Evaluation of the Sampling Unit

At first, I found it difficult to research into artists and designers that would be suitable to relate to my work, however, after thinking more carefully about key words that I could search for it became a lot easier.

One of the first artists I looked into was Irwin Glusker, who created a piece of art about the phases of the moon. I liked the shapes he created and the element of time in his work. This then led me to think about the way that time affects the natural world.

When I visited The Language of Process Exhibition at the All Saints Library, I discovered 'Earthbowl' by Fluid Forms (2008) which is a piece that defines the contour lines of a piece of the Earth. This piece particularly reminded me of how tree rings determine the age of the tree and made me think about possible designs for the laser cutter. Furthermore, over the Christmas vacation I sourced primary images from local forests in order to drive ideas for when I returned with tree rings in mind.

By carrying out sampling in the beginning of the project that was relatively flat, with occasional surface relief from the fabric rather than more sculptural samples, I wanted to carry out contextual research in order to develop my designs into something more exciting. The initial research allowed me to generate ideas for the first samples, but I then wanted to make my samples more 3D. I found an artist called Sivan Roys that cuts out several of the same shape and strings them together to make a structure. I tried this out with one of my own designs and, although I liked the effect of the more 3D shape, I felt this area would not allow me to develop a clear context for my work.

 

After experimenting with lots of different design possibilities for the laser cutter using different media and materials, and once I had thoroughly explored the idea of tree rings as data, I concentrated more on the shapes that they created. I have been inspired by threeASFOUR, (a team of three designers that have had their garments featured for numerous years in New York Fashion Week), due to their garments being sculptural and of similar concept to my project. Their designs were inspired by crop circles and spirals, which led me on to think about creating a range of samples that were of a more abstract nature. I used the pin-tuck Bernina foot in order to sew in a spiral pattern onto corduroy and denim to experiment with how the materials would be affected - the denim created a curve when I sew the spiral onto it. I then wanted to make the sample more 3D and sculptural, so by looking at threeASFOUR’s garments I decided to attach several spirals together and create a piece for the body. This allowed me to develop ideas to make more 3D samples and gave me more of a context for my work.

 

Throughout this project I have engaged with research relating to the audience and context of my work and, although I found it difficult at first to find relevant work, I have discovered a lot about different artists and designers along the way as well as being influenced by their work.

I feel that I would have benefitted from carrying out more contextual research in the beginning in order to kick start ideas earlier, whereas I concentrated more on this aspect towards the middle of the project.

Painting Manipulation - 14th February 2014

The first part of the drawing day task was to create paper structures that related to your textile world work. 

The second task was to draw them using different media. I decided to shine a lap through my paper structures in order to capture the shadows from them. I then shaded in the negative space in order to create an abstract outline from the shape.

I used charcoal to shade between the concertina shapes in order to outline the shadow. I like the abstract effect it gave and the movement of the charcoal stick made scratchy lines on the page and got close into the creases of the paper.

My second shape was simply cut shapes into a piece of paper. I then projected a lamp through the holes and shaded the shadows created. They created a chevron shape which I then smudged (see below) in order to create the illusion of light projection.

I like the way that the lines look like they're moving when they are flat on the page. I also think the drawing looks 3D with the smudges which relates well to my textile world.

Circles and Spirals

Last week I made the decision that I would branch out and explore less literal means of data in nature. With this as my aim, I have used the same embroidery technique of pin-tucking to create new samples. 

The samples reflect loose circles or spirals which, although they link to my project through tree rings as data, they are more abstract.

 I experimented with different materials to see how the spiral pattern would affect them. The poly suede crumpled up slightly but once ironed laid flat. The corduroy was a little harder to work with as it crumpled up more than the poly suede. However, I like the vertical lines on the sample with the spiral in the middle because although it is more abstract than my previous work, it still relates to the tree rings from earlier in the project. 

I also tried the same technique but with thin denim. This was the most effective material to use as it curled rather than crumpled. I then tried to create something more 3D with the spirals I had sewn in the denim by attaching multiple spirals together to create a strip of them.

I attempted to attach them to the body to see what effect they would have. I got this inspiration from research I carried out the other day (threeASFOUR designs - see below). I like the loose spirals on the body as they appear more sculptural.

Contextual Research - Sampling Unit

Whilst carrying out some contextual research into possible audiences for my current laser cut samples, I came across the work of 'threeASFOUR' who are a team of three designers from New York City.

The original inspiration for this collection was Crop Circles.

Their garments which were featured in New York Fashion Week (Autumn 2012) particularly related to my project through their use of circular structures.

Although this garment is relatively structured, I like the looseness of the circles within it.

The colours within this garment also relate to my project due to their natural connotation, whilst the circular patterns are also reflective of my work.

http://susantabak.com/articles/new-york-fashion-weekfall-2012-collections-threeasfour



Laser Cutter Development

Last week I developed a range of samples stemming from samples from the previous week. I experimented with the same materials but with different functions on the laser cutter; engraving, cutting, embossing.

The above shapes are a development from the original strip of ovals I created in the first few weeks. I rearranged the shapes to create a more interesting composition and used the engraving facility on the laser cutter to generate different shades of the denim and linen that I used. I have also pin-tucked random edges of the ovals in order to create a relief surface and add texture to the samples which I think has worked well on these.

I developed the moon idea and created a more 3D sample by laser cutting round half of the oval shapes, using a double needle to secure them, then using the cornely machine to add texture to the edges. I like the subtlety of the raised shapes and though they aren't sculpturally '3D' they create an interesting relief on the surface.

Using the laser to etch away surfaces
Using denim, I set the laser to engrave which made the denim lose its colour. By then pin-tucking the lines made, a spikey, raised surface was created which was unusual to touch.

 I intend to develop some of these motifs further into more laser cut samples and use my experience with embroidery to enhance them afterwards and pull out their best features.



Mechanical Drawing - 31st January 2014

For this drawing day I brought in some wooden clothes pegs, hair rollers, ink, paint brushes and cocktail sticks in order to experiment with different ways of mark making.

Wooden clothes peg dipped in ink and opened and closed onto the paper. I like the simplicity of the marks and the abstract texture that it portrays.

Cocktail stick dipped in ink. I simply drew spirals on the page in different sizes to alude to the idea of knots in trees. I would have liked to overlap them more in order to make the drawing more abstract.

Hair roller and ink. I rolled a velcro hair roller in ink and rolled it across the page to make small scratchy marks on the paper. I then dabbed the end of the roller onto the page and it made semi-circles which I liked the illusion of a 3D textured surface that it gave.



The two drawings above were created by dabbing ink onto the page and using a drinking straw to blow the ink and create a line. I moved the straw from side to side in order to create a distorted line. The outcome reminds me of tree branches that are twisted and contorted which I feel links in with the theme of my current project 'Nature'.

When I poured the left over ink into the sink after the drawing day it made this pattern which reminded me of my work from the day. I could develop this into another drawing in the future.