When last we chatted, i had consulted with Ann while topping up the butter tart supply. She suggested looking at the integration zone, yes he is a bit skinny and needs to have a stronger transition blending the join between boy and shark.
I have made a stronger integration zone between shark and human by lengthening the abdominals into the under shark and brought the shark flanks up into the lats. i also added a dorsal line in the lumbar spine and the cervical spine. yes that looks better!
then it was time to add hands.
After adding the fingers. I tried one of Sara’s tools for the first time, I had been using my mettle ruler and one of my weaving stick-shuttles successfully but this gives a lot of length options in one tool. I could do a similar thing with coroplast (a type of plastic cardboard) but I was interested in trying this out.
I used the floral wire from Dollerama (I think its 22 gauge since its unlabeled). I used an extra section of wire to reinforce the wrist. Rapping tiny fingers was a bit fiddly but went reasonably well. I switched to finer needles and started to work on the thenar and hypothenar eminences (those two bumps of at the base of the palm). I spent a long time poking both hands to get the shape to a place I was happy.
Yes, that took a week and it was a time to top up the butter tart inspiration!
Success! Except I understand the hands look creepy. That might improve in the next step, On to Colour!!
By the way, it’s still raining.
I started laying in the base mid-tone grey on the hammerhead body then started playing with skin tones in the boy parts. (sorry I got distracted with adding the colour layer and forgot to go grab the camera)
Just a sec, Ann just messaged me a tornado warning, got to go move hanging plants, drying wool and the 3 umbrellas!
Well, we made it through with odd-coloured sky and layers of clouds moving in different directions then a huge downpour.
The next morning I was a bit hesitant to check out how the side yard was doing. The studio, plants and wool survived so back to work!
I started to lay in more thin wisps of colour over the base layers. I started with the human skin tones and the integration of the abdominal/underbelly. I also added a bit of the detailing along the colour change.
I think he is enjoying how it is going and took a quick swim around the table.
Once I can catch him, I will continue adding colour to his hand and the rest of his body.
Have fun Felting!! Maybe it will stop raining at some point so i can get back to washing and drying the last of the fleeces.
