WOOLY WONDERS - Felt Painting
SEASON 6 | PROJECT 1/39 | 09.30.24
MODULE: Textile | GRADE LEVELS: 1 - 6 | DURATION: 1 Hour
ARTIST VIDEO
Video Editing by Jorge Davies, Graphics by Melissa Sabol
PROJECT VIDEO
OVERVIEW
For this project, students will explore the art of wet felting—a traditional technique for making felt fabric. Using a combination of water, soap, and gentle friction, they will bind wool fibers together to create colorful and captivating felt paintings. They’ll experiment with textured materials and vibrant color palettes to bring their artistic visions to life, whether creating a landscape, portrait, still life, or abstract masterpiece. Throughout the process, students will consider composition while embracing the unpredictability and excitement of transforming raw materials into a new artistic form.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT​
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Layering felt colors into a thoughtful composition fosters artistic problem-solving, decision-making, and individual expression.
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Blending and layering colors composed of wool fibers advances students' understanding of color theory.
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The unpredictability of the materials and process teaches students to embrace the unexpected and appreciate the beauty of imperfection.
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The slow, transformative process of turning wool into felt requires patience and persistence.
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This tactile experience offers insight into how raw materials can change form and become something new.
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Manipulating wool fibers, using water, soap, and gentle friction, strengthens fine motor skills essential for everyday tasks like writing, cutting, and tying shoelaces.
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Creating art with roots in traditional art forms from various cultures, helps students appreciate the history and diversity of artistic traditions.
MATERIALS
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Wool Roving (in multiple colors)
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Mesh fabric (tulle works great)
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Castille or Dish Soap
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Water (cold and hot)
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Distilled Vinegar
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Plastic Tray
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Bubble Wrap
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Tea Kettle (if needed for hot water)
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Buckets
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Sponge
FEATURED ARTIST
JENNE GILES
Jenne Giles is a fiber artist based in Yucca Valley, California. Originally from Seattle, Washington, she attended an arts high school in Houston, Texas, before pursuing a degree in Art and Art History at Rice University. Jenne began her felt-making journey by creating wearable art, such as hats and scarves, but soon reimagined the traditional felt-making process, transforming it into a medium for sculptural and abstract work. She is drawn to wool for its vibrant colors, warmth, and versatility, often treating it as both paint and clay. Through her work, Jenne merges her love for this material with her fascination for its long history, blending personal narratives with historical themes to create truly magical and thought-provoking pieces.
ARTISTS TO KNOW
Claudy Jongstra
Claudy Jongstra is a Dutch textile artist who is famous for her amazing use of wool and other natural fibers. She makes big, textured installations, beautiful tapestries, and stylish felt clothing. Claudy even has a farm where she raises sheep for their wool and grows plants to make the dyes for her art. She combines old-fashioned felting methods with modern designs. Her work is known for its rich textures, natural colors, and abstract patterns that make you think of nature.
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Claudy Jongstra, Aarde (detail), 2016; photo: courtesy Studio Claudy Jongstra
Andrea Graham
Andrea Graham is a Canadian artist who creates amazing, unique sculptures using a special technique called wet felting. She gets a lot of her ideas from nature and the environment, showing how everything on our planet is connected. Andrea often adds extra materials like thread, beads, and other natural items to her sculptures. She believes in using eco-friendly and natural materials. Besides making art, Andrea also teaches fiber arts and is a respected teacher in the art community.
Andrea Graham, Pods, N.D.
Joseph Beuys
Joseph Beuys was a German artist who made art from the 1950s to the 1980s. He used all kinds of different ways to create, like painting, drawing, and sculpture, but also created art focused more on the act of creating. He is famous for using materials like animal fat and felt in his art. These materials were very special to him because of something that happened during World War II. His plane crashed, and he was rescued by a group of people called the Tatars. They wrapped him in animal fat and felt to keep him warm and safe. This experience stayed with him, so he used those materials in his art to symbolize warmth, protection, and healing.
Joseph Beuys, Felt Suit, 1970, Felt and wood. 1660 × 660 × 260 mm © DACS, 2024
VOCABULARY
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Agitation: Shaking or moving something around. In felting, it refers to gently rubbing the wool back and forth to help the fibers stick together.
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Composition: How all the different parts of a picture or artwork are arranged to create an image.
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Experimentation: Trying out new things to see what happens. It’s about having fun, playing around, and not being afraid of making mistakes.
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Felting: Turning loose wool into fabric by pressing, rubbing, or poking the fibers until they stick together and become solid.
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Fiber: A tiny, thin thread. It can come from plants, animals, or even be made by people. Wool is made of lots of these tiny fibers.
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Fulling: The process of turning wool into felt by rubbing and pressing the fibers together to make them thick and strong.
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Layering: Placing one piece on top of another. In felting, wool is layered horizontally and vertically to help the fibers stick together, and create cool images.
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Mat: The flattened, compressed layer of wool that forms when the fibers stick together in felting.
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Palette: The set of colors you pick for your artwork. In wet felting, your wool palette is all the colors of wool you choose for your painting.
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Shrinkage: When the wool gets smaller as it sticks and thickens together during felting.
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Texture: How something feels when you touch it, such as smooth, rough, soft, or bumpy.
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Transformation: Changing one thing into something new—like turning loose wool into solid felt!
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