Making Feather Wings
Supplies needed:
 
mulberry paper in the color of wings you're making
20 ga wire
16 ga wire
Liquid polymer- Sculpey TLS or Fimo Gel
Tacky or Gem Tac white glue (any glue that dries clear)
Fabri-Tac glue
thin cord or yarn
wire cutters, paint brush, scissors
Pin feathers, hackle or saddle feathers, marabou feathers all in the color you select.
You can mix colors too for an entirely different look 
Measure out and cut the wires to create a simple framework in an appropriate size for your sculpture.  Keep in mind these wings
are going to be much larger once they are finished. This step just gives you the frame to glue the feathers to, and also the
mainstem that will be inserted into the sculpt. Lay the wires on a piece of mulberry paper that has been folded in half.
Glue the wires down, then fold the paper over. 
The wires are sealed in between the layers of paper.
Coat the whole surface of the paper with Translucent Liquid Sculpey or Fimo Gel.  Spread with a brush. Bake according to the
instructions on the bottle. This gives the framework strength and flex. Trim the edges of paper away so you have a basic wing
shape- any shape you choose.
*Note: You can paint the wires, or use colored wire, but be careful because some paints will change color after being exposed to
the gel. Do a test first.
Lay out your feathers and sort
them according to the direction
of the curve of the quill. There
are right and left handed
feathers!
 
Who knew?        
Use a craft scissors or a needle nose wire cutter to cut the quills off the feathers. Starting at the upper, outer edge of the wing tip,
spread a bead of Fabri-Tac glue. Lay the pin feathers in the glue. You will need 4 times the feathers; both sides of two wings, so be
sure to allow for the right amount. Turn the wing over and repeat, paying attention as you lay the feathers in the right direction.
Once again, sort the hackle feathers according to size. These don't have as strong a direction as the larger feathers do but they still
have a natural curve. Work with that as much as possible. Apply a bead of glue and lay the feathers on. Repeat on the other side.
Now sort the marabou feathers, lay on another bead of glue and work your way up to the main stem of the wing. 
To cover the main stem of the wing, I use one whole feather. Cut the quill almost all the way off, leave a bit on the end.  Apply a
bead of Fabri-Tac glue along the whole length of the main wire- up to where it comes out of the paper. Lay one feather on this-
again, paying attention to the natural curve of the feather. Repeat three more times.
Notice where the cut off quill ends, look closely and you'll see the quill on the other side as well. I wrap these in a cord to create a
nice finish, as well as hold those feathers securely in place. Add a dot of glue, wrap with matching cord or yarn, pulling tightly. Tie
off the end. 
All finished!
Allow the glue to dry thoroughly before handling. Once they are completely dry, you can gently pose them, the liquid polymer
clay allows you to do this. The pair of wings made in this demonstation were used for Zandrae', the angel shown below. I used
the same technique to make the pretty blue wings for Katie Sue. Both of these angels are featured in Gallery II.
I hope you found this tutorial helpful and enjoy trying to make your own feather wings!