Fossil Ammonite

The images of these fossils were always fascinating to me! I've made this as a sample to show at the demonstration I'm giving in our felters group next week. To show various effects achieved when work with resists. After all felting it happens to be too small to be anything apart from a sample 38x38 cm.

 

The shell "Alphabet cone".

Back to sea life!
I always wanted to make some shell with elaborate shape - conch, may be, or nautilus... I was rather busy recently so put the idea aside for a long while. But last Friday visiting Leeds Felt Group exhibition I saw amazing small sculptures of various sea shells by Margaret Chalmers and it was the last drop! The very next day I got up early and by the night finished my first shell. Wisely I decided on the simplest shell shape possible! And here we are:

My first try on sea shells! This shell is "Alphabet cone".

I'm not very happy with a result but I've got an idea. If I'm to make a similar shell again I'd change:
- a resist, see picture below (make it narrow and long);
- the ridges to be more prominent;
- overall piece lighter in weight and firmer;
- the colours brighter with some pattern.
I do not think I'll repeat this particular shell but I will keep in mind all the point above when it come to the next one!

The picture of a resist:

Dandelion Picture

Jumping from fish to pictures... Can't stop, sorry! This is a recent picture of spent dandelions on the dark rich coloured background. Apparently I like dramatic colours, surprised myself... I started to use a lot of viscose to create more depth and add some sheen. Play with it at the moment. 

Again it was felted on the base of cotton scrim to make it firmer but thin still because I want it to be framed under glass. 

Yellow Fish

It's mainly purple, actually, but the light colour prevails and I like contrast...

Framed Picture

It's my first picture  properly framed! Properly means in proper frame with a glass and a mount. I'm quite happy with the result and thinking about the next one!

 

And this is the close up of the felted picture itself.

Surface design

I work on surface design techniques applying to my fish creatures. This one is rather small:

Here I tried to make gills more interesting and, of course, the eyes, again! 

Back to reality...

Being SO slow to come back to work and reality! I made quite a few pieces but mainly orders and some repeats, nothing to show actually. But this fish was finished yesterday. Colours are different from my usual choice and I tried some techniques new for me: