I seem to do a lot of my critical thinking while flogging up and down the pool for 1000m. Today, I was thinking about the jar of marmalade I gave my friend Lisa. I thought about how making marmalade is important to me, because my husband, Jim, eats a lot of sweet stuff and I think home-made marmalade is more nutritious, tastes better and has fewer additives than shop jam. I have an emotional attachment to the process of making marmalade for this reason.
Then I realised that my work is much more successful to me, and more appealing to others, when I have this emotional content in my work. And it is emotional content by drawing objects that relate to my family in some way. The pomegranates do not have this emotional input from me. Therefore this is why the artwork with them has been so hard, and so unsuccessful.
Tomorrow I will start more drawing. I have been out and bought more seville oranges (this is the last week of the season), and will draw them in various different ways, along with the maslin pan, squeezer, wooden spoons, sugar etc. Then I get to make the third batch of marmalade this year(!). The process of making marmalade is laborious, repetitive hand work, and this fits with my degree essay about getting into "flow" via repetitive movement, this strange link of hand and brain, and the state of contentment that this brings mentally. I can see coloured backgrounds, made by using pencils/paint in the same fine cutting movement that I use when chopping the peel, line drawings of the squeezed oranges, freely drawn oranges, the pans and the spoons. Drawn singly and in groups. And all the time I have the link with the peace, joy and contentment of the domestic environment. Doing things that are slow and laborious, simply for the benefit of my husband and me. The contentment of being "glad to be home" after being away for a year. Having the simple pleasures of being able to use utensils that I have had for many years, the familiarity of handling well used tools. And maybe once I have drawn many, many times, I will get this state of flow when I am handling paints, pencils and art materials, just like I do when in the kitchen.
I always find the creative state to be quite fraught at times, but last week was the first time that I was so frustrated and upset that I was thinking about jacking in the course and walking away from it. This morning at the pool, I worked out how to get to that state of peace, joy and contentment, when doing my college work, by identifying the subject that gives me the emotional attachment that takes my work to a higher level.
Thursday 31 January 2013
Tuesday 29 January 2013
Swimming is my emotional saviour once again
I have been struggling in the mire with my design work. Yesterday I was at class, for a group review, and felt so downhearted about it all that I could easily have walked away from the course for ever. I have been trying to work up repeat designs with my pomegranates for several weeks now, and all I have produced is naff, pedestrian designs. I am not sure whether I have had enough of the pomegranates, whether I am simply a poor designer, or are completely lacking in talent. But one of the MA students, Vanda, who is a part time tutor to the first years, was kind and supportive to me and told me to stick with it.
I went swimming this morning, and while flogging up and down the pool, came to some conclusions about my work. I know I don't like a regular repeat pattern. I like drawing objects. I like the way I draw - somewhat inaccurate and naive, showing it is a drawing, not a photograph. I like brighter colours. I like layered pattern. I like actually handling the materials. I don't like twee little embroidered panels to put on the wall. I like textured fabrics and with hand/machine embroidery combined.
So as I flogged up and down the pool, I started thinking about the last project with which I was satisfied with my work. This was a project on hand drawn screen printed camping cups, worked up into an appliqued, embroidered panel (which I so dread). But I can see that I have created a textured background that I liked, behind the hand drawn cup, which I also like. And if digital print is good at detailed colour variation, it might reproduce the hand dyed silk noil fabric quite well. So if I scan this hand worked panel into photoshop, manipulate it into an irregular repeat, then use that to create a repeat design, I might be a lot happier with it. Then the cup becomes a motif, used within a design. And the motif could be anything - pomegranates, fruit, veg, any other domestic hand drawn object.
While I was floundering with the design over the last few weeks, I started an aran throw, thinking I might back it with my own fabric design as part of my exploration of how to use fabric. When I had my tutorial with Sara, she said to focus on the design work, not do the knitting. Although it is apt to spend my limited time resources on the designing, I have found it incredibly frustrating to be producing such NAFF work, and have felt very isolated working at home, snowed in, becoming very depressed and upset. As the only part-timer on my course, I have no working time with anyone else on my course and I don't have any studio space because I am part time. I have very little contact with other students, and only get half an hour every fortnight with my tutor. From my degree essay, I remembered when I was writing about the link between the hand and the brain, getting into "flow" by repetitive, intuitive movement, where a heightened state of thought process is acquired by the feeling given by many hours of accumulated experience. And when I picked up the knitting again, some of the feelings of despair and frustration assuaged. Likewise with the swimming.
Another factor that has considerably frustrated me is the allocation of Employability & Enterprise module. I feel I have had very little input from tutors since I returned from Australia. I know the UK teaching style is self-directed learning, and because I know I won't get any taught modules in my final 2 part-time years, I have started a Wednesday afternoon class at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London because I want to learn more about the domestic interior. I had only been told about the Degree Planning module for this semester. Last week I was told E&E is a compulsory module for me, and it is conducted on a Wednesday morning. The email told me the first class would start with "feedback", which puzzled me as I was unclear what the feedback would be about. E&E is a two semester class, and the "feedback" was about results from semester 1. I have missed the first semester completely, because (I suspect) I was forgotton about and was not allocated this "compulsory module". I had two modules in the first semester already allocated (Degree Planning and Degree Essay). E&E remains a compulsory module even though I have missed the first semester(!) In order to do both E&E at Herts and my V&A class in London, I have a triangular journey, some of which can only be conducted by car, and some of which can only be done by train. This is where I am very fortunate to have a supportive husband. So on a Wednesday, Jim will drive me (1 hour 10 mins) from Braintree to University of Herts, wait 2 hours for me while I have the E&E class, then drive me to Hatfield station, so I can get to the V&A for 2pm. Jim drives home from Hatfield. I get the train back from London to Braintree after my class.
I was also more than a little hacked off when I was told that as a mature student, the module would not be much work for me, as I probably already knew a lot of it. So I have to pay the full fees, for a class where I appear to have missed the first semester, and won't have to work much in the second, in order to "tick a compulsory box". As a fee paying customer of the university, it does not give me a positive customer experience.
I went swimming this morning, and while flogging up and down the pool, came to some conclusions about my work. I know I don't like a regular repeat pattern. I like drawing objects. I like the way I draw - somewhat inaccurate and naive, showing it is a drawing, not a photograph. I like brighter colours. I like layered pattern. I like actually handling the materials. I don't like twee little embroidered panels to put on the wall. I like textured fabrics and with hand/machine embroidery combined.
So as I flogged up and down the pool, I started thinking about the last project with which I was satisfied with my work. This was a project on hand drawn screen printed camping cups, worked up into an appliqued, embroidered panel (which I so dread). But I can see that I have created a textured background that I liked, behind the hand drawn cup, which I also like. And if digital print is good at detailed colour variation, it might reproduce the hand dyed silk noil fabric quite well. So if I scan this hand worked panel into photoshop, manipulate it into an irregular repeat, then use that to create a repeat design, I might be a lot happier with it. Then the cup becomes a motif, used within a design. And the motif could be anything - pomegranates, fruit, veg, any other domestic hand drawn object.
While I was floundering with the design over the last few weeks, I started an aran throw, thinking I might back it with my own fabric design as part of my exploration of how to use fabric. When I had my tutorial with Sara, she said to focus on the design work, not do the knitting. Although it is apt to spend my limited time resources on the designing, I have found it incredibly frustrating to be producing such NAFF work, and have felt very isolated working at home, snowed in, becoming very depressed and upset. As the only part-timer on my course, I have no working time with anyone else on my course and I don't have any studio space because I am part time. I have very little contact with other students, and only get half an hour every fortnight with my tutor. From my degree essay, I remembered when I was writing about the link between the hand and the brain, getting into "flow" by repetitive, intuitive movement, where a heightened state of thought process is acquired by the feeling given by many hours of accumulated experience. And when I picked up the knitting again, some of the feelings of despair and frustration assuaged. Likewise with the swimming.
Another factor that has considerably frustrated me is the allocation of Employability & Enterprise module. I feel I have had very little input from tutors since I returned from Australia. I know the UK teaching style is self-directed learning, and because I know I won't get any taught modules in my final 2 part-time years, I have started a Wednesday afternoon class at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London because I want to learn more about the domestic interior. I had only been told about the Degree Planning module for this semester. Last week I was told E&E is a compulsory module for me, and it is conducted on a Wednesday morning. The email told me the first class would start with "feedback", which puzzled me as I was unclear what the feedback would be about. E&E is a two semester class, and the "feedback" was about results from semester 1. I have missed the first semester completely, because (I suspect) I was forgotton about and was not allocated this "compulsory module". I had two modules in the first semester already allocated (Degree Planning and Degree Essay). E&E remains a compulsory module even though I have missed the first semester(!) In order to do both E&E at Herts and my V&A class in London, I have a triangular journey, some of which can only be conducted by car, and some of which can only be done by train. This is where I am very fortunate to have a supportive husband. So on a Wednesday, Jim will drive me (1 hour 10 mins) from Braintree to University of Herts, wait 2 hours for me while I have the E&E class, then drive me to Hatfield station, so I can get to the V&A for 2pm. Jim drives home from Hatfield. I get the train back from London to Braintree after my class.
I was also more than a little hacked off when I was told that as a mature student, the module would not be much work for me, as I probably already knew a lot of it. So I have to pay the full fees, for a class where I appear to have missed the first semester, and won't have to work much in the second, in order to "tick a compulsory box". As a fee paying customer of the university, it does not give me a positive customer experience.
Wednesday 23 January 2013
V&A COURSES ARE WONDERFUL
Today I went to the V&A for the second class in the Home Sweet Home course. Once again we had a brilliant lecturer - Dr Richard Williams - who spoke with authority on the Tudor and Jacobean periods. It was such a delight to listen to someone speak for 2 hours, in full command of his subject. This is what I expected to get at university, and sadly we do not get this. So, as part of my self-directed learning degree, I have taken this course at the V&A - it only costs £208 for 10 2 hour lectures with the best lecturers in the land (whereas a university module with the same contact time costs c£1000).
Richard Williams considered the transition from Manor House to Power House. Evolving styles moved from the castle, where all windows faced inwards, possibly onto a quadrangle, in a protective style, to a forward facing style where the windows faced forwards and were more symmetrical. He discussed how the courtyard/ quadrangle style had incorporated an interior corridor, that evolved from Tudor times when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and gave them to his friends and allies, and these sites became family homes, often rebuilt on the foundations of the monasteries, utilising the cloisters as corridors between rooms.
A truly wonderful set of lectures. It really inspired me to do a series of short breaks to different parts of the UK, to go to look at some of the properties discussed. I heartily recommend the V&A as a venue for adult education - high quality, covering all sorts of subjects in the art/design/social history sphere, and not over-priced!!
Richard Williams considered the transition from Manor House to Power House. Evolving styles moved from the castle, where all windows faced inwards, possibly onto a quadrangle, in a protective style, to a forward facing style where the windows faced forwards and were more symmetrical. He discussed how the courtyard/ quadrangle style had incorporated an interior corridor, that evolved from Tudor times when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and gave them to his friends and allies, and these sites became family homes, often rebuilt on the foundations of the monasteries, utilising the cloisters as corridors between rooms.
A truly wonderful set of lectures. It really inspired me to do a series of short breaks to different parts of the UK, to go to look at some of the properties discussed. I heartily recommend the V&A as a venue for adult education - high quality, covering all sorts of subjects in the art/design/social history sphere, and not over-priced!!
Still struggling with design work
For the last week I have struggled with my design work. I have forced myself to work on developing pattern from my pomegranates, and it is pedestrian and naff. So rather than sit and moan about my difficulties, lack of attendance at uni due to snowy weather preventing me driving and feelings of isolation, I decided to focus on what was going well so far.
The hand drawn pomegranates printed well at increased scale, up to 50cm across. So I have cut up the large sample of multiple prints, ready to assemble into size graded sample books. Before binding the sample books, I laid a couple of prints across my dining room chairs and taped them in position, before photographing them. The digital printer definitely prints subtle colour changes very well, and increases the scale effectively. So I will now prepare digital copy at about 120cm wide, to print onto fabric, to see what happens when images are increased to that scale. Digital print works well with large scale enlargements and I feel I have mastered this design point.
Another idea I had was to create a densely patterned fabric (lots of overlapping poms) to use as a lining fabric for a hand knitted throw for the back of the settee. I started a aran throw in rust wool, and photographed it in situ. Unfortunately I then decided that it was a bit tight on tension, and the pattern needed a bit of adjustment, so I had to undo 2 balls of knitting. But at least I feel as if I am able to visualise the application of my printed fabric, even if I need a couple of tries before the pattern is right. And I can demonstrate the diversity of skills where I am competent, even if my print pattern making is frustrating at present.
Where I have been trying to simplify my own designs in pattern making, I have an idea for simple pom coloured shapes printed onto silk velvet, then over-printed with devore to give a dual effect. Not sure how well this would work, but I'd like to experiment. As silk velvet is so expensive, maybe a row of 12" printed poms could be printed - a sort of scarf length? Even so I would have to pay for half a metre wind-on. Because the pattern making is so frustrating at present I want to explore aspects of digital print where I think I can achieve something, to improve my confidence and motivation (which, at present, is in the doldrums!).
The idea of making poms into simple shapes, came to me while waiting for Jim at the local hospital. He has had some skin cancers taken off his leg, and while waiting for him at the check-up clinic, I read some ancient Ideal Home magazines, and discreetly ripped out some pages that had relevant design ideas. Probably not the behaviour to impress the hospital staff, but it perked me up a bit. These are now in my sketchbook, suitably annotated!
The hand drawn pomegranates printed well at increased scale, up to 50cm across. So I have cut up the large sample of multiple prints, ready to assemble into size graded sample books. Before binding the sample books, I laid a couple of prints across my dining room chairs and taped them in position, before photographing them. The digital printer definitely prints subtle colour changes very well, and increases the scale effectively. So I will now prepare digital copy at about 120cm wide, to print onto fabric, to see what happens when images are increased to that scale. Digital print works well with large scale enlargements and I feel I have mastered this design point.
Another idea I had was to create a densely patterned fabric (lots of overlapping poms) to use as a lining fabric for a hand knitted throw for the back of the settee. I started a aran throw in rust wool, and photographed it in situ. Unfortunately I then decided that it was a bit tight on tension, and the pattern needed a bit of adjustment, so I had to undo 2 balls of knitting. But at least I feel as if I am able to visualise the application of my printed fabric, even if I need a couple of tries before the pattern is right. And I can demonstrate the diversity of skills where I am competent, even if my print pattern making is frustrating at present.
Where I have been trying to simplify my own designs in pattern making, I have an idea for simple pom coloured shapes printed onto silk velvet, then over-printed with devore to give a dual effect. Not sure how well this would work, but I'd like to experiment. As silk velvet is so expensive, maybe a row of 12" printed poms could be printed - a sort of scarf length? Even so I would have to pay for half a metre wind-on. Because the pattern making is so frustrating at present I want to explore aspects of digital print where I think I can achieve something, to improve my confidence and motivation (which, at present, is in the doldrums!).
The idea of making poms into simple shapes, came to me while waiting for Jim at the local hospital. He has had some skin cancers taken off his leg, and while waiting for him at the check-up clinic, I read some ancient Ideal Home magazines, and discreetly ripped out some pages that had relevant design ideas. Probably not the behaviour to impress the hospital staff, but it perked me up a bit. These are now in my sketchbook, suitably annotated!
Sunday 20 January 2013
Seeking inspiration from broader sources
On Wednesday, I went to the first class of the Home Sweet Home course at the V&A. This was most interesting. Home Sweet Home is a course over 10 weeks, designed to give an overview of the evolution of the home and domestic interior over the last 1000 years. It includes some social and economic history and looks at how spaces were occupied.
The lecturer explained the origin of the word "home" and how it derived from the suffix "ham" in place names. This is an anglo saxon word, meaning village, dwelling, estate or anywhere people gather. Originally it referred to a shelter from the elements, a refuge, and/or storage area. Over the centuries, this word has evolved to mean much more and now implies comfort, privacy, family, relationships, taste, delight and beauty. As usual, the Victorians were responsible for evolving the definition, and this moved the definition more to bourgeouis ideology. The concept of soft furnishing, textiles, warm colours, the domestic ideal of the home - comfortable, safe and middle class.
However this was not a static definition. In Medieval times, the home was owned by the gentry, squires and merchants, who included in their households family, domestic, friends, apprentices and retainers. Privacy was not needed or expected, as eating, entertaining, meeting, working and sleeping was all conducted in public. This was because the Great Hall only had one room, where all activities took place. It was not until the 17/18th centuries that rooms took on different functions. However during the Industrial Revolution, work and homeplace became separated, and work was conducted at a different location. In medieval times there were different ideas about comfort. Objects were only acquired for their usefulness or value. Chairs indicated authority - others sat on benches or the floor. Textiles were of value. Furniture was sparse, but multi-functional.
In the 18th century, furniture becomes more comfortable. It is always portable - french for furniture is mobilie`. In Georgian times, rooms are sparsely furnished around the edges of the room - and upholstery commences. Use of rooms evolves in Victorian times - stuffed with furniture as an indicator of wealth. Drawing rooms become gendered - soft, plush, graceful and feminine - for ladies to withdraw to after dinner, when the men smoke after dinner at the table.
Changes took place in relationships with servants. In Renaissance times the servants were part of the family. All worked together in the Great Hall. Then in 17/18 centuries the servants were kept apart. Servants were called by hand bell, from a different part of the house. There were obscured passages to create privacy.
Then we had a wonderful speaker about medieval times. He described various castles, stating they went from defence to domesticity. He said castles were not about war, but about the status given by appearing fit for war. He explained the evolution of the single room in the great hall, to it's partition by screens to section off a cooking/living area for servants, and the main area for the lord and his minions. The lord and close associates ate at the far end, on a raised dais, "at high table", and the minions sat on benchs at tables, graded by status in the lower end of the hall. The architecture expressed the heirarchies within the house. There were 4 main areas to the household. The communal area (Hall); chamber (for head and followers); kitchen (main expense); and chapel. Household members sleep in the area in which they work.
I'm looking forward to next week.
The lecturer explained the origin of the word "home" and how it derived from the suffix "ham" in place names. This is an anglo saxon word, meaning village, dwelling, estate or anywhere people gather. Originally it referred to a shelter from the elements, a refuge, and/or storage area. Over the centuries, this word has evolved to mean much more and now implies comfort, privacy, family, relationships, taste, delight and beauty. As usual, the Victorians were responsible for evolving the definition, and this moved the definition more to bourgeouis ideology. The concept of soft furnishing, textiles, warm colours, the domestic ideal of the home - comfortable, safe and middle class.
However this was not a static definition. In Medieval times, the home was owned by the gentry, squires and merchants, who included in their households family, domestic, friends, apprentices and retainers. Privacy was not needed or expected, as eating, entertaining, meeting, working and sleeping was all conducted in public. This was because the Great Hall only had one room, where all activities took place. It was not until the 17/18th centuries that rooms took on different functions. However during the Industrial Revolution, work and homeplace became separated, and work was conducted at a different location. In medieval times there were different ideas about comfort. Objects were only acquired for their usefulness or value. Chairs indicated authority - others sat on benches or the floor. Textiles were of value. Furniture was sparse, but multi-functional.
In the 18th century, furniture becomes more comfortable. It is always portable - french for furniture is mobilie`. In Georgian times, rooms are sparsely furnished around the edges of the room - and upholstery commences. Use of rooms evolves in Victorian times - stuffed with furniture as an indicator of wealth. Drawing rooms become gendered - soft, plush, graceful and feminine - for ladies to withdraw to after dinner, when the men smoke after dinner at the table.
Changes took place in relationships with servants. In Renaissance times the servants were part of the family. All worked together in the Great Hall. Then in 17/18 centuries the servants were kept apart. Servants were called by hand bell, from a different part of the house. There were obscured passages to create privacy.
Then we had a wonderful speaker about medieval times. He described various castles, stating they went from defence to domesticity. He said castles were not about war, but about the status given by appearing fit for war. He explained the evolution of the single room in the great hall, to it's partition by screens to section off a cooking/living area for servants, and the main area for the lord and his minions. The lord and close associates ate at the far end, on a raised dais, "at high table", and the minions sat on benchs at tables, graded by status in the lower end of the hall. The architecture expressed the heirarchies within the house. There were 4 main areas to the household. The communal area (Hall); chamber (for head and followers); kitchen (main expense); and chapel. Household members sleep in the area in which they work.
I'm looking forward to next week.
Tuesday 15 January 2013
I am really struggling to maintain momentum
The last few days I have really struggled. I feel very isolated on my course. I am the only part-timer, who is at the 4th year stage. There is only one other part-timer, and she is in her final year.
Because I went away to study abroad last year, I don't really know the full time students on my course, although I have tried very hard to build relationships with them. I have attended all the plenary and seminar sessions that are for the whole group - although there has been a lot of non-attendance by some of them. There must be about 20 students on the full time CAA course, but very few of them are doing textiles. A couple of students are doing textile print specialism, but even when I have been in the 2D workshop, these people have not been present. So I am not getting peer support and feedback for my work. I should have attended the final year students review of their degree planning module yesterday, but Jim was having a skin cancer cut off his leg, so my priorities lay with him. But it does not alter the fact that I missed an important group review, so again I feel isolated.
Lisa, the technician, has spent a fair amount of time working with me, getting the digital printer working, and ensuring safe practice with the steamer. But even with her support and encouragement, I feel quite alone in the creative practice. Lisa has the Open Studies print classes running, and other people in the 2D workshop, who require her support as technician, so I can't expect to have her full attention all the time - and neither do I want this - I would just benefit from being in an actively practising class of textile printers. I want to be surrounded by creative people who are developing their artistic practice, so the environment enhances my spirit.
So, I have read my Degree Planning Proposal, and have realised I am making progress towards my stated intentions, I just feel a bit lost in the mire at the moment. I have decided to try to do the design development as suggested by Sara, by mentally categorising it as "sketchbook work" so I can work up a variety of designs, and try to be a bit loose and free mentally. If I consider it as "design development" I become tight and tense, and my work suffers. I have been worrying about how to transfer the designs into Photoshop, but have now decided to work up (and have fun with) sketchbook work, and take advice on how to transfer into PS later. I know I have a skill shortage with PS, but if I create the designs manually first, then work out what tasks and process I think I need, I can identify the questions I need to ask. Once I have defined the questions, I can ask for some PS coaching. Worrying about how to put my design into repeat, is stunting my creativity.
Also, at the moment, I have discovered that I am enjoying looking at a section of my drawing, rather than the whole object. I can see me using sections of the whole as seat covers and cushions for my own domestic use, before getting the repeat patterns right.
Another thing I want to explore a bit further is increasing the scale of what I have printed so far. My largest print is 50cm wide. I an curious to see what happens if I print a colour version and a monochrome version of the pomegranate at 120cm wide. Does the design break down and pixellate, or does it have a considerable impact at large scale?
And I have had the brace on my teeth tightened this morning, so that 's another reason to feel a bit fragile and sensitive!
I shall try not to be a wuss, and get on with my work!
Because I went away to study abroad last year, I don't really know the full time students on my course, although I have tried very hard to build relationships with them. I have attended all the plenary and seminar sessions that are for the whole group - although there has been a lot of non-attendance by some of them. There must be about 20 students on the full time CAA course, but very few of them are doing textiles. A couple of students are doing textile print specialism, but even when I have been in the 2D workshop, these people have not been present. So I am not getting peer support and feedback for my work. I should have attended the final year students review of their degree planning module yesterday, but Jim was having a skin cancer cut off his leg, so my priorities lay with him. But it does not alter the fact that I missed an important group review, so again I feel isolated.
Lisa, the technician, has spent a fair amount of time working with me, getting the digital printer working, and ensuring safe practice with the steamer. But even with her support and encouragement, I feel quite alone in the creative practice. Lisa has the Open Studies print classes running, and other people in the 2D workshop, who require her support as technician, so I can't expect to have her full attention all the time - and neither do I want this - I would just benefit from being in an actively practising class of textile printers. I want to be surrounded by creative people who are developing their artistic practice, so the environment enhances my spirit.
So, I have read my Degree Planning Proposal, and have realised I am making progress towards my stated intentions, I just feel a bit lost in the mire at the moment. I have decided to try to do the design development as suggested by Sara, by mentally categorising it as "sketchbook work" so I can work up a variety of designs, and try to be a bit loose and free mentally. If I consider it as "design development" I become tight and tense, and my work suffers. I have been worrying about how to transfer the designs into Photoshop, but have now decided to work up (and have fun with) sketchbook work, and take advice on how to transfer into PS later. I know I have a skill shortage with PS, but if I create the designs manually first, then work out what tasks and process I think I need, I can identify the questions I need to ask. Once I have defined the questions, I can ask for some PS coaching. Worrying about how to put my design into repeat, is stunting my creativity.
Also, at the moment, I have discovered that I am enjoying looking at a section of my drawing, rather than the whole object. I can see me using sections of the whole as seat covers and cushions for my own domestic use, before getting the repeat patterns right.
Another thing I want to explore a bit further is increasing the scale of what I have printed so far. My largest print is 50cm wide. I an curious to see what happens if I print a colour version and a monochrome version of the pomegranate at 120cm wide. Does the design break down and pixellate, or does it have a considerable impact at large scale?
And I have had the brace on my teeth tightened this morning, so that 's another reason to feel a bit fragile and sensitive!
I shall try not to be a wuss, and get on with my work!
Steaming my first digital samples
In the last week I have experienced peaks and troughs of activity and motivation.
I printed about 2 metres of cloth with different sizes of my hand drawn pomegranates. They scaled up very well, showing the hand drawn detail, in 12, 18, 25 and 50cm samples in both the colour and monochrome sketches. When printed the colour were a bit subdued.
Lisa and I then took all day on Friday, to steam fix the sample. We had to clean out the large steamer, then it took about an hour to come up to steam, because it uses about 2 cubic metres of water in the boiler. I pinned my fabric onto steaming cloths, which need to be bigger than the printed piece. Then you have to ensure the bottom of the steaming cloth is higher than the water level in the steamer. Lisa showed me how to hook the fabric into the steamer, secured the door correctly, and brought it back to steam, and steamed it for 40 minutes. When we took it out, the colours had considerably brightened in the steaming process, but there were a couple of places where there had been a condensation drip from the ceiling of the steamer, which had damaged the printed pattern. Not sure what we can do about this. Maybe the answer is to hook the fabric on, using every row of hooks, rather than spacing them out to occupy the full space in the steamer. If there were less space between the coiled fabric, the drips would be caught on the top of the steaming cloth, not catch the fabric half way down.
The next stage is to wash the fabric to remove the soda ash fixing agent. Then I will cut it up into separate samples. Feedback from other students suggested I keep this sample whole, then print another to cut up into a sample book.
I called my tutor, Sara, to have a look at the large sample. She was clearly of the opinion that I should just cut up the samples and put into several different sample books, graded by size, so that I could line them up, and look at all the different scales together in a row, for each drawing.
Sara also said I needed to get on and progress beyond observational drawing. She wanted to see design work. This stunned me a bit. I have been concentrating on observational drawing, because this is what I thought she told me to do, before Christmas. And when I had my tutorial with Sally on my return to class last week, she was pleased with the breadth of progress in my sketchbook. So I feel a bit stunned to be told to do a lot of design work, "so I can see how you draw". This has considerably knocked my confidence and motivation - I know I need to use photoshop to get the designs worked up, my skill level is not good and I don't feel I have been given any guidance on how to develop my work.
I printed about 2 metres of cloth with different sizes of my hand drawn pomegranates. They scaled up very well, showing the hand drawn detail, in 12, 18, 25 and 50cm samples in both the colour and monochrome sketches. When printed the colour were a bit subdued.
Lisa and I then took all day on Friday, to steam fix the sample. We had to clean out the large steamer, then it took about an hour to come up to steam, because it uses about 2 cubic metres of water in the boiler. I pinned my fabric onto steaming cloths, which need to be bigger than the printed piece. Then you have to ensure the bottom of the steaming cloth is higher than the water level in the steamer. Lisa showed me how to hook the fabric into the steamer, secured the door correctly, and brought it back to steam, and steamed it for 40 minutes. When we took it out, the colours had considerably brightened in the steaming process, but there were a couple of places where there had been a condensation drip from the ceiling of the steamer, which had damaged the printed pattern. Not sure what we can do about this. Maybe the answer is to hook the fabric on, using every row of hooks, rather than spacing them out to occupy the full space in the steamer. If there were less space between the coiled fabric, the drips would be caught on the top of the steaming cloth, not catch the fabric half way down.
The next stage is to wash the fabric to remove the soda ash fixing agent. Then I will cut it up into separate samples. Feedback from other students suggested I keep this sample whole, then print another to cut up into a sample book.
I called my tutor, Sara, to have a look at the large sample. She was clearly of the opinion that I should just cut up the samples and put into several different sample books, graded by size, so that I could line them up, and look at all the different scales together in a row, for each drawing.
Sara also said I needed to get on and progress beyond observational drawing. She wanted to see design work. This stunned me a bit. I have been concentrating on observational drawing, because this is what I thought she told me to do, before Christmas. And when I had my tutorial with Sally on my return to class last week, she was pleased with the breadth of progress in my sketchbook. So I feel a bit stunned to be told to do a lot of design work, "so I can see how you draw". This has considerably knocked my confidence and motivation - I know I need to use photoshop to get the designs worked up, my skill level is not good and I don't feel I have been given any guidance on how to develop my work.
Wednesday 9 January 2013
Back to uni
My return to class has been busy. I had 14 different version of my pomegranate drawn, and I had photographed them, although I was worried that they would have a yellow cast, as I had used electric light when taking the photos. When I got to class, I discovered we had a scanner attached to a Mac, so I scanned them into Photoshop instead. Then today Lisa and I printed them onto white cotton drill fabric.
This proved to be an interesting exercise. I discovered that when submitting multiple images, it is my responsibility to put them all together on one document, with the spacing that I want, then request the one document to be printed. I had saved 4 versions of each image, sized at 12, 18, 25 and 50 cm, so I could see what changes happened when scaling up. It is the density of colour, rather than the area that affects the ink costs - the pencil drawings used very similar amounts of ink, irrespective of size, which was quite surprising. The densely coloured images cost about twice as much as the monochrome. Image adjustments need to be made in PS, particularly getting plain background right, and for this to be right, the scanner lid needs to close properly - ie only copy A3 on an A3 scanner - not A2!.
Problems encountered with the printer were mainly about loading and re-rolling the fabric. I was working on 150cm white cotton drill. This is a heavy fabric, and the cardboard inner roll was not strong enough to support the full weight of the fabric. So the roll had buckled slightly. This led to slight puckers in the middle of the width, where the roll had drooped. This can lead to spotting of ink from the printing head, where the pucker is higher than the rest of the fabric. Also getting the printed fabric to roll back onto the finishing roll is difficult as it is hard to maintain the tension required. All techniques that Lisa and I need to acquire. Just getting 2.5m of samples printed took all day.
Friday, I go back to class to steam my fabric and make up into a sample book.
But tomorrow is a rest day. Matt and I are going to the Pre-Raphaelites exhibition at Tate Britain. Roll on tomorrow.
This proved to be an interesting exercise. I discovered that when submitting multiple images, it is my responsibility to put them all together on one document, with the spacing that I want, then request the one document to be printed. I had saved 4 versions of each image, sized at 12, 18, 25 and 50 cm, so I could see what changes happened when scaling up. It is the density of colour, rather than the area that affects the ink costs - the pencil drawings used very similar amounts of ink, irrespective of size, which was quite surprising. The densely coloured images cost about twice as much as the monochrome. Image adjustments need to be made in PS, particularly getting plain background right, and for this to be right, the scanner lid needs to close properly - ie only copy A3 on an A3 scanner - not A2!.
Problems encountered with the printer were mainly about loading and re-rolling the fabric. I was working on 150cm white cotton drill. This is a heavy fabric, and the cardboard inner roll was not strong enough to support the full weight of the fabric. So the roll had buckled slightly. This led to slight puckers in the middle of the width, where the roll had drooped. This can lead to spotting of ink from the printing head, where the pucker is higher than the rest of the fabric. Also getting the printed fabric to roll back onto the finishing roll is difficult as it is hard to maintain the tension required. All techniques that Lisa and I need to acquire. Just getting 2.5m of samples printed took all day.
Friday, I go back to class to steam my fabric and make up into a sample book.
But tomorrow is a rest day. Matt and I are going to the Pre-Raphaelites exhibition at Tate Britain. Roll on tomorrow.
Monday 7 January 2013
Intelligent tourism
This last week Jim and I have been tourists. We went to York for a few days after New Year. I went to the Castle Museum, which I quite enjoyed although it did not inform my practice much. During our evening wanderings I saw a rather atractive cup and saucer set, in a shop window. Very modern, contemporary styling - plain white, very straight sides, but with a hand drawn apple on the bottom, or around the side of the cup. Looks like it was done with decals. I could easily do this with my pomegranate designs.
We also went to Whitby, and looked at the Lit & Phil museum, where they had chess sets made from Whitby jet and fossils, and lovely hand sketches by a local artist, dated and timed(!) from the 1930s, when a lot of derelict buildings were being demolished.
Back in London, I went to the Geffrye Museum Epiphany event (lovely) and also to the Leighton House Museum. This was a very heavily decorated Victorian gentleman's home (Sir Frederick Leighton), and the Arab Hall was of particular interest. This hall was decorated with all sorts of tiling panels, from various parts of the Islamic world. But on closer inspection, many tiles had been damaged in transit, and some had been replaced as replicas (by a contemporary of William Morris). However, from a distance, the panels looked absolutely marvellous, but on close inspection, although the pattern repeated, the tiles were not exactly matched. It appears that a block of 5 x 6 tiles had been laid out, then the design painted freehand across the set. This means the tiles had to be used in exactly the same layout, otherwise the pattern did not repeat correctly. Quite inspiring for someone like me, who is not totally accurate, because the impact from across the hall was astonishing, and very visually satisfying, more so that a completely accurate rendering.
Also I discovered that in Islam the hexagonal tile has spiritual significance, because the six sides represent the 6 days when God made the world, before the 7th day when he rested. Also, I discovered that Victorians thought red was the best colour to complement wall decoration like pictures, so this is why red was used for the Leighton House dining room. Flocked wall paper is made from dyed crushed wool that is stuck to the paper, and reproduction wallpaper had been applied to the musuem dining room.
All in all a very interesting day, 6 December 2013 - Epiphany.
We also went to Whitby, and looked at the Lit & Phil museum, where they had chess sets made from Whitby jet and fossils, and lovely hand sketches by a local artist, dated and timed(!) from the 1930s, when a lot of derelict buildings were being demolished.
Back in London, I went to the Geffrye Museum Epiphany event (lovely) and also to the Leighton House Museum. This was a very heavily decorated Victorian gentleman's home (Sir Frederick Leighton), and the Arab Hall was of particular interest. This hall was decorated with all sorts of tiling panels, from various parts of the Islamic world. But on closer inspection, many tiles had been damaged in transit, and some had been replaced as replicas (by a contemporary of William Morris). However, from a distance, the panels looked absolutely marvellous, but on close inspection, although the pattern repeated, the tiles were not exactly matched. It appears that a block of 5 x 6 tiles had been laid out, then the design painted freehand across the set. This means the tiles had to be used in exactly the same layout, otherwise the pattern did not repeat correctly. Quite inspiring for someone like me, who is not totally accurate, because the impact from across the hall was astonishing, and very visually satisfying, more so that a completely accurate rendering.
Also I discovered that in Islam the hexagonal tile has spiritual significance, because the six sides represent the 6 days when God made the world, before the 7th day when he rested. Also, I discovered that Victorians thought red was the best colour to complement wall decoration like pictures, so this is why red was used for the Leighton House dining room. Flocked wall paper is made from dyed crushed wool that is stuck to the paper, and reproduction wallpaper had been applied to the musuem dining room.
All in all a very interesting day, 6 December 2013 - Epiphany.
Tuesday 1 January 2013
New Year's Day reflections - considering other textile degree courses
Over the Christmas break I have been looking online for textile print work that I like, and that I think is successful. The best work I have found is that of Laura Dougherty, who graduated in 2012 from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology with a BA in Textile Design. She has specialised in weave, but from her website, looks equally talented in print as well.
From what I have found out online, it looks as if the RMIT course is a seriously structured, taught degree that has a heavy commercial bias, to produce graduates who can deliver textile design to the marketplace. I wish my UK course did this. I have thought at length about this, and I am not interested in producing pointless art objects - my work needs a clear purpose. The RMIT course has strong links with industry and some of their projects work with industry leaders with the purpose of producing designs for commercial production. Laura Dougherty won the bed linen competition with Dryden company, and came third in a kitchen accessories competition with Ladelle company. Unfortunately I can't get my printer to print her designs from her website - whether due to a fault on my printer or a deliberate prevention by her website I am not sure. I have looked closely at her work and it looks as if both projects were designed to be hand printed with silk screens as they are limited to 4/5 colours. None of the work done at the Contemporary Applied Art course at UH has any strong links with the textile industry. I have heard that Habitat come around the degree shows to see whether any designs are worth commissioning, but I suspect they go to most degree shows. We do not appear to have any links with industry nurtured by tutors, and once again I suspect this is because our course is "self directed learning". If we want it, we need to get it for ourselves.
I've done a bit more drawing of my pomegranates, so I now have 14 versions in colour and monochrome. Still not enough, but I've taken a couple of days off to make a baby quilt (before the baby arrives!).
Off to York tomorrow for a few days, and I aim to research home interiors in the various museums. Then my "Home Sweet Home" class at the V&A starts on 13 Jan.
From what I have found out online, it looks as if the RMIT course is a seriously structured, taught degree that has a heavy commercial bias, to produce graduates who can deliver textile design to the marketplace. I wish my UK course did this. I have thought at length about this, and I am not interested in producing pointless art objects - my work needs a clear purpose. The RMIT course has strong links with industry and some of their projects work with industry leaders with the purpose of producing designs for commercial production. Laura Dougherty won the bed linen competition with Dryden company, and came third in a kitchen accessories competition with Ladelle company. Unfortunately I can't get my printer to print her designs from her website - whether due to a fault on my printer or a deliberate prevention by her website I am not sure. I have looked closely at her work and it looks as if both projects were designed to be hand printed with silk screens as they are limited to 4/5 colours. None of the work done at the Contemporary Applied Art course at UH has any strong links with the textile industry. I have heard that Habitat come around the degree shows to see whether any designs are worth commissioning, but I suspect they go to most degree shows. We do not appear to have any links with industry nurtured by tutors, and once again I suspect this is because our course is "self directed learning". If we want it, we need to get it for ourselves.
I've done a bit more drawing of my pomegranates, so I now have 14 versions in colour and monochrome. Still not enough, but I've taken a couple of days off to make a baby quilt (before the baby arrives!).
Off to York tomorrow for a few days, and I aim to research home interiors in the various museums. Then my "Home Sweet Home" class at the V&A starts on 13 Jan.
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