Review of Project

I started to lose some inspiration from my subject, was not happy with the quality of my work and ask Sian for some feedback on my progress so that I could determine my way forwards.  Sian questioned whether I had been thinking about the direction of my theme and suggested I review all my work and posts to look at my strengths, where my passions lie and enjoy those aspects of my results that have worked. 

One comment that really made me think is my need to present solutions rather than treat the exercises as an investigative journey.  Sian also used one or two quotes from my blog to help me decide on my future progress and I extended this by reviewing all my posts and picking out those aspects of my work that I have really enjoyed. 

• looking through the broken shell
• rock pools with mini waves; looking through the layers
• reflective, translucent light, water reflecting the light
• waves, gradually fading
• overlapping translucent layers, producing different tones and new shapes within shapes
• sun-ray effect of folded dyed fabric; the effect where the resist has left interesting patterns and ghost-like effects of the object
• gradually faded blue pattern; transferred image fades the more times it is used.

I then thought about these words and how I would progress for about a week and rather than repeating the exercises, I decided to explore those themes I have enjoyed in my work in the next chapters of Design Process and Towards an Embroidered Item, adding addition exercises where needed.     

1.7 Stitches

I used some of my transfer dyed backgrounds for these exercises.  In the first image I have used open buttonhole stitch on the left half , in various weights of threads, with varying distance between each stitch, overlapping rows and graduating the length of the stitch.  On the right half I have put a base layer of machine stitch, alternative rows and overlaid with chain stitch, and a central area of couching. 

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In the next sample I thought  I would try using a dark background to see the effect on the colours of the threads.  Stitches used include open buttonhole, cross, wheatear, basket filling, running, etc.

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My third sample includes three areas.  The left third is circles of back stitch, with some filling in with shiny satin stitches and the circles linked by thin threads.  The central section is straight stitches of various long lengths in various shades of blue, giving a wave effect.  The right section has small frayed sections of dyed muslin overlaid with upright cross stitch in various weights of thread. 

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My final stitch sample was an experiment with dyed tissue paper on clear cellophane with two weights of thread using running stitch.  As I worked this sample the number of stitches had to be limited to stop the cellophane splitting. 

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1.6 Fabric Dyeing (2)

I decided to try dyeing some muslin, again wrapped around sticks, to try to increase the colour penetration.  These were all dyed in my colour scheme of blues and turquoise.  My thoughts at this stage for the final piece, remain some form of translucent layed image depicting my childhood memoirs, with a wave background.    The penetration of the dye was much better this time particularly in the first image.

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After trying the dispersal dyes, I thought I would prepare some backgrounds for the next chapter, using transfer dyes.  I painted the transfer dyes onto layout paper (A4), working quite quickly and freely to create loose seascape images from memory.  I quite like the pooling of the colour as the paper winkled under the wet dye as it has an almost watercolour effect. 

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I then transferred the images onto polyester cotton.  Due to the cotton content of the fabric the images transferred lighter than the original, however, I quite liked the more subtle colours.   

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I then tried some experiments dyeing different synthetic fabric strips.  I prepared another range of transfer papers (A5).  

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I then stitched together three fabric strips and transferred the dye. 

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In the image above, the top strip is an Eton II Taffeta lining (100%  polyester); the middle strip an acetate white satin; and the middle strip a plain synthetic organza. 

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In the image above, the top strip is a polyester (65%) cotton (35%) lawn; the middle strip a nylon voile; and the bottom strip a polyester Dupion.  The colours are more vibrant than both photographs above indicate and the nylon voile has taken on more colour than is apparent.  There is the 'happy accident' of leaving the iron too long in one place on the last strip but it adds another dimension to the image (reminds me of the Francis Bacon quote 'all painting is an accident').   



To finish the transfer dyeing I printed one image multiple times across a strip of 100% polyester to give the effect of the sea.  Whilst this worked quite well with the transferred image fading the more times it was used, sometimes the multiple transfers also removed some of the transferred dye from a previous pressing.  

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I really enjoyed using the transfer dye as the end result is much more controllable.  I will continue to experiment with dyeing, perhaps using the immersion dyes first to provide a general colour and then using the transfer dyes (although there would have to be a careful choice of fabric/dye products for the desired outcome to work). 

1.6 Fabric Dyeing (1)

I have never dyed my own fabric before as the thought of all the mess has always put me off so this is the first attempt of a 'dyeing virgin' (that doesn't quite sound right!).  I decided to start out by using cold water dyes on a small scale.  I prepared a range of fabric pieces - cotton lawn, muslin, hessian, etc., - by folding; tying around bamboo shewers (Shibori style); insert pebbles/shells and tying; and, plain squares.

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I prepared four dyeing baths - red, blue, yellow and green (self-mixed).  I then immersed the fabric pieces in the baths and waited for the results.  I was surprised that after 45 minutes immersion the dye had not penetrated some of the tied fabrics more.  Where the remaining white was too dominant I dipped immersed the fabric into another colour to dye the white. 

The results below are the flat fabric pieces.  Clockwise from the top  - cotton open weave , a 100% synthetic fibre fabric, two hessian fabrics.  The cotton open weave took the dye the best; the synthetic fabric has turned a very light pink (not quite evident in the photograph); and, the both hessian pieces have taken on a light shade of green and yellow.

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These are the folded fabrics.  I really like the yellow pleated fabric which has produced a sun-ray effect and also the gradually fading blue pattern.

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The next set are the fabrics tied around the bamboo sticks.  All have been re-dyed with a second colour as the dye did not pnetrate the fbric very well. 

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The piece below shows the change when a second dye is taken.   The end green patches were originally dyed blue and turned green when an overall second immersion in a yellow dye was applied. 

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The final pieces are perhaps my favorites.  In keeping with my theme I inserted a scallop shell (green), pebbles (blue) and a range of shells (red) and tied them tightly into th fabric.  I really like the pattern and effects the shells have left where they have resisted the dye.   

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The details above show how the resist of the shell, pebbles and string have left interesting patterns and ghost-like effects of the objects. 

1.5 Colour Study (2)

I returned to the chapter exercises and cut up my colour study, placing the colour squares on different coloured strips.  The yellow squares as they have a more intense hue really pop out of most of the backgrounds.  The blues and greens fade back on the green background as they are closer in both hue and tone.  The blue come forwards on both the red and orange backgrounds as these are nearer to its complementary colour. 

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I then placed the colour squares on a range of different pattern backgrounds, including teabag papers, textured coloured foils, silver foils, Angelina papers, highly patterned papers and coloured patterned tissue papers.  The yellow is intensified on the complementary purple, whilst the blue fades back on the same paper.  The yellow looks duller on silver foils, whereas the blue looks brighter. 

  

 

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On the highly patterned papers the yellow square seem to intensify the patterns which are predominantly red and comes forwards when on a cooler patterned background.  The blue is more intense on the yellow patterned backgrounds and fade back on the cooler coloured backgrounds.  With the blue square on the blue pattern it is different to assess which is on top, the centre square or surrounding background. 

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1.5 Colour Study (1)

I have always had trouble mixing paint colour which is probably way I try to avoid painting and often draw with pencils or pastels.  For this exercise I chose three photographs, the bottom strip is of pebbles, the middle rock pool and the top a row of buildings in a side street.  I looked through a narrow strip window at a portion of the photograph and tried to reproduce the colours using acrylic paints.  This is not my most successful piece in the actual reproduction of the colours but I do like the strip effect. 

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I decided to use the colours in the top strip to extend this exercise.  I mixed the yellow and blue in increasing proportions and look at the colour range, before cutting the mixes into squares for the next exercises.  Again my mixing of the paints was not as successful as I had hoped and I therefore decided to look into colour theories a bit more before moving on. 

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I first mixed my own colour wheel using three colours:

• Lemon yellow
• Cadmium red
• Cerulean blue

I was quite pleased with the result, particularly as the full twelve colours were produced from these three primaries.  The blue-green range and blue-red range would have benefited from a better mix of colours to achieve a better transition in the hues.  I added some brief labels to the wheel so that I can refer back easily to colour theory as I progress through the diploma.  

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I mixed white and black to the primaries to produce the various tints/shades; I then mixed the complimentary colours to see what colours were produced.    

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I also decided to read a couple of books on colour theory - Colour:  How to use Colour in Art and Design by Edith Anderson Feisner; Interaction of Colour by Josef Albers; and Colour:  A Workshop for Artists and Designers by David Hornung.  The last book contains a series of assignments to help you understand colour and I might continue to undertake the assignments as I work through the diploma.  

I decided to go back to the projects but use colour paper for some of the exercises; this was suggest in one of the books.  The next images shows five pages of small colour squares against a different larger coloured square to look at colour perception and the effect of one colour on another when placed next to it.   

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Each set of six small squares is A3 size, with the lower set of nine squares also A3 size.  

Looking at the squares close-up, I could not see much difference in colours.  I had to move the sheet quite a distance to perceive any changes.  I also started to think was I was seeing a difference because it was actually there or because I thought I ought to see a difference?

Looking at the squares with the small blue centre, the blue on yellow hues (1, 4 & 5) look darker in tone than the other squares, with blue on green a mid-tone (6) and blue on red (3) and violet (2) the lightest tones.  With the blue on red (3), the red seems to recede the most.  i would have expected with red being a warmer colour it would move forwards.

With the red inner square, the red appears darker in tone on the orange (7) and yellow (8); and lightest in tone on the lemon yellow (100.  The red on green seems most saturated (11). 

With the orange centred square, darker tones are produced on violet (14), yellow (15), and green (18).  The orange on red (17) and orange on lemon yellow (16) seem more saturated with the one on red (17) receding and the one on the yellow coming forwards.  

With the lemon yellow inner squares, darker tones are on the orange and green (19 & 21) and lighter, but more saturated, on the violet and blue (22 & 23).

The small grey squares illustrate the principle of 'after image' in colours.  After looking hard for some time I could see some red in the grey on green and violet in the grey on lemon yellow.

1.4 Shapes

When looking at my images of the coast and seaside towns the initial shape which caught my eye was domes.  Whilst this may seem strange, I think this comes both from the era when seaside began growing in the late Victorian period, when all things exotic were popular, and from the area I visited which is close to Brighton and the India-inspired Royal Pavilion.  Domes seemed to be everywhere, on roof-tops, as lamp-posts, on the pier, etc.  

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I pull together some drawings of domes to look at the various shapes.

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I also had some pictures of the Easter Cathedral in Russia and used one of these domes and associated shapes to produce a lino cut and tried printing some images onto paper.

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However, this shape did not seem to meet the brief of having enough inverted areas to develop the image.  I therefore looked back through my pictures and began to draw from a photograph the breaking wave shape.  I simplified the shapes to make a line drawing so that I could concentrate only on the shape of the wave.

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I made a tracing of the drawing and a smaller card template of the shape.  I then started some of the exercises to look at the effects on A5 paper and this is a college of some of the images.    

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I then produced a lino cut printing block of the image and began printing on both white and coloured A4 paper backgrounds.  I also cut up some of the images and re-arranged then to produce a new pattern.  the pencil drawings are my original images for the shape.   

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I particularly liked the effect of the gradually fading waves as the block is used without re-inking. I then used the curved wave shape and produced some shapes in tissue paper and glue them to cellophane, overlapping them to get different tones, as in my rock pool images earlier.  

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This over-lapping of transparent layers is something which quite interests me so could become part of my final project.

I need to think through how it will work when my overall design for my final project is better formed in my mind.  I have an idea of background layers of different images and shapes, with some form of ethereal images, based on my personal experience as a child at the coast.  I am also thinking at this stage of a narrative in my final image (as it is a wall panel), being alone as a child, how as we get old we become alone and, following a visit to Hastings where I saw many young people sitting alone, interfacing with their technology (iphones, ipads, etc.), rather than enjoying the beach and being part of the community.  All this is at a very early stage as I work through the research project. 

I produce another layered image using more geometric shapes, just because I enjoy the effect it produces - different tones which produce new shapes within shapes.   

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1:3 Texture

My first thoughts when thinking of the textures I could re-create from the coast were of the beach.  I had completed a couple of sketches of the outlines of the pebbles and a watercolour on my first visit to Deal.  This had quite an isolated stretch of beach near the Sandwich Golf Club so I felt quite comfortable sketching with no one around. 

I then tried creating the beach using tracing paper cut into long strips with undulating edges and then curling them with the blade edge of scissors.  Whilst the size differences were apparent in the finished piece the undulating edges were lost so this piece was not very successful.

I then tried cutting out pebble shapes and to give them form, making a slit to the centre of the shape and forming them into domes.  Once stuck to card this give an effect of the
bi-valve shells often found on beaches.  I liked the pattens made by the light and shade in this image.      

I wanted the effect of the pebbles so tried forming tissue paper into 'pebble' balls and then sticking them to card.  This did not work as they quickly started to unfold so I wrapped thread around each pebble shape and then dabbed them with glue so they held their form.  This worked quite well although doubt began to form in my mind on how I would take any designs forwards.   

I then turned my attention to the sea and formed tissue paper into waves by spreading glue onto card and then gathering the paper into wave-forms.  This worked quite well.   

I also tried this using plastic bags which gave a better, more translucent water effect.

Finally, I produce a stylised string collage of the waves breaking on the beach and this is the image I liked the best. 

I then got into a creative block with textures.  I decided I did not like the images I was producing and for a few weeks just keep going round and round in circles without any clear way forwards.  As I looked at the pictures I could not get that creative spark I needed, they all just looked like organic shapeless images.  I even contemplated changing my personal research theme and got seriously stuck.  In the end I sat down to think about what I liked about textile art and it centred around line, colour and patterns.  Rather then abandoning my theme of the coast, I decided to visit Eastbourne, drawing and photographing the buildings.  I hoped this would give me the boost I needed.  Some of these images are in a previous post and many more will appear in later posts but overall the strategy did work.              

I have many childhood memories of sitting on the pier, watching people go by whilst I read my book.  I am the youngest of a large family and whilst I have many older brothers and sisters, I actually grew up fairly alone as by the time I was born and starting to grow-up, they were either staying at home with their friends or leaving home to start their own new lives.  Much of my time at the seaside was therefore spent exploring places on my own, walking along the esplanade, going into the town and quietly reading in various places.  Whilst this might sound quite lonely, I actually enjoyed being on  my own and having time to myself.  It has made me comfortable with my own company and quite independent.  

At Eastbourne I drew the image below of one of the roof of a building on the pier; it was the pattern of the tiles which caught my attention.
   

At home I then re-created the tiles using card, creating the texture by pressing the individual shapes on the end of a bamboo skewer. 

Completing this texture unit has helped to focus on the aspects of my personal research theme which I wish to develop and I am looking forwards to the next chapter.