I am a textile printer, and I took this as my specialism largely because I had a back problem that flared up in my first year studies. Print was one of the few activities that did not aggravate it, and was an unfamiliar field to me, so I felt I had a lot to learn in an accessible and enjoyable field. At that stage in 2010, the 2D workshop focussed on manual screen printing, because we did not have a digital printer. I very much enjoy screen printing. However, I am acutely aware that the 21st century is the age of digital. So I need to understand, and get to grips with, the role of digital technology in my practice if I want it to fit with my degree "Contemporary Applied Art".
I can see benefits and disbenefits to technology in my practice, some of which are quite specific to me. The forms of digital technology that spring to mind are camera, photocopier, computer hardware, computer software, computerised textile printer. Digital technology is part of modern life and I am competent (in varying degrees) to use all the above media. However I am a textile artist, not a computer operator. So this means I need to be competent to the level required, but don't need knowledge/curiosity beyond this. I have basic skills with Photoshop which I find a slow and frustrating system. However, reading of other artists, shows this is a common experience, while acknowledging Photoshop is the most used and best package to learn. Also, the static arm position while making extensive use of the mouse, traps a nerve in my neck, so makes me reluctant to make extensive use of computers. Too much time sitting also aggravates my back pain. If I decided to use digital print (which I think I must, as it is so pertinent to contemporaneous-ness in textile print), I need to be selective about how much I use it. I anticipate doing most of the design work manually (to maximise haptic emotions) and using PS to convey design work to the printer. This may change, as my skills develop.
I suppose my feelings about the computer are that I control the computer. It does not control me. I am the master, it is the slave. It does what I comand (so I need the skills) but I am not limited to what it does. I have infinitely more skills that it! I need to identify what Photoshop (and others?) do well for my artwork and where it enables effects that cannot be achieved by manual screen printing. At the moment, I think that flat printing effects that utilise overlaid colour are best done by screen print (think William Morris designs) but if you want watercolour multicolour wash effects, then digital print is the appropriate technique.
I find the digital camera to be a boon. I was careful about using film cameras because I was worried about wasting film, and unhappy about the toxic chemicals used in processing. However, digital cameras have relieved me of worrying about waste, because I take lots of photos, delete those that are naff, store most pictures on a disc, and then only print those that I want to use as sketchbook material. This also has the benefit that I feel quite at liberty to cut them up, as I can always reprint a whole image.
I have used the digital textile printer at University on two occasions. The first time the digiprinter was set up to print transfer ink on paper. This worked well. The main problem I can see here is that our heat presses have a face plate about 50cm square. This is fine if you are working to a cushion size but is not suitable if I want to create meterage for curtaining. I did some test prints, and concluded that the heat press needs to be set to 200 degrees and timed for 30 secs. I don't see me working with digital transfer ink because of the size limitations of the press, and the non-biodegradability of the man-made fibres required for transfer ink to work.
The second time I used the digital printer, I used printing ink on cotton. This was lovely. Again I used small sample designs, steamed the fabric to set the ink, washed and pressed it. However because I wanted a flat colour background, when Lisa set the printer computer to do a half drop repeat, extraneous lines appeared on the edge of the repeat because my photoshop skills were not good enough during the preparation stage. I can see photoshop skills will be essential to my practice. I need to work out how to combine the haptic joy of manual design with a technical competence at the computing side!
I suppose what I am trying to articulate is, what, for me is the role of creative digital practice in handcraft? The way I feel now, is that digital tools support creative practice, but they are not a replacement for it. Digital tools record initial inspiration, and transfer developed ideas from sketchbook to printing media. Digital tools can also assist with manipulation of material (photoshop etc) and communication with others (email and internet) but this is a function and not the purpose or end product for me. Also for me, the handling, the materiality and the skills of craftsmen/women are a vital part of the process of making. The object that I create facilitates my expression of emotions and enables me to draw creative conclusions, and somehow viewers perceive this. When I was working on a series of work about my husband's camping cups, my tutor observed that the cups were affectionately drawn. I was surprised that she had drawn this conclusion, but her words exactly expressed how I felt about my husband, Jim, his travels and achievements.
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