TRACE ELEMENTS PROJECT

For this project I explored many ideas and whittled it down to following the idea of journeys, and capturing traces of them in my work. Taking into account the 'you are what you eat' project, I decided I wanted to carry on in a similar style of working - particularly following the idea of print. 

 I began with some simple mono-prints which I believe were a good starting point. The print on the left is a panoramic drawing, giving the idea of taking a journey with your eyes - which is enhanced by the two point perspective, that allows your eyes to travel along the piece. The depth could potentially be enhanced by a subtle addition of colouring the background. The print on the right does contain colour, however the line-work is not panoramic meaning the depth is not as pronounced. The green strip of colour takes the role of focal point in this piece. These mono-prints led me on to the idea of experimental continuous line drawings, where I decided to document my journey to college, and draw whilst walking.

Although the drawings were simple to create, the outcome is really successful and contains plenty of potential to develop. By being presented across a double page spread it gives the feel of the drawings being panoramic which instantly adds the element of depth. Plus, where in places the single line has overlapped on itself it has created a further sense of depth by drawing you into the background. The line drawings work well as a single black line as they stand out into the foreground as a focal point, however I could develop these into prints onto a coloured background as this would further enhance the overall composition. Instead I chose to take shapes from them in order to create a background print. These samples can be seen in the pictures below. 

The two prints above really begin to document my journey in further detail. The collaging in the background initiates further depth and pushes the blue print into the middle ground therefore allowing the letterpress to stand out into the foreground. The sample on the left stands quite strong in catching your immediate attention, and the shapes created by the negative space are prominent. On the other hand, the print on right contains plenty more texture as the blue ink had been reduced, this allows for the collaging to come through, adding yet another layer to the print. Although both these prints have their strong points, I felt I could develop the idea further into creating a series of smaller prints based on my journey to college. 

A few of the samples I created can be viewed above, they demonstrate some of the different  techniques I used to approach the final outcomes. The colour palette was taken from a part of the journey, and the clashing colours really create an impact which is highlighted by the negative space that allows the composition from being overcrowded. The surface area is very tactile due to the addition of stitch and collage. This gives an interesting texture both visually and to the touch which therefore adds further depth to the samples. 

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT PROJECT

This was a short independent project, set to see how we begin to work independently, and to help us in our chosen specialism. 

Initially I began with some experimental drawings, however I soon realised these weren't working so I trialled printing.

As you can see from the 8 samples above I found a simple method that was working really well. It is a straightforward combination of collage and coloured ink,whereby I began slicing found berries and apples and then printed their surface pattern onto the collage. By watering down the ink in places it has created a fluid feel to the samples, and blends together the red and quink ink. I think the most successful element of the above samples is the unpredictable  shapes created by the berries. By having different forms rather than one repetitive shape it enhances the depth, and heightens the sense of that natural elements. The idea of 'You are what you eat' comes into account by the use of apples - a common fruit seen daily - against the wild berries. The apples symbolise the idea of comfort zones, and how we often stick to what we know and are afraid to try new things but the berries represent temptation and the idea of something new - i.e you are what you eat.

During this process I learnt to trust in myself, and that its okay when an idea doesn't end how I would have liked, and to just work with it to create a better and more exciting method. This helped me to look at these prints and think in advance as to how they can be developed onwards. 

Because I am interested in Textile Design, I chose to move my work into the digital side, and began creating surface patterns.

As you can see I started using Photoshop to group together my samples, which resulted in the above and below outcomes. Once I began sampling I really got into a flow, which was really successful in helping my own personal development. It has helped me to advance in believing in a good idea and enabled me to produce strong digital samples. The above sample on the left was the first I produced, and also where I discovered the use of the overlaying tool. The composition is strong, and the vertical layout has produced leading lines that ensure your eyes cover the whole of the piece. The overlay is effective as it creates many layers in the sample, producing a vast depth. There are hints of text across the background which adds a strong texture to the piece. It also gives a sense of mystery, by making them less visible it enhances the idea of the berries being a temptation. You lean into the background in order to see what they are.

The same could be said for the sample on the right, however the depth is intensified by the addition of the collaging in the background. The colours begin to become darker and more vibrant in this sample, intensified by the negative space, which gives the impression of the fruit being richer. 

The two samples above have less of a 'pattern like' feel to them, and there is much more going on in the overall composition. With the piece on the left the depth is grand, and all the different layers really capture the attention of the viewer. The bold colours push out into the foreground, contrasting greatly with the faded background, which really enhances the depth of the piece. Whereas the piece on the right, although still containing many textures and layers, has a clear white background where the negative space pushes all the details into the foreground. 

Overall in this project I feel I really began to blossom in what I was creating, and although it was difficult working independently, it is clear within my work that I am along the right route to becoming a textile designer. 

TATE MODERN REVIEW 29/9/15

Our newest project lasts 3 weeks and is entitled 'Trace Elements' and to help push start ideas we took a trip to the Tate Modern in London to view the exhibitions on show - one of them being 'Making Traces'. To me the most significant room that stood out most to me was called 'Painting After Technology' which consisted of a brilliant collection of mixed media paintings. 

Loa, 2007, Acrylic paint, oil paint, collage, ink on canvas

The most prominent piece I found was by Albert Oehlen, which can be seen above. There piece contains traces of imagery, text and collage from many different places, including quotes and song lyrics, which produces a relaxed atmosphere, allowing the viewer to relate comfortably to the piece. The piece reminds me of an advertising billboard - due to the large title and the bar-code that is visible beneath a translucent layer of paint. The multitude of layers is pertinent to my own work and a method I am definitely going to carry out within my own pieces. The main focal point of the piece is the text, however there is also evidence of other shapes - predominantly the spherical forms. Taking position in the bottom left corner, the tones of blue emphasize the spherical element which therefore adds depth to the painting overall. They also create a fluid feel to the piece as the edges create leading lines diagonally into the center, therefore enhancing the center focal point.

Walls Paper, 1972, Offset lithographs on newsprint paper

This piece by Gordon Matta-Clark grabbed my attention straight away, mainly due to the sheer vastness of it. Floor to ceiling covered with lithographs. But the beauty of it was how they were all pinned up individually, rather than being printed on a roll of wallpaper. This rawness stood out and has definitely helped to inspire my Trace Elements project. The subject matter consists of architectural elements from photographs - predominantly the interiors of torn down houses. The angular shapes that are created are instantly softened by the textures of the inks within the print. The colours are neutral a part from the highlights of bright yellow, blue and green -  which instantly creates a multitude of focal points across the wall. The composition is strong due to the placements of the focal prints, it ensures your eyes are drawn all the way across. However, when you walk away then go and re-look at the piece, you begin to notice elements that were missed upon the first viewing, but this only enhances the size of the piece. 

WEARABLE ARCHITECTURE PROJECT

This project is perhaps the one I was most excited about doing because Textile Design is what I am considering going on to do at University. Therefore I felt the need to really excel with this task in order to prove my abilities to myself. 

The project kicked off with observational drawings of buildings, where we had to focus on the inner, smaller details such as shape. At this point I was disappointed in the outcome of my work as I felt I hadn't understood the task properly; but in hindsight, the shapes I had found work really well together and once I began to print them I was really enjoying the development of my work. I feel that this was a really successful learning curve for me, as it is sometimes hard to accept your work when you feel it is not up to your usual high standards, as I did, and the development of being able to overcome a difficult patch and twist it to make it work to the best of its ability is something I am proud of achieving and I definitely feel it will help me with future learning.

Once I was over my frustration we moved on to designing a surface pattern for printing the shapes, which you can see above. The colour palette I chose is working really well for this piece as the neutral background allows the pink and blue to pop out without them drowning each other - because I chose to also use the secondary colour purple as a highlight point. Although I believe my prints are successful there is still plenty of room for development, for example instead of using purple I could print with white paint as it would stand out even further in the print and give a sense of depth. A second developing point could be to somehow attach the stencils onto the surface of the print which would not only add a three-dimensional aspect but also enhance the 'wearable sculpture/architecture' idea. 

We then had to refer back to some of the other architectural shapes in order to design the final idea for the piece. Above you can see my range of ideas, and I feel the most successful one is the middle idea, featured in the left hand photo on the right hand side. This is mainly because I wasn't looking at the shape and trying to turn it into a garment, but instead I was considering the ergonomics of the shape and how it could work best with the body. The two designs shown in the photo on the right have the success that they both flow well with the body, however I find that the curves soften them too much and they blend too much with the body, whereas the more angular shapes stand out strong and make a statement. 

The final stage of the project was choosing a design and putting it into practise, which you can see in the photos overhead. 

CONNECT PROJECT

This project was focused on sculpture and all about considering how things are connected and what does it mean. 

Starting off with salvaged objects, we began to think about what it was, its history and what it could become. Initially I was stuck at this point as sculpture is not my specialism and I didn't know how these two objects could work together, however I soon discovered the next stage.

This is just one example of the three I made for the series, however I feel this best shows the connection of the wire spiral with the plant pot. It was the most successful piece I created as I experimented with placing the wire in many different places before choosing its final place. By twisting and manipulating the wire, it creates really interesting shapes and forms that change when you view it from different angles, and this helps the audience to question how it is connected. As a development it would be good to place this sculpture in a white room and cast different lights at it to see how different shadows are formed. I felt that by keeping the sculpture the 'terracotta' colour, it was still being viewed as a plant pot, at which point I decided to paint it white and I feel this gives the audience a whole new perspective when looking at it.

CONCEAL PROJECT PART 2

Further on into the project we began to look at faces and methods of construction; including drawing, printing and sculpting using wire.

With these two pages we were practicing drawing in different medias and without looking at the page. This taught me how important it actually is to spend 80% looking at the subject and 20% at the paper, as this allows you to slow down the drawing in order to capture as much detail as you can. It has also shown me how layering up drawings can be quite effective in creating new shapes and forms. 
I feel that the light blue felt pen drawing (right hand image, left hand side of page) is unsuccessful in this group of drawings as it doesn't fit into the colour scheme and stands out too obviously, creating an unwanted focal point. It could potentially be overcome by experimenting with cutting up the page and rearranging to create unrealistic faces. Or I could attempt another drawing with scissors to cover up the majority of it. 
                              

In spite of this, these drawings were the basis for our stencil printing, which turned out to be really fun and experimental to create.

      

With the two images above I have selected what I believe are my most successful and unsuccessful prints. With the left hand side print (green on green) I feel the monochromatic colour scheme is really strong, with the pale background causing the darker facial features to jump out into the foreground. However, the red and orange print is a lot more subtle, I think it is the clash of the colours that lets this print down, but in saying this the upper left side with the texture is working really well, and a good developing point would be to reprint this with the white texture running all the way through the background. This would then allow the orange print to be more visible. 

Above you can see my 3 wire faces I sculpted. The top face is the first one I finished, and upon finishing the other two it has become my least favourite. By trying to create the outline of the whole head, I have accidentally created a 'cartoon like' face which was not my aim, however once I had looked at work by my peers, and I furthered my artist research, it helped me to focus on the finer details of the face and create a much simpler solution. By creating these faces, it helped me (along with the drawing at the top) to concentrate on looking at the subject, as I was able to hold up the wire to try and get proportions right as well as shapes and angles. I believe a good way to improve these sculptures would be to experiment with media other than wire, such as string or flexible plastic tubes (e.g. straws?).

CONCEAL PROJECT PART 1

Conceal: A two week project exploring many avenues and processes in order to extend our ideas and creative approaches.

Initially we started this project by looking at collage, and how it is possible to manipulate images to create new ones.

This is one of the pieces I am particularly pleased with. As you can see I have cut away sections of the image to create a 'behind bars' effect, and I have also added emphasis to the lips to create a focal point. After I had stuck everything down I started to consider how I could then develop the piece to create more impact for the viewer, which led me to changing the image into black and white, and then placing colour behind. I believe that this now makes the image pop out even more, as although the colour stands out in the foreground, it helps your eyes to focus on the face behind. 

This collage is perhaps the most experimental of my designs. Firstly I took two similar sized faces and 'weaved' them together to create stripes that conceal the underneath face. However upon completion it was obvious to me that this image needed much more manipulation until it was complete. This observation taught me that I was understanding the idea of manipulating images, and that I needed to refer back to the artists I studied in order to see how I could develop the piece maturely. It's very important to understand that not everything can be finished immediately, and it will often need revising and refining before it can be labelled 'completed' and I am pleased I have realised this quite early on as it will form a useful skill for both future learning and employment.

I really enjoy looking at these two images together, although they are unrelated I feel that they work really well composition-wise on this double page spread in my sketchbook. With the image on the left I have experimented with text, and I did not really think about the composition, it just worked itself out by the pieces I chose fitting together perfectly. There is not much colour in the pice and I feel that this is what it is probably missing. I think if I made the scenery background 'pop art' it would bring the page to life, and would then also link with the image on the right. 

With the image on the right, I managed to find the pink head that matched the body underneath, however I couldn't find a way to link them together seamlessly, which is why the white boarder remains around the head. The text that goes across concealing her eyes reads 'God knows what the old man thought as he gazed' which I find ironic as the body holding the head is actually male. 

  

SUMMER ART PROJECT 2015

Earlier this year I was set a summer art project under the title of 'Scavenge, Draw, Record' which is a pretty self explanatory title. We (myself and the rest of the people on my course) were given a list of 20+ items to complete over the course of 5 weeks, which ranged from researching universities to collecting certain items and drawing experimentally. 

   It was a change for me, learning to draw onsite and collecting nearly everything I had used on a daily basis, but I think the experience challenged me in a good way and I have learnt that being out of the ordinary is never a bad thing. 

     My favourite element of the project was probably the 'Drawing a day' task, where I decided to build up a collage of different subjects of interest I found that day. (See below)

From this particular task I have learnt to trust in my observational skills, and that if something happens to go wrong it is not the end of the world and can easily be corrected by drawing over it. I have also learnt to trust in myself and my own abilities, as I have always followed the mantra that I 'cannot draw'. However over the period of 5 weeks I have proven to myself that I can in fact draw, and I can draw quite well. I believe this ability has sprung from the fact that I have stopped overthinking every line I create, and I now in fact dive into the prospect of observational drawing with open arms.The skill that develops from this is that of not being afraid to try. For future learning this is very important, as I need to be able to approach tasks with an open mind and give everything 100%. 

I believe the only thing that hasn't been successful with this task is that I didn't manage to complete it! The full criteria was to draw everyday for a month, however I lapsed and will admit to missing a few days, although I believe the build up of what I have created is working strong composition-wise. I can improve this by completing it over the next week, in order to maximise the page to its full potential, otherwise the negative space takes over and it obviously looks unfinished. 

There are also a few more pages of the summer work that I am really pleased with, as you can see below.