations found in animal fur. I stopped these tests short, as it occurred to me that inside my sculptures are cobwebs of thread going in all directions. If a needle punched and snapped one of these threads it would comprimise the strength of the make, and could deconstruct the intricate shaping. Plus a snapped thread would be very difficult to trace and repair. With this thought, I decided to move to another blending medium, while I ponder how to move applied wool experiments forward, in a gentler way. Notice also the damage to the printed cotton base fabric. #longtimenosee #sorry #needlefelting #experiments #textileexperiments #textiles #textileart #sampling #wool #colourblending #textilearts #wip #wipart #workinprogress #tryingsomethingnew https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd6GjpBo8as/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=