Symbols of popularity

Hello

This week flew by.  Again this week I was thinking of our illustration friday word Popularity. I also got to work with

  Helga Hillyard's

Green Acres Alpacas

It was so nice of her to donate so much to me. I have been having lots of fun with my family and her wool being on every surface drying out after dying. I have been thinking along the lines of bringing all the character so together, and we were given the assignment to make a stop animation film today!!

Wheels were turning, because I had to come up with the idea for the 15 second long film by the end of class. I chose to do "taking out the trash". It will be all of my characters taking all the popular junk they had stole from earth, out to space, because there is no use for them on their planet.

So over the next while I willl be making High heel shoes, TV, phone, fire hydrant ball with wires hanging, and car out ext. I decided to make the High heel shoes first.

Whenever I start a double of something I measure out the same weight and thickness of wool for both peices for you. 

I start from the bottom up, with the Heels.

Then I build the soles around the heels.

 I work on both shoes at the same time to keep the size consistent.

When I am working on the side of the shoes I loosely pinch the wool between my fingers and move the needle up and down between them. 

 I added some green details and there done.

Suspense, that takes you a different direction

Hello I am a little late this week, but with sick kids, a mom has to do what a mom has to do. My plan has completely changed from last weeks idea. I wasn't satisfied with the materials I had to make the ship so, she is going to have to wait.

It kind of happened organically, perfect for this weeks Illustration Friday word, Suspense. When I started making her I said, "I will make her look like she is in suspense". Well she sure is she's pregnant! I think Gregory's the father. I don't have a name for her yet, so if you have a suggestion let me know in the comments! 

So here I go to lead you through the process of making her.

I am getting the eyes and horn fixed into the head nice and sucre.

After everything is all lined up in the head I put on to eyelids.

I am experimenting with this character to see if wet felting some parts makes things alittle faster.

Wet felting is when you use hot and cold water and soap to shock the wool into felting.

I pre-needle felted the legs loosely before I wet felted them.

As I was sitting in my chaotic house (bitting my lip) wishing the camera would work, my amazing husband got it working for me!  The rest of the pictures are a little better!

I am adding some lips and nostrils.

I wet felted the palms for the hands.

Then I needle felted the rest of the hand around them.

I found that if you start by needle felting a flat piece then putting it on the piece and felting it into place it made things easier than loose fibers.

Building the arm onto the hand with two flat pieces one on top and one underneath.

and the hand emerges

Attaching the arms to the head.

I wet felted the centre of the belly first. Then put the red around when it was dry.

I want my characters to go together so I am continuously comparing them for size.

All together but needs shape.

After I wanted to put an extra layer of yellow on her stomach and when I did I said "OH she looks Pregnate. Perfect" I totally didn't plan that.

Their she is!! She really does need a name!

(and maybe a bum) heeehee

Forward to space

 

Brainstorming for Forward, this weeks illustration friday word, was hard. 

After brainstorming I knew that i wanted to do a Space ship, but I wanted it to be a character not just a ship. 

I thought and drew up a few spaceships I have seen, some from the internet, research, for another project, from some movies like fight of the navigator, and tv shows like magic school bus. My niece and kids added some ideas.

I started thinking that I would just end up doing a drawing. And I did, a great drawing, I would have been happy with if... (that should read dun dun dun) I had taken pictures of my progress. That is my homework I am supposed to document it. So I ended up starting to make the ship in 3D. 

So here I so to give you some step buy steps and since it is going to be big I am going to use a sewing machine so that it will save time and my wrists.

Making a pattern for the body.

 Pining it on to the fabric. This is sparkly spandex!

Here I have go the many frame inside and out and the tentacles. oh and the piece for the back.

Sewn body, inserted inside each other. 

Here I am starting to make the Eyes out of What ever is in my recycling box. The edges look bad but they will be covered with fabric

Here are some tentacles sewn inside out the black part at eh end is to pull it right side out. Stuffing them is going to be crazy! They are thin. I tried to recreate my kids but they wouldn't have it!

Turing it inside out.

All the stuff as of yet.

 So that is what I have done and to leave you in SUSPENSE which is next week word, I will say that is all I have for this week.