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London-based upcycling artist Barbara Franc uses materials that would otherwise end up in a trash can and add up to the billions of tons of waste we accumulate every year to create amazing sculptures full of movement and unique characters. If you look closely into these lively animals in realistic shapes, you'll notice kitchen utensils, keys, watches, guitar strings, cans—things you've probably been hoarding at some point and never thought they could be brought to life again. Cleverly arranged repurposed objects not only make beautiful works of art, but are equally fascinating to explore.

Franc mostly creates intricate steampunk animals from scrap metal and discarded household objects and shaggy dogs and other animals handcrafted from old and unused textile.

Dive into the wondrous world of discarded materials turned into stunning animal sculptures and tell us which ones you liked the most!

More info: barbarafranc.co.uk | Instagram | Facebook | twitter.com

#1

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BoredPanda is awesome
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Btw, did you know that cats only say "Meow" to talk with us? They don't meow to other cats, just humans?

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"I have always been fascinated by the shapes and sculptural forms of animals," Franc says on her website. "I increasingly use recycled and discarded materials as I enjoy the challenge of transforming something with a past history into something new and exciting."

She tries to preserve the natural shape and pose of animals, so the sculptures look as if these animals were caught in a moment.

Barbara Franc has been particularly recognized for her textile animals and has taught several workshops in Australia, France, and the UK in 2020. The artist told Bored Panda about how she came up with the idea to turn her hoard of old fabrics into animals.

"I have a large hoard of old fabrics, especially natural fibers like wool, linen, and cotton. I just hate to see them being thrown out, so that’s when I came up with the idea of making animals with textile coverings. Dogs were the first that came to mind and Rufus, my dog, has been used quite a bit as my model and inspiration."

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#4

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BoredPanda is awesome
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So cool. Btw, did you know that not all owls hoot! Barn Owls make hissing sounds, the Eastern Screech-Owl whinnies like a horse, and Saw-whet Owls sound like, well, an old whetstone sharpening a saw.

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"I start with my wire armature which I stuff very firmly with old newspapers, creating the muscular structure. I bind this form very tightly with a stretch material stitched into place. At this stage it looks a touch unsettling as it looks as if the dog has no hair." Franc uncovered what goes on behind the scenes of crafting a textile animal. "I can then judge if the form needs extra muscle shape or fat anywhere, which I can add on with more padding. Then the very enjoyable and fairly relaxing part of choosing which fabrics to use, fraying the edges, and then stitching them into place can happen. They are definitely the most enjoyable pieces to work on, it is a joy to see them start to take on their own character."

#6

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Zophra
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think all of these are beautiful, but I especially like this one... and I'm not even a particular bird-lover.

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#9

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BoredPanda is awesome
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cool. Hmmm, did you know that chickens can remember over 100 different faces of people or animals and that they can fly over a fence or into a tree.

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#10

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Mary Rose Kent
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The cat on the right is clearly the one who keeps track of when the kitty biscuits are done baking...she’s keeping an EYE on the CLOCK!

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#11

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#13

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BoredPanda is awesome
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love dogs. Btw, did you know that a dog's sense of smell is 10,000 times stronger than a human's.

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#15

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Mary Rose Kent
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This red Thistle Chest took “Best in Show” in 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015, and is now contentedly retired from the circuit

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#17

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BoredPanda is awesome
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did you know that ravens have been known to trap and kill prey twice their size. They will also hide their food from other predators, even other ravens. In fact, they often “pretend” to hide food in a safe place while another raven is watching—only to move the food cache to another location when unobserved!

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#25

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BoredPanda is awesome
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cool. Hmmm, did you know that rabbits perform an athletic leap, known as a 'binky', when they're happy — performing twists and kicks in mid air!

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#27

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BoredPanda is awesome
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cool. Btw, did you know that Albatrosses spend the first six or more years of their long lives in the air without touching the ground?

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#35

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Mary Rose Kent
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cat’s thinking 💭You can’t scare me Bone Boy—I be made of metal!💭

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#37

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BoredPanda is awesome
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

woah. I love these birds. Btw, The Toucans bill releases heat and they actually don't like to fly.

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#38

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Mary Rose Kent
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The elusive Blue-backed Gecko, a much lesser known species than the Blue-bellied Lizard

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#42

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#43

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BoredPanda is awesome
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hmmm, even though they are tiny, praying mantis will successfully capture, kill, and eat a hummingbird

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#48

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#49

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Mary Rose Kent
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like the old-fashioned typewriter key—it looks like it’s from an Underwood.

#53

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BoredPanda is awesome
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nice.Did you know that if you have treated a swan kindly, it will remember you as a friend forever.

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#57

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#61

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Mary Rose Kent
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fun fact: hummingbirds have such intense metabolisms that they need to go into semi-hibernation each night to keep from starving to death before morning.

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#62

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#63

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Sheila Ferrell
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You are so adept at capturing the inquisitive ways different animals stand, or sit or perch!! They are so wonderfully life like while being so cool & funky!

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#67

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Lynn Greene
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sarjana, it is virtually impossible for this artist to copy the Finnish artist's work, unless she copied from the original with all of the same materials, from the same country. For myself, it would be impossible to copy this work - we don't have the same products in Canada.

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#73

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Mary Rose Kent
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A hummingbird’s metabolism is so high that it goes into semi-hibernation each night because otherwise it would starve to death by morning.

#74

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#76

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Mary Rose Kent
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sequoia needs to go out for one last pee before she settles in for the night...

#77

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#79

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Mary Rose Kent
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The bit of metal at the neck is gorgeous, and...bonus...she’s wearing a dainty little necklace.

#83

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