SOFT SCULPTED FIGURES in TEXTILE ART & DESIGN 

Felted Figure by
Jane Eyers
www.janeeyers.co.uk

SURFACE DECORATION TECHNIQUES

DYED FABRICS: tie dye; batik; natural dyes

PRINTED FABRICS: block printing; screen printing; digital print

EMBROIDERY: machine embroidery; hand embroidery/
stump work

TEXTILE TECHNIQUES: felt & felting; crochet; knitting; weaving

FABRIC MANIPULATION:  Trapunto/ quilting; appliqué; folding; pleating; gathering; layering; fraying etc.

• The craft/art of Soft Sculpted Cloth Figures has so much more scope than other forms of Textile Fibre Arts,  since it involves fashion/costume design; portraiture; caricature; characterisation; fabric manipulation; quilting/needle sculpture; beading; embroidery; painting; dyeing and printing; knitting; crochet and all sorts of other textile embellishment. 

• From the often Picassoesque spirit figures to the highly embellished textile art figures; this is a medium that affords much diversity and creativity. They are not play things, but textile art creations and are therefore not dolls; they are soft sculpted figures.

Textile representations of the human form have been part of our social and cultural history for centuries. Few examples survive today due to the perishable nature of the materials used and undoubtedly the over-handling of the items. Those that do exist, provide insights into culture, fashion, fabrics and the economy of the times in which they were made.  

Historically, however, these cloth figures were used for psychological/emotional, social and cultural purposes. Referred to as dolls, they were used as toys; aids for medical staff and mannequins for costumes, rather than purely as pieces of art and craft.

Today, soft sculpted cloth figures have become a recognizable art/craft form encompassing a wonderfully diverse range of textile and art techniques including portraiture; caricature; characterisation; fabric manipulation; quilting/needle sculpture; beading; embroidery; painting; dyeing and printing; knitting; weaving; crochet; fashion/costume design and all sorts of other textile embellishment.

       Observe and explore the work of Textile Figure Artists.
      What is it about their styles and techniques that you admire?

       Collect swatches as well as drawings and photographs of people,
       faces, clothes, body parts and textile figures to use as Design
       Influences. Create an Ideas Scrapbook as a reference base from
       which you may develop your own soft sculpted figure designs.

       Investigate a range of materials and techniques and learn how to
       mix and use colour, textiles and styles.

     Expand your practical skills in design and manipulation of textiles
      through the use of appropriate technologies.

      Develop your creativity and communicate/express ideas /feelings
      using a range of skills in a variety of contexts. 

      Apply the various decoration techniques to create your own unique
      textile sculpted figures.

I left the face blank in the tradition of allowing it to say different things to different people depending on their mood.

This was based on a project by Noreen Crone Findlay in her book.