Contemporary Crochet Portraiture

Explore new approaches to the timeless art of portraiture using the versatile and unique medium of crochet. In this course I will be teaching the processes and techniques that I use in my own work to create a crocheted portrait from yarn.

Workshop attendees will base their portrait on a printed image of their choice and learn to build a portrait row by row, beginning with the eyes and working out. I will demonstrate ways to examine and simplify facial features and how to break them down into their basic shapes and colours, so they can be easily translated into crochet. We will focus on completing one two-dimensional portrait during the course of the workshop. 

Attendees should be proficient in basic crochet stitches, ie: single and double crochet in both rows and circles, increasing and decreasing. To put it simply: If you can crochet a granny square, you already know enough stitches to crochet a face. I should mention that since faces are all so unique I do not provide a specific pattern to follow and instead will be demonstrating and instilling a more freeform and expressive approach around a basic structural style. 

Workshop attendees will

• Learn a hands-on approach to crocheting a portrait of their choice by demonstration, inspiration, and good old trial-and-error.
• Learn how to render different facial features and expressions using colour, tone and a variety of crochet techniques
• Experiment with less traditional techniques to create colour, texture, depth and character in their work, such as mixing yarns to create subtlety in shading
• Explore a number of approaches to adapting a printed image for use as a basis for crochet art

See Student Requirement List