My beginning angels were sewn to background fabric, usually bleached muslin because of limited budget. But as I developed my technique, I wanted the angels to seem suspended.
How to do that, I had no idea. With each art commission for angels, I tried different ways of making the wings look more alive: more padding, smaller stitches in the long curves, tacking just the wing tips to the background, literally lifting the wings off the background and tacking just frequently enough to hold the lift.
A church with a two-story-tall white chancel wall commissioned a pair of angels to flank their cross at Christmas. This time I attached battens to the back side of each angel to support the wings and top rippling fabrics. A person on a tall ladder hoists each angel from the ground on a single pulley and ties off the ropes on a cleat, entirely hidden by the angels.
Designers, remember to pray first and for however long is needed -- the Creator God will give you His design. Look at the design often. Savor the energy lines in the design. Select fabrics that sculpt well. Choose radiant colors that reflect every bit of the customarily not-bright light of sanctuaries. More detailed information about design, sewing, and rigging is in my hands-on guide, Splendor In Worship, available only on this website. Check out the videos on “Energy Lines” and on my “Sculpted Fabric Technique.”
How to do that, I had no idea. With each art commission for angels, I tried different ways of making the wings look more alive: more padding, smaller stitches in the long curves, tacking just the wing tips to the background, literally lifting the wings off the background and tacking just frequently enough to hold the lift.
A church with a two-story-tall white chancel wall commissioned a pair of angels to flank their cross at Christmas. This time I attached battens to the back side of each angel to support the wings and top rippling fabrics. A person on a tall ladder hoists each angel from the ground on a single pulley and ties off the ropes on a cleat, entirely hidden by the angels.
Designers, remember to pray first and for however long is needed -- the Creator God will give you His design. Look at the design often. Savor the energy lines in the design. Select fabrics that sculpt well. Choose radiant colors that reflect every bit of the customarily not-bright light of sanctuaries. More detailed information about design, sewing, and rigging is in my hands-on guide, Splendor In Worship, available only on this website. Check out the videos on “Energy Lines” and on my “Sculpted Fabric Technique.”
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