Home Forums Explore Media Mixed Media, Encaustics, Collage and Alternative Materials feathers – to trim or not to trim …

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  • #453604
    La_
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        feathers from a ruffed grouse encased in encaustic (white) (pale blueish green) and/or straight bees wax (yellow)

        i’m going to try to turn them into necklaces

        question is, should i trim/tidy the edges or leave them naturally rough?

        la

        (cell phone pix, bit blurry)

        _____________________________________________
        When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know Peace

        #592067
        Cyndi L
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            How durable are they? I love the rough edges, but would worry about breaking them. Are you going to be mounting them on something solid?

            #592069
            La_
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                being prototypes i’m not sure exactly how durable they are, but they’re mildly pliable and encaustics are pretty tough. i don’t plan to mount them on anything solid.
                i’ll start with one and wear it for a while to see. the one of just beeswax might melt/sag/not fair as well resting next to the heat of a body or worn in the full heat of summer, but the ones with resin should be fine, i think.

                they could also become bookmarks, the taller ones anyway.

                la

                _____________________________________________
                When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know Peace

                #592068
                Cyndi L
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                    I hope it works out…I really like the organic edges.

                    #592065

                    These are really quite extraordinary!

                    Kay

                    Moderator: Watermedia, Mixed Media, Abstract/Contemporary

                    #592070
                    La_
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                        thanks kay :)
                        is that a ‘no’ vote for trimming?

                        la

                        _____________________________________________
                        When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know Peace

                        #592066

                        Correct!

                        Kay

                        Moderator: Watermedia, Mixed Media, Abstract/Contemporary

                        #592073
                        Ellen E
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                            I’d trim them. Your focus is the feathers if they’re trimmed, but not if the edges are left as they are. You’re right that the beeswax wouldn’t hold up to body heat or hot sun.

                            I make prayer feathers and I always keep my feathers in a cedar box for a couple of weeks before using them because otherwise little microscopic mites get into them and eat holes in them. Those mites can be on them from the time when the feathers were on the bird but they’ll attack them even when they’re not on the bird. I store my feathers in the cedar boxes when I’m not working on them, too. The little mites are on a lot of feathers when we get them, so its best to take precautions. In resin, I think maybe the mites wouldn’t be a problem but in wax it might.

                            You can go to just about any hardware or Walmart or somewhere like that and they sell cedar chips for hanging in the closet. I think you can also get cedar shavings for pets. You could use any container with the shavings or cedar bits and then keep them in those in a plastic shoebox or somewhere you can close it up.

                            You can buy a mite spray that’s for use on pet birds, but I just like using cedar boxs I find at Goodwill and garage sales. It doesn’t put anything harmful on the feathers but does keep the mites away.

                            #592072
                            graphicali
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                                A difficult question. They look good with rough edges but, from personal experience with selling jewellery made from unconventional materials, people can be amazingly rough when handling stuff.

                                "I am not yet born; provide me, with water to dandle me, grass to grow for me, trees to talk to me, sky to sing to me, birds and a white light in the back of my mind to guide me." From Prayer Before Birth by Louis Macneice.
                                #592071
                                La_
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                                    Ellen, i had not even thought of mites or worms or any sort of bugs, tsk, i should have, i know that risk, having to deworm my bird hunting cats over the years. Thanks for the reminder and the cedar chips tips!

                                    graph, yeah, i think i’ve convinced myself that i Have to tidy up quite a few of them, ‘cept that leaf shape one, bottom right, i’ll be keeping him :)
                                    anyway, i’ve got a really good, sharp exacto knife that’s easily controlled that will do the job nicely. thanks!

                                    la

                                    _____________________________________________
                                    When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know Peace

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