3.3 Fiber Arts, Mixed Media & Applied Crafts
Key Takeaways
- In weaving, the warp refers to the stationary, longitudinal threads held in tension on a loom, while the weft refers to the transverse threads woven over and under the warp.
- Repoussé and chasing are metalworking techniques used to manipulate sheet metal; repoussé involves hammering from the back to raise a design, while chasing involves refining the front.
- Enameling is the process of fusing powdered glass to a metal substrate (like copper or silver) using high heat.
- Papermaking utilizes cellulose fibers (from cotton, linen, or plant matter) suspended in water, which are collected on a screen (mould and deckle) to interlock and dry into a sheet.
- Book arts and mixed media frequently challenge the boundary between fine art and craft by elevating functional structures into conceptual, sculptural forms.
The domain of "craft" historically referred to the creation of functional, utilitarian objects using specific traditional materials like fiber, metal, glass, and wood. In contemporary studio practice, these disciplines—fiber arts, jewelry making, papermaking, and mixed media—have transcended pure utility, emerging as vital mediums for conceptual and sculptural expression. Mastery of these fields requires specialized technical knowledge and precise hand skills.
Fiber Arts and Weaving
Fiber art involves the manipulation of natural or synthetic linear materials (yarn, thread, fabric, raw fibers) to create two-dimensional or three-dimensional works.
Weaving Terminology
Weaving is the interlacing of two distinct sets of threads at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. This is typically done on a structural frame called a loom.
- Warp: The longitudinal (vertical) threads that are held tightly in continuous tension on the loom. The warp acts as the structural foundation of the weaving.
- Weft (or Woof): The transverse (horizontal) threads that are woven over and under the warp threads to create the fabric.
- Shuttle: A tool used to carry the weft thread cleanly through the shed (the gap created between alternating warp threads).
- Tapestry: A specialized form of weft-faced weaving where all the warp threads are hidden in the completed work, and the weft yarns are completely packed down, allowing for complex, pictorial designs.
Other Fiber Techniques
- Felting: A non-woven fiber technique. Raw animal fibers (typically wool) are matted, condensed, and pressed together using moisture, heat, and friction. The microscopic scales on the wool fibers interlock, creating a dense, solid fabric.
- Embroidery: The art of decorating pre-existing fabric using a needle and thread, utilizing various stitch patterns (e.g., satin stitch, cross stitch, chain stitch).
Jewelry Making and Metalcraft
Working with non-ferrous metals (copper, brass, silver, gold) on an intimate scale requires a distinct set of tools and metallurgical understanding.
Construction and Joining
- Soldering: The primary method for permanently joining two pieces of metal. It involves heating the base metals and applying a filler metal (solder) that has a lower melting point. The solder melts and flows into the joint via capillary action. A chemical flux must be applied to prevent oxidation and allow the solder to flow.
- Cold Connections: Joining metals without heat, utilizing mechanical means such as rivets, screws, or folding (tabs).
Surface Manipulation and Forming
- Repoussé: A technique for forming sheet metal by hammering it from the reverse side to create a raised, low-relief design on the front. The metal is usually supported by a bed of yielding pitch.
- Chasing: The opposite of repoussé; hammering the front of the metal to define, outline, and push back areas of the relief. Chasing and repoussé are almost always used in tandem.
- Enameling: The ancient art of fusing powdered glass to a metal surface using high heat (in a small kiln or with a torch). The glass melts and bonds with the metal, creating vibrant, durable, and colorful surfaces. Cloisonné is a specific enameling technique where thin wires are soldered to the surface to create small cells (cloisons), which are then filled with different colors of enamel.
Papermaking and Book Arts
Hand Papermaking
Paper is essentially a mat of interlocking cellulose fibers.
- Beating: Plant fibers (cotton rag, abaca, kozo) are beaten in water to break them down and fibrillate them, creating a cloudy suspension called pulp or slurry.
- Pulling: The artist dips a mould and deckle (a framed screen) into a vat of the slurry and lifts it out. The water drains away, leaving an even layer of intertwined fibers on the screen.
- Couching: The wet sheet of fibers is transferred (couched) off the mould onto a damp felt.
- Pressing and Drying: A stack of couched sheets is pressed under heavy pressure to expel water, then left to dry flat.
Book Arts
The book has evolved from a simple vessel for text into a sculptural medium. Book arts encompass traditional binding structures (Coptic stitch, Japanese stab binding, accordion folds) and push into "altered books" (modifying existing books through cutting and collage) and sculptural book-objects that challenge the linear sequence of reading.
Mixed Media and Assemblage
Mixed media breaks down the rigid boundaries between traditional disciplines. An artist might combine an oil painting with embroidered textiles, found objects, and photographic transfers. This approach emphasizes the conceptual weight of the materials themselves. The juxtaposition of disparate materials—such as rusted iron paired with delicate silk—creates metaphors and psychological associations that a single, unified medium cannot achieve.
In the process of enameling in metalcraft, what material is being fused to the metal substrate?
In a traditional weaving setup, what is the term for the vertical threads that are held tightly in tension on the loom?
Which of the following describes the difference between repoussé and chasing in metalworking?
What is the function of the mould and deckle in the process of hand papermaking?