Art Advent Calendar - Part IV

Despite my accident, I finished my Art Advent Calendar. Here is the last part of the review of my 2021 artworks. My art helped me through another challenging year. May creative projects enable you to express your joys and troubles.

 

Day 18 of the Advent Calendar:

Nature’s Mirror, wool, 11” x 8.5”

Nature’s Mirror, wool, 11” x 8.5”

 

As I continued to felt all the images of my 2020 landscape calendar, it was the turn of another fall image with tree reflections in a bay of the Ottawa River. Even though I love the warmth and long days of summer, I cannot get enough of the breathtaking fall colours.

 

 

 

Advent Calendar Day 19:

 

The Rock, acrylic, 8” x 10”, CAN $250

The Rock, acrylic, 8” x 10”, CAN $250

 

This painting is from the 2019 Plein Air Ensemble fall painting trip to Lake Clear in Eganville. On October 6, the forecast showed a high probability of rain. In the afternoon, the sky got very dark. We had our lunch break and waited for the rain, but it stayed dry. Finally, we headed out to a side road, where I set up in front of a big rock. We had assumed that it was a quiet road, but many cars, an ATV and even a group of hikers passed us. It was almost 4:30 pm when the rain finally started. At first, I did not even notice it because I was so immersed in my painting. However, it was clear that the rain system had reached us. We had to pack in our painting equipment.

 

This fall, I finally found my way back into the painting and finished it once I used painting knives to add some texture.

Advent Calendar Day 20:

 

Fall Splendor, wool and embroidery thread, 11.75” x 9”

Fall Splendor, wool and embroidery thread, 11.75” x 9”

 

I got stuck while working on this needle felted painting. After taking a break for a couple of months, I finally finished the challenging fall landscape with trees reflecting in a lake. To create a more interesting foreground, I added embroidery thread for the grasses in the foreground.

 

My goal for this year was to recreate all the images of my 2020 landscape calendar. I was very close to achieving this goal when my accident put me in the hospital.  

 

 

 

Advent Calendar Day 21:

 

Big Rock, Lake Clear, acrylic, 8” x 10”, $250

Big Rock, Lake Clear, acrylic, 8” x 10”, $250

 

This painting is also from the Plein Air Ensemble trip to Lake Clear in Eganville in October 2019. Many painters in the area have painted the rock that is truly impressive in its size. 

 

I was with my friends Hélène and Janis when I painted Big Rock. It was a very windy day, but in the sunshine, temperatures rose to 15 degrees. We had so much fun that we did not mind that we were late for Happy Hour that day.

Advent Calendar Day 22: 

 

Flaming Tree, acrylic on board, 11" x 14", CAN $375

Flaming Tree, acrylic on board, 11" x 14", CAN $375

 

I created this fall painting during a painting class with the participants of the group homes. I signed it afterwards, but somehow I was not satisfied with the outcome, especially with the sky. I found it too busy. A couple of months later, I picked the painting up again and made some changes, as you can see. I am happy with the result this time.

 

I post both images so that you can see the differences for yourself. The second one is the finished painting.

 

 

Flaming Tree, acrylic on board, 11" x 14", Stage 1

 

 

 
Advent Calendar Day 23:

 

Felting with Vegan Fibres

 

Felting with Vegan Fibres

 

I had hoped to present one more new felted painting, but I did not finish the last piece yesterday. I will show you my new felted artwork to you next week.

 

Instead, I want to emphasize that we have to keep exploring and learning new things to grow. This year, I learned a lot about vegan fibres. Even though I love needle felting with wool, this option is not suitable for everyone. Therefore, I experimented with a couple of vegan fibres. If you want to learn more about my experience, check out my November blogs.

 

 

 

Advent Calendar Day 24:

 

The Pink Rose, wool, 7.5" x 7", $380

The Pink Rose, wool, 7.5" x 7", $380

 

I felted a version of the rose that we also picked as one of the images for our Painting Buddies meetings. While the original pre-felted background cloth was only 6" x 6", I wanted to enlarge the artwork to give the rose more space. I achieved this by adding another piece of pre-felted material that I attached by densely covering the top with wool roving.

 

I picked the image today because it reminds me of the popular German Christmas song Es ist ein Ros entsprungen. The English version is called Lo, how a rose e'er blooming. There are two explanations for the symbolism of the rose. It is either a symbol for the Virgin Mary (catholic church) or Jesus (protestant church).

 

 

I am back home after my bad accident. I am still bedridden. I have to concentrate on my healing for the upcoming weeks. Therefore, I will postpone all further courses until I walk again, at least until February. I will also take a break from publishing my newsletter, blog, and regular posts on Facebook until the second week of January.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

 

Thank you for reading my blog. I hope my posts about art inspired you to express your creativity.

 

I wish you joyful holidays surrounded by loved ones. Enjoy the time together, celebrating the joys with gratitude.

 

Art Advent Calendar - Part III

If you wondered what happened to the blog last Friday, I had a bad fall that landed me in the hospital. I will do my best to finish the Advent Calendar in time. Please have patience if you contact me. I will try to answer emails as soon as possible. However, my recovery is the number one priority. Here are the days 11 - 17 of the Advent Calendar.


Advent Calendar Day 11:

Summer at Mer Bleue, wool, 8.5” x 11.75”

 Summer at Mer Bleue, wool, 8.5” x 11.75”, custom-matted, CAN $400

 
I recreated my acrylic painting Summer at Mer Bleue, which was challenging because of the dominance of greens. Mer Bleue Bog is in the East of Ottawa, Ontario. This scene is from the boardwalk through the bog with a stunning variety of plants. 

Have you ever been to a bog before? Summer is not a great time to visit because of all the mosquitoes and horseflies. However, the landscape is breathtaking at any season.



Advent Calendar Day 12:

A Single Sunflower, acrylic, 12” x 24”, CAN $450

A Single Sunflower, acrylic, 12” x 24”, CAN $450

 
On the September long weekend, I spent time painting the only sunflower in our garden. All the ones my husband had planted did not survive, but the single one that grew from a seed that the birds had dropped inspired me to create this year’s sunflower painting. 

Sunflowers always make me think of my mother because they are her favourite flower. I always feel close to her when sunflowers surround me. This year, even more than at any other time, I needed to feel the connection while painting because it has been almost two years since I last saw her and my father.



Advent Calendar Day 13:

A Single Sunflower, wool, embroidery thread, 9” x 12”, CAN $400

A Single Sunflower, wool, embroidery thread, 9” x 12”, CAN $400

 
I started the felted version of the sunflower later than the acrylic painting with the same title (see Day 12). However, the easy access to the wool with no cleanup makes it easier to work on the needle felted artwork, whether for a long or short time. Therefore, I finished this painting first.



Advent Calendar Day 14:

Ottawa River, Whitewater Region, wool, 11.75” x 9”, CAN $ 400

Ottawa River, Whitewater Region, wool, 11.75” x 9”, CAN $ 400

 
I had a lot of fun with this river scene that I had already captured a couple of years ago in my acrylic painting with the same title. I love the three-dimensional impression of the rocks.
Is there not something fascinating about rushing water?

Advent Calendar Day 15:

Low Tide at the Monadnock, Route de la Grève, acrylic, 11” x 14”, CAN $375

Low Tide at the Monadnock, Route de la Grève, acrylic, 11” x 14”, CAN $375

 
I finally finished the painting from the September 2019 trip to Kamouraska. The scene is from the site of our favourite monadnock. We have returned to the place on each of our trips. It is one of our most visited spots to paint and have lunch.

I love the light colour of the rocks in contrast to the purple foreground with the algae and seagrasses. It is a great spot to walk around, but every time, it amazes me how fast the tide comes back in again.

Advent Calendar Day 16:

Flamboyance, wool, 9” x 12”, custom-matted, CAN $400

Flamboyance, wool, 9” x 12”, custom-matted, CAN $400

 
This year, I also recreated my acrylic painting Blushing Sunset in wool. I used the beautiful colours of wool rovings that I had ordered. It was exciting to build up the image layer by layer.

Advent Calendar Day 17:

Variety of 2021 Watercolour Paintings

 

2021 Watercolour Paintings

Instead of the needle felted painting I wanted to feature on Day 17, I post a collage with the best of my 2021 watercolour paintings from the Zoom meetings with my Painting Buddies. Usually, I did not finish the artwork during our one-hour session. I continued the work after the meeting.

For the past two years, I have created more watercolour paintings. The paints are easy to carry and clean up. I love how fast I can cover the different areas of my paper and find them very useful for sketching.

Please send me an email to info@KerstinPeters.ca if you are interested in purchasing the artwork. The shipping fee is calculated depending on the destination.

Art Advent Calendar - Part II

Welcome to my blog. For the remainder of 2021, I present you with a review of twenty-four of my artworks included in the 2021 Advent Calendar. If you cannot wait for the weekly summary, I invite you to visit my Facebook page. I will publish a new Advent calendar post every day at 10 am.


All artworks are for sale. The shipping fee will be added depending on the destination. For more information, contact me at info@KerstinPeters.ca. You can pay by e-transfer, credit card or PayPal.

 

Advent Calendar Day 4:

 

Rural Village Houses, acrylic, 8” x 16”, CAN $350

Rural Village Houses, acrylic on board, unframed, 8” x 16”, CAN $350

I started this painting last year on the very first outing with my painting buddies. It was the first meeting after the first COVID lockdown. I always wanted to paint these colourful houses in our rural Cumberland Village. However, I struggled so much while I was on location that I do not consider the painting a plein air work.

When I finally continued the painting, I saw the image appear clearer stroke by stroke. After struggling with the right green for the left house, I concentrated on the blue one and the surroundings. Suddenly, I was able to mix exactly the colour I had in mind.

Once I had my house painted, the rest started to flow easier. I am happy with the result.

Advent Calendar Day 5:

 

Along the Rideau Canal, wool, 9.5" x 11.5", CAN $400

 

Along the Rideau Canal, wool, 9.5" x 11.5", custom-matted, CAN $400

I was very excited to create the felted version of my acrylic painting which had been challenging. Creating the felted version, I had the advantage that I had a clear picture of the composition.

This time, I had no problems with the reflections in the water. However, I struggled with the cherry tree and the fir trees on the right side for a long time.

It is always fascinating to compare the different mediums and the effects I can create with them.

Advent Calendar Day 6:

Spring in Ottawa, 11.75” x 9”, CAN $400

 

Spring in Ottawa, wool, 11.75” x 9”, custom-matted, CAN $400

Spring in Ottawa is my first felted painting that contains a couple of buildings. If you are from the Ottawa area, you can surely recognize the building on the left. It took a long time to finish the details of this piece. I left some of the buildings in the background out in the felted version because the painting got too busy.

Advent Calendar Day 7:

 

Three Red Tulips, acrylic, 10” x 8”, CAN $250

Three Red Tulips, acrylic on board, 10” x 8”, unframed, CAN $250

As I could not paint the tulips at the Canadian Tulip Festival for the second year, I set myself up in our front yard and painted these three red tulips. It felt so good to be painting outside. It also made me realize how much my confidence has increased when I paint where others can see me. I can still remember when it felt very uncomfortable painting in a public place because I worried about other people's judgment.

While I was painting my tulips, people passed with their cars or walked by with their dogs. Those who stopped complimented my painting. Usually, people don’t judge us as harshly as we critique ourselves. They are in awe that we put ourselves into the spotlight. They admire our talents, thinking that they could never do the same, even if we are not satisfied with the outcome.

Advent Calendar Day 8:

Primadonna, wool, 11.75” x 9”, CAN $400

 

Primadonna, wool, 11.75” x 9”, custom-matted, CAN $400

 
Once the first flowers peeked out of the ground, I started a tulip painting. The yellow tulip in the front is the primadonna. The others have important roles as supporting actors.

It was not easy to create the illusion of separate pedals. In general, I find it helps if I already spend time with the composition of a piece in a previous painting. This image I did not paint before. However, I feel tempted to create an acrylic painting with the same reference photo to observe the diverse challenges I experience with the different mediums.

Advent Calendar Day 9:

 

The Pair, wool, 11,75” x 9”, CAN $400

The Pair, wool, 11,75” x 9”, custom-matted, CAN $400

Sorting through my photos, I found the image of the two irises I took at the Ornamental Gardens in Ottawa. I was immediately inspired to create the image in wool. It took a long time for the final details. However, my timing was perfect as the irises in my garden were blooming when I finished the piece.

Advent Calendar Day 10:

Daring to be Different, wool and acrlic fibre, 10" x 11.75", CAN $400

Daring to be Different, wool and acrlic fibre, 10" x 11.75", custom-matted, CAN $400

This year, I was especially attracted to flowers. The pure beauty and bright colours of flowers cheer me up when I feel overwhelmed by all the negativity in our society.

I had taken the photo of the flower at the Ottawa Ornamental gardens a couple of years earlier. This bloom fascinated me because it was the only one with a couple of purple petals on a peony with otherwise white flowers. I have used the photo already for the second time. The first time, I created a square acrylic painting of the subject.

Have a great week! I will post the following seven artworks next Friday.

 

Art Advent Calendar 2021 - Part I

 

It's the time of year again. On December 1, many children (and some adults) started to open their Advent calendars to count the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas. In the beginning, the doors of the Advent calendars hid images related to Christmas. Nowadays, you find them with chocolates or other sweets, little toys, and gifts from beauty products to jewellery.



When I was a child, I could hardly wait for December 1 as this was the day that my mother put up the Advent calendar. She had made it herself, and for every day, there was a treat hanging on a small hoop. The date of the first Sunday of Advent can be anywhere between November 27 and December 3, as the first Advent is on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. However, most Advent calendars start on December 1. Therefore, I will present you with one artwork from 2021 for each day until Christmas Eve, which falls on a Friday this year - right in time with my blog. If you cannot wait for the weekly summary, I invite you to visit my Facebook page. I will publish a new Advent calendar post every day at 10 am.


As I have focused on needle felting this year, most of the artworks are needle felted paintings. Enjoy my daily review. If you want to purchase an artwork, send me a DM for details.


If you want to buy any of the artworks listed with a price, please send me an email to info@KerstinPeters.ca. You can pay by e-transfer, credit card or PayPal. The shipping fee is added according to your destination.

Advent Calendar Day 1:

Breaking the Ice, wool, 9.75” x 11.75”, CAN $400

Breaking the Ice, wool, 9.75” x 11.75”, custom-matted, CAN $400

When I looked through my old photos, I could not resist creating a needle felted painting of this subject. It had already inspired me to paint the 16” x 20” painting of the same title. I enjoyed the process of layering the wool and seeing the image come to life.



Advent Calendar Day 2:

 

 

Still Life with Green Pears, wool, 9” x 12”, CAN $400

 

Still Life with Green Pears, wool, 9” x 12”, custom-matted, CAN $400
I do not create many still lifes. However, in the winter, when it is often too cold to paint outside, a still life setup is an inspiring alternative. I like the contrast of the fresh green with the dark blue and white of the tablecloth.

 

 Advent Calendar Day 3:

 

Evening Glow, wool, 11.75” x 9”, CAN $400

Evening Glow, wool, 11.75” x 9”, custom-matted, CAN $400

I love sunsets in any season, but on frigid winter evenings, you see lots of breathtaking pinks and purples. This painting has a warm feeling despite the snow on the ground. It was one of the most dramatic winter sunsets I have ever witnessed.

Next week, I will post the next seven images. I would love to hear what your favourite artwork is. Have a wonderful second Advent weekend!

 

Blog-free Week

 

Fishing Huts at Petrie Island, oil, 8″ x 10″, $250

Christmas time is approaching fast. For original artworks or gift certificates for paintings or courses, contact me directly at info@KerstinPeters.ca. I will also offer a new 2022 calendar. This year, I will concentrate on flower paintings. If you are interested in ordering a calendar and are not on Facebook, send me an email. I will forward you a preview.


For articles with reproductions of some of my artworks, check out my online store at Fine Art America:
https://fineartamerica.com/artists/kerstin+peters. For the first time, you can order puzzles of some of my images. You can find additional greeting cards in my online store at http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/kerstinscardstore.


To celebrate with you at the end of 2021, and instead of my regular Open House, I invite you to my virtual Advent Party on December 11, 2021, from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm. I will share a Christmas mandala with you that I will send to you when you register. I am looking forward to spending a relaxing and cheerful afternoon with you. Click here to register for this free event.

Next week, I will publish the first images of the Advent Calendar of my works of 2022.

Needle Felting With Cotton

 Lavender Fields, cotton, 5.75" x 9"

 

Blog 34


Cotton is the latest vegan fibre I used to create a felted landscape painting. It is the most widely used natural fibre. Do you see the fluffy balls of shrub in front of you when you think of cotton or your favourite shirt? 

 

 

Cotton Tops

To have a variety of colours available, I ordered the Fibre Garden Paint Box again. The fibres I worked with had a staple length of about 2 inches. The cotton tops were less shiny than the viscose and ramie fibres but very soft. At first, I wanted to create an iris image, but then I found a photo from a trip to the Kamouraska region. I replaced the dark aubergine peet moos fields with lavender fields. Due to the limited colours, I needed to blend the fibres because the blue was too intense, and I did not have any green.

Fibre close-up 

The combed fibres were all going in the same parallel direction. When I started laying the cotton onto the felt piece, the strands were easily visible and did not felt well. I used my dog slicker brushes to blend and agitate the fibres. After brushing the fibres in different directions, they started matting, helping with the felting process. 

Blocked in colours

I was surprised that my nose started itching not long after I started the project. I assume that the short cotton fibres which absorb humidity got stuck on my fingers. When I touched my nose, it created the same sensation that you feel after a haircut. Once the fibres had bonded with the felted backing, I did not have any more problems. Maybe, I was also more careful not to touch my face anymore.


I did not enjoy the feel of the cotton for felting. The fibres felt cool to the touch and dry on my skin. If I had to pick a vegan one so far, I would use the viscose as a wool substitute. However, if you like to dye your fibres, the natural white cotton works well due to its absorbency. 

 

This blog is my last regular one for the year. In two weeks, I start with my traditional Advent Calendar of 2021 artworks.

Blog-free Week

 

Dance of the Leaves, wool, 11.5” x 8.25”, CAN $400

 

Are you still looking for the last splash of colour when you are outside, or can you hardly wait for the first snow?

I love colour, and every spot of colourful fall trees and bushes fills me with happiness. I love the bright foliage of my favourite season, which is fantastic for painting en plein air. I am glad that I have some fall paintings on the walls of our house. They bring me so much joy every time I see them because they also keep the memories alive. Do you want to bring fall into your home and enjoy the beautiful colours throughout the year? A piece of art can create this happy place in your home, whether memories of fall or any other season bring you joy.

If you are thinking about gifting a painting to a dear person this Christmas season, contact me at info@Kerstin Peters.ca. I will help you to find the perfect artwork. I also offer gift certificates if you want to leave the decision to the recipient.

Have a great weekend!

Needle Felting with Viscose

Pumpkins, viscose, 5.75" x 9"

 

Blog 33

 

I am excited to work with all these vegan fibres. Some of them, I know from knitting and the clothes in my closet. Viscose is one of them. Many people think that it is like polyester. Polyester is a synthetic fibre usually made from petroleum.

Viscose is a type of Rayon fibre, considered semi-synthetic because of its production from natural materials. The raw material is from various trees chipped to wood pulp. At a factory, the wood pulp is first ground and dissolved with chemicals. Once it is washed and bleached, it is converted into filaments. The production of viscose requires many chemicals making the process ecologically unfriendly. However, the fibre is soft and shiny and is a cheap substitute for silk.

Viscose tops

The viscose fibres I purchased are combed topswith a staple length of about 5 to 6 inches. I was excited to work with the viscose fibres to see how they compared with the ramie fibres. Both are shiny and very soft.

Again, I had ordered the Fibre Garden Paint Box. This sample contained dark blue, a forest green, orange, white and rich burgundy colour. Perfect fall colours! Due to the orange, one of my pumpkin paintings came to my mind right away. 

 

Block-in of colours

Felting and blending the fibres was easy. The surface of the painting is shiny and soft. I enjoyed working with the viscose and would definitely recommend it for someone who wants to use a vegan fibre for felting. However, learning about the manufacturing process with lots of chemicals makes me less excited about using viscose for my own projects.

Almost finished: The transition from light to dark is too strong on the right pumpkin.

Blog-free Week

 

Magic Pumpkins, acrylic, 16" x 20", SOLD

Happy Halloween!

Whether you go out with your children or grandchildren or enjoy some candies for yourself, have a joyful weekend.

I would love to see photos of your carved pumpkins.

Needle Felting with Ramie

 

At the Saint Lawrence River, ramie, 5.75" x 9"

Blog 32

Since I have started needle felting, I hardly ever used any other fibres than wool. I love to work with Corriedale tops from Ashford of New Zealand. The fibres have a good grip and felt quickly but are matte. For some shine, I have mixed them with Merino wool. Merino wool is very soft, has hardly any crimp but takes a long time to felt on its own, often leaving a fuzzy finish. When I needed some cold white colour, I used an acrylic-wool-blend because most natural fibres come mainly in a soft white colour.


When I offered my latest felting course, I received some questions about vegan fibres from a client who is allergic to wool. First, I started with some Internet searches, but the results were mixed. One artist loved to work with various vegan fibres, while another was rather frustrated with the results. I was intrigued and ordered a variety of vegan fibres to have started testing them for needle felting.


The first vegan fibre is ramie, a bast fibre from the nettle family. It is one of the oldest cellulose fibres used for different fabrics and has a staple length of 7 to 8 inches. To determine the staple length, you pull a bunch of fibres from the top and measure them. Ramie is a strong fibre with the ability to hold shape. It is also resistant to bacteria, mildew, and insects.

Ramie is shiny and feels very soft. It almost looks and feels like hair. Because of the colours in the Fibre Garden Paint Box that I received, I opted for a landscape with flowers. I was not sure what to expect but had read that ramie creates firm pieces. The combed fibres are all going in the same parallel direction. When I started laying the ramie onto the felt piece, I got frustrated because the fibres looked like parallel hair strands. The medium felting needle left visible holes.

I remembered that I had bought a pair of dog slicker brushes with wire pins to blend my wool. After brushing the fibres in different directions, they began to matte together, improving the felting process. I also switched to a fine felting needle which helped in preventing the big holes. The staple length worked great for the grasses in the foreground. However, I don't enjoy the long fibres for the rest of the painting, which looks very hairy.


For someone who is not allergic to wool or vegan, I would suggest mixing ramie with wool. I will try a blend of Ramie and Corriedale next.

Blog-free Week

 

Nature’s Mirror, wool, 11” x 8.5”, CAN $400

I hope you enjoyed the lovely mild fall days that we experienced for the past weeks. I took many pictures of the beautiful fall colours during my daily walks. The Ottawa region can expect a wet weekend, perfect for sitting down with a needle felting project while listening to the rain. I will examine how the different vegan-friendly fibres work for needle felting and share my experiences next week.

 

If you want to buy the above artwork that reminds you of the bright fall colours all year round, send me an email to info@KerstinPeters.ca.
 

Have a great weekend!

Needle Felted Paintings

Pink flowers, wool, demo project, 6" x 6"

Blog 31

What is a needle felted painting? Needle felted paintings are two-dimensional artworks created by needle felting, even though you don’t use any brush or paint to create them.


If you are new to needle felting, I want to give you a short overview of my process to create a simple needle felted painting. I am sure there are different ways, and I always encourage students to learn from various instructors to learn different techniques.


Here are my steps to create a needle felted painting:


1) Look for a reference photo or create a design from imagination 

For this project, I created a flower from my imagination.

2) Collect all the materials you need:

• wool rovings and battings or vegan-friendly fibres (I will examine some in the upcoming weeks.) in the colours of your project

• felting needles (I usually use one medium and one fine one

• an old cushion or foam pad thick enough so that the needle cannot poke through

• felt fabric in the size of your intended artwork

3) Draw the image onto your felt: I usually don’t draw the image on my felt fabric, especially if the artwork will be about the size of my reference photo. However, for larger pieces, I suggest drawing the composition. You can use a pencil, marker or marking pencil for fabric to draw the basic shapes without too much detail (see No. 4). Make sure to pick a light colour when your image has mainly light colours. You want to avoid that the marks are showing through your finished painting.

4) Blocking in of colours: I start with blocking in my colours – like in a regular painting. The purpose of the blocking in of colours is to cover the background by adding colour to the different spaces of the design. At this point, I don’t worry about values but mark the specific shapes with an approximate colour of that shape. For example, in this demo piece, I used one pink hue for all the pedals and one green one for the leaves without looking at any differences in value. I will add details in the next layer.

In the case of my flower, I create five loosely shaped petals that have about the same size. Then, I stab the wool with my felting needle through the felt backing. When you stab the needle through the roving or batting, the barbs catch on the fibre scales. This process pushes them together so that the fibres cling together. Make sure to hold the needle in the direction you are stabbing to prevent breakage of the needle. For big pieces, you can also use a needle holder that can hold several needles at a time. Pay close attention to what you are doing because the needles are very sharp, and you can easily stab yourself. You can buy finger guards or put bandages on in advance if you are worried. 

 

three felted petals, right a similar flower

adding leaves

 

fully blocked in artwork

 

5) Once I have covered my background, I start building up layers of fibres to add more details by studying the petals and leaves to see the darker and lighter areas. You want to add the illusion of space with darks and lights. However, needle felting offers you the opportunity to add material to create a three-dimensional shape. I sometimes use this technique for some areas in the foreground, but I keep most sections two-dimensional (see picture at the top).

6) Finishing the Artwork

Because I only create pieces displayed in a frame, I only have them mounted on a mat and put in a frame. If you decide to hang your painting without glass protection, you can carefully clean it with compressed air or a damp cloth. There is a risk that some dyes might start bleeding, so use cold water to avoid ruining your artwork.


If you want to shrink the needle holes and help interlock the fibres further, you can also use a steam iron on the back of your image. Avoid moving the iron back and forth on your fabric, but preferably press it down and lift. You could also do it from the front by putting a cotton tea towel between the artwork and the iron. Using the iron will flatten your artwork. I have never ironed my felted pieces because I prefer slight differences in texture and height in my paintings.


If you want to read about the health benefits of needle felting, check out the following blog https://kerstinpeterspaintingblog.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-positive-effects-of-needle-felting. 

You can also experience these benefits by joining during my November workshop. For more information and to register to https://www.kerstinpeters.ca/product/felting-experience/.

In two weeks, I will talk more about the differences in fibres that you can use for needle felting.