It's always good to take workshops in your field and in others that interest you because you never know what you may pick up that will help you out. Or whom you might meet who can help you get to where you want to go.
Last weekend I participated in a three day workshop with Akira Blount, figurative doll artist. She uses found objects and items from her property. Branches, pine cones, etc. I live in an apartment and even though I picked up many new techniques, I failed to grasp the nature aspect of the workshop. I will use the new techniques to continue on with what I like to do. Costuming.
I love Akira, her style and techniques which start off with a needle sculpted head. She uses glue to apply delicate trim. My kind of woman. I mean, how else would you get 1/8" trim on a piece and not ruin it by sewing it on? Looking at nothing but large stitches? Using good glue that dries quickly, keeps things in place until it does, and dries clear is essential.
I've always had a problem with the center seam on a needle sculpted face. Akira covers her heads making the face a more usuable palette for painting with color pencils. The needle sculpted face can be covered with another piece of fabric or a dyed gauze like material (scrim). The fabric is glued around the neck and then on the head. Clever. I had tried those techniques before but there always can be an easier way.
I now have many ideas dancing in my head waiting to use the new techniques I've learned. First I'll start by making several different heads. That was another thing, seeing Akira's bag of heads waiting to be worked on. Along with her bag of arms and legs! I have a small plastic bucket, so I'll have a bucket of parts. :)
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