• Notice What You Like
• Part 2 - Making and using a viewfinder
  • Introduction
  • Getting started
  • Making a movable viewfinder
  • Using the viewfinders
  • Suggestion - what next?
• Draw a Scene
• Draw a Leaf or Flower
• Make Felt
• Felt Making Video
• Stitching onto Felt
• Stitch Doodles
• Stitching Video
• Glossary

Introduction

What is a viewfinder?

A viewfinder helps you to choose which part of the landscape you’re going to draw; it can also be used for isolating a small section within a larger object. Its border blocks out the area surrounding your viewpoint, making it easier to focus on the scene.

There are two variations of viewfinder that you can make - one has a fixed ‘window’ cut out of a piece of card, and the other consists of two L shaped pieces of card which can be held together to provide ‘windows’ of different sizes and shapes.

 

 

Making a fixed viewfinder

 

What might this exercise offer?

A viewfinder:

• Hones our skills of observation. Observation and drawing are a good way to generate a range of ideas that can be developed into (textile) designs

• Helps us to focus in on what we want to draw

 

You will need:

• A5 card (half the size of A4) to make a viewfinder – this is a useful size, but it can be larger or smaller

• Scissors

• Pencil

• Ruler