...after what you were doing becomes undoable??? Isn't that a question we sometimes have ask ourselves?
In my case the answer is - make a doll. But what kind of doll am I in the mood for? Definitely something simple, definitely something fun and definitely something small.
Lots of wasted cardboard, lots of drawing and redrawing. Use of some previously used techniques and materials. Lots of time, which I had happily given myself at the end of the last year. Much more to do -- but now I know what I'm doing!
"All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
I'm starting a punchneedle adventure. These belts and others like them inspired me.
I wondered if I would be able to produce a belt made of punchneedle. And so the adventure began with measuring. My largest frame has an opening of a little over 9" so I was stuck with that length. I needed 29" to allow for fold over at the buckle end of things. I finally measured out an 8" span, two 6" spans and one 9" span. I have a very short waist so I've narrowed the width on my pattern from what the above belts show.
I have decided to use this type of fastener because punching grommets into punchneedle would be very risky.
I won't exactly know about the fastening ends until I get most of the punching done because I'm not sure about folding the punchneedle over and through the buckle. Would it be better to use a piece of fabric (perhaps wide grosgrain ribbon) for connecting the belt through the buckle space? We'll see.
My color choices are chocolate brown, colorful lime green and an off white. I've begun the process, which I warn you might go on for awhile, we'll see where it takes me.
"The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure." - Joseph Campbell
I'm experimenting again! This time I followed the tutorial by Gritty Jane wherein she made a 'healing doll' using newspaper and paperclay.
After wadding up newspaper I covered it with masking tape. The arms and legs were a little bit more of a challenge for me with the legs ending up longer than I had anticipated. But turning up the ends to make feet (for shoes later on?) I found they would be just right.
After that came the paperclay covering - and as you can see by these pictures there is step after step of paperclay for one section has to dry before I can move on to another.
My lesson learned as I kept applying clay, was that this type of figure is going to be very 'irregular'. Its impossible, with this format, to create the same exact doll each and every time. This is a good lesson for me. It gives me freedom to experiment (whether I like it or not) and to not box myself in with the thought that each one of this series should look like the last one. Patience Penny, patience!
"The combination of experience and experimentation will ultimately yield a personal sound." - Mark White
Life is full of adventures -- some come upon us not by our choosing, others we bring upon ourselves. Recently our InspiredArts Guild had a challenge. The challenge was to use something (anything) that you have had laying around for awhile. Many of us have a bit of this and a bit of that snugged onto shelves, spilling out of boxes. Some things were acquired because we liked them but didn't know what to do with them once we got them home. Others acquired because we've 'always wanted to try that'.
My challenge fell into that category. Paper clay! I've admired the work done with it for some time and one day I bought a block of it with the idea that I would at least try it out - someday!! So this past month the 'someday' came in response to the IA challenge.
Thank heavens for Google - for tutorials that walk us through each step - for the opportunity to sit alone trying something, without the onus of 'what other people are doing or thinking about our sad attempts'.
These days my nails are apt to be sporting bits of dried paper clay as I work through this new-to-me process. And from the looks of this guy - my learning curve is going to be pretty steep!
"Creativity comes from looking for the unexpected and stepping outside your own experience." - Masura Ibuka
