Creation of Embroidered Portraits

Bugambilo will start by explaining a little about herself and how a coincidence led her to embroider. She will share with you her influences and resources that may inspire you in the creation process.

You will find out the necessary materials and assemble your sewing box with everything you might need. Of course, you will choose a portrait photograph to embroider. You will choose some words to describe your project and which you will try to incorporate into the final piece.

Sol will create a color wheel embroidered with the dominant and subordinate colors and will explain the advantages of making one with threads, although you can use the one you have at your fingertips.

Bugambilo will teach you to synthesize the figure by sketching the directions and routes of the line, thus creating a guide to embroider. Then you will transfer the image to the fabric, maintaining the line modulations and the sense of volume with the lines you draw. Then, you will see how to make linear embroidery stitches and back stitches with which you will begin work on the figure.

You will start with the look as an accent of the image and continue through the nose and mouth, where you will learn to differentiate lines that build volume and others that mark or outline shapes. Then, you will make the hair using needle painting, keeping your hand loose to get a relaxed stitch.

You will see the importance of knowing the weave of the fabric to get the most out of it. Bugambilo will explain how to combine tying and darning techniques to add to what you already know and embroider the character's clothes, adding details using scraps of fabric.

To finish, you will embroider the pattern for the background of the image and you will see some tips to add some finishing touches to your creation.