Assignment 2: Animal Collage

Due: Mon., Feb. 5

For this assignment, you will work with a new partner to create a soft sculpture that collages together two animal forms. The spirit of this assignment is to use two found patterns (of two animals) and transform them into something creative and new by combining them together. You and your partner should choose two different animals from the patterns we provide you in class.  You are also provided with a number of different fabrics to choose from, or you can use fabrics you have found on your own. The purpose of this assignment is to develop your technical skill in using patterns and sewing, as well as to develop your creativity, flexibility and experimentation.

Here are a few ideas that might inspire your direction:

  • Imagine a cloning or GMO project that goes awry. What is the resulting animal?
  • Imagine the animals were born conjoined and are connected in unusual ways.
  • Imagine a new mythic creature and took on elements from each animal.
  • Feel free to play with repetition, such as you could have many legs, tails, ears, etc.
  • You can also play with scale with your new animal, for example: what if the tails were exceptionally long? or the feet exceptionally big? (you can enlarge those pattern pieces by using a xerox machine)

You will also need to think about what your new animal is stuffed with. The filling will affect the feel, weight, posture, and character of the new animal. We will provide some basic polyfill stuffing material, but you can also experiment with the stuffing. Here are few possibilities:

  • polyfill
  • rice
  • dried beans or lentils
  • sand
  • foam

Very important reminder:  You must add a 1/4″ or 1/2″ seam allowance on to all of the patterns when you cut them out of fabric. While most store bought patterns will already include seam allowance, these particular patterns do NOT include seam allowance so you must add them.

Come prepared to share your inflatables with the class for critique. Upload documentation to the class website by one week after the due date.

 

Basic Animal Patterns and Instructions:
Templates
Folder of Instructions

More Complex Animal Patterns & Instructions:
Template Sheet – Side A and Side B (multiple page pdf)
Template FULL SIZE Sheet – Side A and Side B
Instructions