-Dagmar Binder-

The Training 

Join artist Dagmar Binder for a 7-day autumn residency in the south of France, a session of hand-felting wool in preparation for the creation of wall hangings.

Objective of the Training 

Wool as a fascinating natural, malleable material offers almost endless possibilities for sculptural creations. For each of my wallhangings workshops, I'm focussing on a specific theme, in order to examine the details of this particular approach in greater depth and take a close look at the technical details involved.

This year, under the general topic collages we want to design the surface of a felted wallhanging by combining flat and 3d-elements and fusing them into one seamless piece.

Collages are a quiet playful and stimulating way of creating a work out of bits and pieces of a variety of materials. The result is usually open-ended, the final image only emerges during the process, by trying out different arrangements and carefully observing how the various fragments come together and interact with each other.

This allows you to experiment with different wool types and textures and create out of them a work with individual style and esthetics.

In flat parts, fibres will have space to develop their beautiful structure, while the 3d sections will bring an additional contrast into the picture and give us the opportunity to look at some features of spatial felt forms as well. You will learn about composition and consistency of suitable hand- made prefelts, possibilities for graphic and tactile surface texture, and finally assemble all fragments in a collage that will be firmly felted onto a thick, rather substancial base.

We will explore how different fibres can be used best in the felting process and how to emphasize their beauty and characteristics. In a former workshop in Montbrun we examined some typical regional wool types and can draw on some good examples in the material archive. Be aware though, coarse wools are suitable for the base and larger elements, for fine and small scale details you will need to use fine fibres. (See more details in the material list.)

With the group, we will keep an eye on the individual projects evolving and point out technical details, so you can observe and learn a lot from various situations in the lively felting process.

I'm looking forward to a new creative challenge and inspirational workshop week with you!

 
Learning objectives of this sequence

Students will discover different types of wool available at a spinning mill, their properties, and their applications in felting.

Depending on availability, we may also explore regional/local wools. Students will become aware of their characteristics and behavior during felting.  

Students will learn:

• to plan and execute a complex felting project;

• to layer wool and understand how different materials/types of wool influence the final piece in terms of consistency, color, etc.;

• to create textures using different fibers and non-feltable materials such as plant fibers, fabric, etc.;

• to explore materials to determine their impact on the final artwork (shrinkage, texture, assembly);

• to prepare semi-finished materials (pre-felts) and achieve the necessary consistency for their integration into a larger artwork;

• to explore the possibilities offered by 3D pre-felts, their planning, calculation, and techniques for attaching them to a support.

Despite a thorough analysis of technical aspects and quality, I wish to leave room for spontaneous creativity during the assembly of components, encouraging students to follow their intuition and express their personal style in felting.

Detailed program

Day 1 and 2:

After a presentation of the general idea and the main stages of our project, we will begin an experimental phase.

To explore different types of wool and discover the textures and surfaces that can be created, we will make a series of pre-felts. We will experiment with various combinations of layers, test the interaction of the fibers, their adhesion, migration, and the influence of colors, etc.

(If you bring other materials, for example, from local producers or different sheep breeds, you can test them and observe their reaction, as well as their usefulness for this process.)

Take notes on the materials used. Note the size of your composition and the weight of the wool so that we can calculate shrinkage.

We will also observe the transformation and appearance of the pre-felts after felting on a support and determine the most suitable material and color.

We will also study how to manage the spaces between the felt squares. For the 3D elements, we will test thinner pre-felts and explore different folding techniques and their calculations.

In groups, we will share our experiences with the materials and techniques tested.

Day 3 and 5:

You will begin working on your individual project.

Develop an idea, at least a rough one, of the size and shape of your piece, as well as your color palette. The shape can be rectangular, round, or irregular, according to your preferences.

I suggest you don't start with a piece that's too large, 120 cm maximum.

Students with little feeling experience may work at a slower pace. It's best to start with a slightly smaller size so you can finish your project.

Together, we will present your ideas and discuss their advantages and disadvantages, and gather advice and solutions for any tricky points.

Begin making pre-felts, creating pieces with different textures, to build up an inspiring supply of lightly felted sheets for your collage.

For the 3D parts, prepare the pleating of these pre-felts.

Create a small sample using your pre-felts and base layers to visualize how they will fit together and what they will look like once fully felted. (If you didn't do this during the first two days.) Prepare the surface of your support like a canvas for your collage.

Day 4 :

After the third day, you will have a day off (without classes) which you can use to relax, catch up on your preparations or carry out some personal experiments.

Day 6:

It's time to arrange your pre-felted pieces to create an image. We'll explore interesting combinations and rhythms between your 2D and 3D tiles, their colors, and sizes.

Here's your opportunity to develop your own style and personal image.

Once your composition is complete, you can fold the edges of the base back, clearly defining the contours of your piece.

In my example, the final result was completely open.

I spread out a thin layer to create a rough base, essentially a "canvas" for my collage, which I started from the center and worked outwards.

In some corners, I found I needed a bit more space and slightly enlarged the base. Once I was happy with the composition, I refined the edges and reinforced the base with additional layers of wool on the back. The final size, shape, and contours of the base were determined through intuitive collage. If you prefer a more precise approach, you can draw the base at a 1:1 scale on paper and sketch the pattern of the tiles you want to arrange on it, noting the colors, textures, etc.

From this plan, you can prepare fairly accurate pre-felts.

Once the front is finished, the base will be reinforced with additional layers on the back. Depending on the intended hanging method, we will check if certain sections need to be specially stabilized on the back and rigid enough to stand upright.

Loops or tunnels for hanging will be seamlessly integrated into the back of the base. A first felting before the end of the day would be ideal, as the fibers will be agitated and will contract slightly overnight.

Day 7:

This session focuses on finishing the felting and fulling of the piece to achieve a firm and dense texture, with emphasis on the secure integration of all the pre-felts and the precise definition of the contours. Final presentation of all students' work.

Monitoring of execution and evaluation methods

• Attendance sheets.

• Learning is supported by practical demonstrations, one-on-one consultations and illustrated help and explanations.

• Training evaluation forms.

Material available for students

• Each participant will have their own individual workstation, with an adjustable-height table.

• Wool and textiles can be purchased on-site if needed, depending on availability.

• The workshop features a spacious, bright, and airy studio, as well as an extensive library specializing in textile art and color.

• The cost of the training may be covered by your professional training organization (OPCO) (Vivea, Afdas, FAFCEA, Pole Emploi, etc.) depending on your status and eligibility.

Level of prior knowledge and prerequisites

The workshop will be conducted in English with simultaneous translation into French.

Prior knowledge and familiarity with basic hand felting techniques are required. This workshop is not suitable for complete beginners.

By completing this workshop, you will be able to plan future projects independently, use your own wool or locally produced wool, and select appropriate materials, techniques, and resist methods for creating artwork, decorative objects, or functional pieces.

To participate effectively in this workshop, basic wet felting techniques are required, and experience with resist felting is an advantage. Depending on your felting experience, we can adjust the level of difficulty during this workshop.

Personal financing rate

6-day training course (42 hours): €840. The day off is not charged.

If your tax residence is in France:

Tuition fees may be covered by training organizations (OPCO, Vivea, Afdas, FAFCEA, France Travail, etc.) depending on your status and eligibility. Contact us for personalized advice and a quote at atelierdubocage31@gmail.com

Maximum number of trainees: 10

Accomodation

Total immersion is beneficial for maximum impact; much of the interaction takes place outside of class time, during breaks, and through informal conversations over meals.

Our residence is the ideal place to stay on-site throughout your training. For more information, please contact us at  atelierdubocage31@gmail.com