Week Three

I experimented with combining textured yarns with formulaic patterns to see if they would create a gravel affect to relate to the imagery I was taking creative information from. In doing this I found that by rotating with yarn I had in the main part of the carriage I could distort the pattern. The textured yarns blend into each other than emphasises that affect.

After starting my knit samples I realised that there is a developing theme of interrupted patterns with in sketch practise and my samples. I feel this is building on the concept of the 'structured and organic'. I had been struggling to build a collection of visuals to base my knitting on because the 'structure and Organic' are broad terms. However, with the idea of creating these formulaic patterns I decided to look at architecture.  I took photographs of modern buildings and staircase structures. which I then manipulated on Photoshop to recreate the patterns and colours in a way that would be beneficial to my knitting. I found the structures inspiring in the buildings because of the layers and patterns they created, this lead me to start an experimental approach to my knitting. I found that the techniques I had learnt from knitting a sock influenced my practise so I decided to create layers of shape onto another knitted sample. I then took the sample further by recasting the knitting on to the knitting machine to divide the dark yarns with strips of brighter colours to relate the colour theme to my photoshop edits. 

Zaha Hadid's Drawings interest me as they are very linear and basic. I am interested in the way she indicates moments of interest by how dense the black block it but also the way she hasn't drawn everything as though she has left that for the viewer to comprehend.

 

My interpretation of the Negative space on a sky line

Week Two

My concept of layers within urban Tarmac has a limited range of ideas that could fuel a whole project so I have expanded on to looking at the grids and grates on the roads. I researched the Boyle family, their zoomed in photographs of road markings that emphasise mondain surface textures make interesting compositions that include photos of geometric and organic shapes. The drawing I have made based on the Boyle Family research have a payed down paint surface with geometric shapes layered over it. 

BOYLE FAMILY ART WORK

I decided to created rubbings from the grids and overlaid the rubbings which was a helpful practice to refocus on composition awareness. I experimented with using the pin tuck foot to draw with the sewing machine. I then painted over the embroidery to highlight the raised drawings. I did this because I had been placing random grounds down on my paper to create a textured surface to work onto. The sewing machine method meant that I could pick up elements of the composition that interested me the most.  From looking at the grids I realised that there is another concept developing in my visuals which is 'organic and structure'. This became apparent because the majority of the drawing and photographs have a distinct contrast between the organic and structure. I realise now that I need to broaden my visual research and branch away from just looking at the pavements. 

 I based my colour palette on the photo shop edited images. I wanted the mondain subjects to look lively and more interesting than they usually appear. 

Week one

I have chosen the 'Urban influences' brief to base my visual research on. My concept is to focus on the pavement and the roads. I am going to explore the layers of patchy Tamarac with exposed cobbles relieved from the bottom layer. I also want to look and the cracked road paint/ signs and grates that are placed around theses things. I have started my drawings and paintings with a large element of texture that I have created by printing painted surfaces onto the grounds of my drawing before I start. 

Negative points about starting in this way are that some of my drawings and background dominated which makes them appear flat with no compositional depth. To retract from that I have researched Barbara Rae's style of painting where she introduces collage into her vibrant paintings. I looked at the way she composes her paintings in colour proportions and texture proportions. The paintings I had started are in my A4 sketch book which limited the gestural style that I was aiming to achieve. So I have expanded to a larger sketchbook and onto paper. 

 

 

The group liked my abstract style of drawing because of it's loose qualities in the drawings. They found the marks that I created in a range of media. The scale of my work is large and dominant, which the group felt complements my layered compositions.

Because my work varied in style and subject, the group felt that I could narrow my subjects down. For weave my work might benefit if I did more painting observations of texture and colour. Also I could photocopy and blow up areas or my current drawings that could be collaged and manipulated

Georgia Fisher

Georgia uses her  paintings and collages to base her luxury weave samples on. I feel interested by her work because of the way that she has captured moments of charcoal alike marks in yarn textures. I think that her working method is similar to my way of practise, because I like to base my woven work on the colours and mark qualities that are in my paintings.

Henry Moore

On a visit to Thailand,  I collected coral that washed up on the beach. I concentrated on the ghost outline shape of coral so I drew the negative space around leaving the blank shape of the coral. Henry Moore's sculptures and drawings have very organic shapes that arc smoothly and allow the tone of shadows to add more extravagance to the shapes. 

Zaha Hadid

Zaha Hadid is a  

Rob Sawer

Rob Sawer builds up a surface to bed his abstract landscape paintings over. His landscapes are painted as though they are viewed from a satellite and focus on the light and sky, earth and ground but also time and memory. Earth is shaped by the weather but also the foot steps. I often find interest in the natural staircases in the land that have been created by cattle. I find natural things to be the sauce of patterns and texture and see the things as ever changing pieces of art because ineveitably these things will not stay the same forever. It would be interesting to Create a piece of cloth that I could constantly evolve over time. 

I think that in many ways something I could weave could evolve in its intentions of use, which is another way of evalution. Rob Sawer has inspired me to work directly with texture and  to process paintings/collages that usually I would leave alone. 

Aline Nakagawa de Oliveira

Aline Nakagawa's work is based on DNA however I have a select interest based on the way she captures a pattern but It doesn't flow her patterns in a repetive way. Her yarn choices have a reflective glair from the depth of shadows of the darker toned yarns. I think that Aline Nakagawa's method could be a similar way of working to mine because I use the colour and tone changes in my paintings which I then relate to weave samples.

Material Mnemonics

Zana Ajvazi 

'Work inspired by research into material innovation, and the crossovers between textiles and other disciplines, including science and socio-economics; also the intricacy and interplay of different cultures, materials and traditional weaving techniques. - See more at: http://www.texprint.org.uk/index.php/designer/zana-ajvazi/#sthash.4AnoWYFZ.dpuf' 

Zana Ajvazi's work manipulates her woven textiles to experiment with new technology, however I am interesting in the  lack of certainty in the way the fabric will evolve after being processed. The steam beds could be an interesting way of creating a three dimensional form in the cloth in a way that connotes the change in process of weather and wear and tear. 

I visited the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition. The textures within the exhibits were what caught my attention. I found that the changes of natural objects were particularly interesting because of the way they naturally decompose but the way they disfigure due to them being processed unnaturally. It made me consider the beauty and art that is created unintentionally and uncontrollably. As an example rusting metal, rotting wood even the wear on car tires. 

A cropped image of a charred wooden block. At the Royal Academy of Art Summer Exhibition.

David Nash is a sculptor who uses wood. His work inspires me because he uses raw edges in his work. To me this is a very honest way of working by allowing the medium you are using to be beautiful out right by it's self.Although wood as a medium for my Textiles based projects wouldn't be something I could use, many of it's qualities can be translated through yarn. Also the formation of the fabric could relate to this style of sculpture and could have three dimensional qualities.

On a quest to find inspiration within the small mundane things around where I live, the things that I usually over look, but from seeing the RCA Summer Exhibition I wanted to look at the things that are not in a state that generally would be considered 'perfect'. This tire has a formation that was intended for reasons beyond its appearance, there has been a lot of control in its design though as its been used the wear on the tire has happened through no design control. With that thought I want to consider pieces of art work I could create with a lot of design control then allow the piece to gain character through no control of my own. Possibly through weather or sanding it down.

my close up image of a car tire

ELLE Decoration is always a big source of inspiration as I am very interested in interior design, I would like my textiles career to link closely to interior, whether that be with fabric or more sculptural pieces like lighting. The August 14 edition caught my eye because of its uses of drift wood for furniture. I like the uses of natural materials and the colour schemes are neutral. The interior has been upcycled from 'dyed grain stacks' which has interesting textures in it.