Feeling better today, so went to class to collect my jam jar lids. I steamed them to set the print. I was very pleased with them. The Mincemeat lids are a bit small, and show I need more confidence to give them space to breathe, when spacing them in Photoshop. The Marmalade lids were absolutely joyful. I like orange and I had set the imagery a bit larger and better spacing between. I live and learn!
I reflected on the stretcher frames I made up yesterday. The monochrome prints are coming out with some background colour. I was advised to try using the greyscale command on Photoshop to see if I can make the imagery come out as just black and white tonal variation. They work better when the drawing is the actual size of the object, and the size of the print is the size of the drawing. The marks made by the fine line marker look best when they are actual size. These lines do not enlarge well in my view.
I had been thinking about the product of jam and mincemeat. I will try out the lids on filled pots, but I don't want to sell them as products. So do the pots need to be full? What is the message if the pot is empty? Or if a pile of covers next to an empty jar. Does this imply the amount of work approaching for the maker? Or one pot with a pile of lids on top? What is the function of the jam jar cover? How does it get attached? Elastic band? Or ribbon, string? Own printed ties? (Look at Shelley Goldsmith printed ribbons). There is a difference between making the item (after all, I am not a member of the WI!) and making an artwork about the item.
Samples are often the most interesting work that makers create. There is often an energy and freedom about them, because the maker has not worried about what other people think, or how good/well made/professional it needs to be. At under-graduate level, the finishing does not need to be perfect - it is the idea and effective application that are important. Designers need to come up with a finished product. I know I am not a designer. I am more of a thinker (!). I believe it is ok for thinkers to produce samples - and then use/display them imaginatively to find out what response the pieces provoke in others.
Helen Carnac refers to "resting points" for her work, which is then beautifully displayed. When I make work, I often spend a lot of time looking at them, and conclude "I haven't finished thinking yet". Maybe this is because I have reached a resting point, but not a finishing point.
I know I dislike things that are symmetrical, and that I like drawings of part of an object because they are asymmetric. Maybe I need to work out how to isolate the important part of my subject and focus on that. What is the important part? The part of the theme/concept? The part of what I have drawn? The object I make because of its symbolic representation? What is the function of stitch for me? Stitch can add colour and texture, can provide comment, and can join and add substance. I use stitch to add colour, definition and to add comment. Rarely do I use it for texture or joining.
Draw, print, make, remake. Photograph in various ways and add to work. Attach photos to samples in some way that tells the story of experimentation. Identify what the message is.
Drawing and printing is quite quick (compared to stitch and knit). Create lots and move on.
My yokes worked well. Possibly because they were a series of 5? My heritage is partly about my Dad's 4 sisters. Can I bring them into my work. Each of them had a particular skill - Lily was the best flower arranger; Joan was a fantastic (but FANTASTIC) knitter; Audrey was the dressmaker and Doreen was the cook. Consequently they all have worn, arthritic hands. I love hands and the manual work they do. The manual work done by hands could be represented on gloves. I could do a series of artworks on sets of gloves. Five, to represent Dad's sisters, plus me as his daughter. Household gloves could be rubber; cotton; linen; oven; gardening ....
Consider gloves further. Make some forms eg white linen gloves. How are textiles used as a functional item? Add to gloves (like yokes pieces) image/stitch/relevant words/numbers. Consider creating gloves from 5 different materials, or use one material and make 5 different forms. Use a familiar object (eg glove) with my own story/message. Display pegged to wall as my Aunts used to store their rubber gloves, pegged to inside of cleaning cupboard door.
I am not making an object - I am making something to represent the wisdom; a manifestation of heritage. Need to look up Tracy Chevalier Quilting book that refers to passing on skills and knowledge in female context/forms. Also Things My Mother Told Me.
Plenty to be going on with!
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