As with most complex pieces, I've spent a long time, several months, thinking about the execution of this piece. My Achilles heel is always the idea that I want realism, I want to stay as far away from abstract as I can. Not always easy.
Intending to work with fabric as much as possible, I find myself thinking as far ahead as how to mount or showcase the finished piece. As the bird and the branches will end up with a great deal of dimension and weight, mounting it again on a stretcher is most likely the route.
The other confounding issue was materials. Though they were originally last on my list, I'll be finishing the bird with feathers. That sounds rather straight forward doesn't it.
That remains to be seem.
I started with some wet felted cloth I had made a few years ago. There was enough to layer the pieces to start building a round shape to my bird.
A few meters of roving needled in, helps to hold everything together..... for now.
Oh. I can hardly wait to see the process of this AND the finished product.