ImagesMagUK_November_2021

www.images-magazine.com NOVEMBER 2021 images 41 KB TIPS & TECHNIQUES www.jadigitizing.com This tactile 3D ‘puff’ bear was created by Justin Armenta of JA Digitizing Studios. Comprised of several layers, this clever design demonstrates what can be achieved with careful planning and an eye for detail Anatomy of an embroidery In order to achieve the realistic, three-dimensional look of the bear, this design was digitised in several layers. In the second layer, I used the first layer of 3D foam: 3mm Gunold Puffy Foam Dense. A satin stitch was used to contour/carve the outline the shape of the face, eyes and mouth, cutting the 3D foam. Using blending techniques, I then layered two different brown threads over the foam to create the fur texture. The first layer was made up of a group of flat stitches. This layer establishes a global underlay to stabilise the hat, along with the fur-like background of the bear’s mane and detail in the ears and eyes. The red gums and white teeth were also sewn in this layer, using Madeira Polyneon thread – the only type of thread used in the bear embroidery. On the last layer, I used the third layer of 3D foam – again, 3mm Madeira Bodybuilder 3D Foam. This last segment, which features brown satin stitches, is just the tip of the nose, giving the final bit of lift and dimension to the design. The third layer features the second layer of 3D foam: 3mm Madeira Bodybuilder 3D Foam. I used a slightly softer foam at this stage since it has to be embroidered over on multiple layers. This layer adds another level of dimension, giving the effect of the snout and mouth being closer to the viewer. The design was digitised in Wilcom EmbroideryStudio e4.5, and has a height of 60mm and a width of 51mm. It was embroidered on a Tajima TFMX ICC 1508 machine and totalled 11,972 stitches. The final stage of the project involved the clean-up of the 3D foam. Any excess foam was easily removed using the 3D PuffPro tool and a heat gun.