More on Akhenaten’s Return
I’ve felt the face was rather weak, so I decided to try again.
This time I needlefelted the padding underneath, to try to get the nose, the heavy brows, and the mouth in place.
Twice.
Then I covered the padding that seemed the better with silk, and stitched the features again. In some ways, this is better than the first attempt, but it still looks a bit twisted. The eyes are certainly staring, but the nose isn’t straight.
In my defense, it became harder and harder to stitch, even though I began to feel that the shaped padding wasn’t shaped enough. Or even padded enough!
I think that before I attempt another version, I need to work out a way of keeping the silk under control while I add the features, without actually attaching it all the way around
In spite of that, I decided to attach this face in place of the last, and see whether I felt that a face “stuck on afterwards” would be a problem.
Well, no, I don’t think it is, although it’s hard to be sure. Not least, it involved removing still more of his headdress. That will need more padding to sit well with a more padded face.
I am sure that I need a new version, though. At present he looks like an apoplectic trumpeter, and that is not a good look for the Heretic Pharoah!
I had to laugh at “apoplectic trumpeter”–poor fellow!
Good idea to use a felted base for the face.
When I do the stump work portraits I stitch the nose by pinching a fold of fabric. Another way is to stitch a canal on the face foundation fabric and then add knitting yarn from the back – just like TRAPUNTO.
To get the facial expression we want is VERY difficult. I think the eyebrows are important.
LoL about looking like an apoplectic trumpeter!
😂😂😂
Right out of my depth here as I have never tried stump work. I think Queenie will give you the best tips. He does look like he is about to blow bubbles!
A difficult task but I´m sure in the end your perseverance will be rewarded..
Oh dear, the poor fellow! I imagine you are also working on a small scale which won’t help you at all. Could you tack the silk on or pin it to keep it in place whilst stitching the facial features? I’ve never done this type of work so I am well out of my depth!
He definitely looks like an angry man, but the version I saw last on IG looked pretty good.
I love your persistance and how you are not afraid to alter, to try again if you aren’t happy even if it looks perfect to us.
[…] you may recall, my last attempt at a face for Akhenaten wasn’t entirely successful, so I started again… This time I needlefelted the shapes […]