Investigation and Reflection - Finalising the Individual Project

This week I set out to visit the Royal Exchange Theatre workshop again, and use it to my advantage, in order to choose an appropriate stain and varnish for the table. I tested several shades of wood stain on several different types and thicknesses of wood. 

With the idea in mind of wanting to make the wood look more expensive and aged, the Brown Oak and Brown Mahogany stains worked the best. I also applied a satin varnish to the samples to add a sheen to the surface. One of the technicians at the workshop allowed me to cut a piece of varnished 18mm birch plywood down to the size I needed - 800mm X 450mm. I then had to sand off the varnish so that I could apply a new one and the wood would take the stain. I thought a thicker plywood than the 6mm standard one from the laser workshop would be more suitable for the table as it is heavier and more durable, so 18mm was ideal!

Problems with producing the table

After sampling on the laser cutter last week, myself and Jenny tried to book back on the machine at the next available space to engrave the 18mm plywood. However, we came across our biggest problem in this project so far - there wasn't any space left until after the deadline! Adan the technician had a cancellation that same day, so there was a slight panic to gather materials together in time for the slot he could offer us. I managed to get the wood from home and get back to the workshop in time for the session, so it was a success, although it was very heavy! On beginning the session, Adan explained that we would not be able to cut through the 18mm plywood with the laser, as the thickest it could cut through is 6mm, although we would be able to engrave onto it still. We had to alter the design quickly in order to finish it within our given slot. In the short notice of being able to use the laser cutter, we didn't have any slate with us to engrave into for the centre of the table. We have had to change the design slightly so that only one 10cmX10cm tile will fit in the centre now - it is not ideal, and we would have liked more time on the machine to engrave better designs onto the slates, but there was a long waiting list after our session for cancellations, so we had to make the most out of a bad situation. Adan did however suggest that we could design the hole for the centre of the wood and he would be able to create a rebate for the slate to sit in using the CNC Router, making the surface flat and appropriate for use. I plan to revisit the Royal Exchange Theatre Workshop this week to finish off the table top, staining and varnishing it as planned. We will then find a way to secure the slate in place in the centre of the wood next week.

Stained Wood

Additional Work

Myself and Jenny, for our individual project, have decided to print some of our Photoshop work as printed artwork for Bruntwood to place wherever they want. The designs are in-keeping with our group project with geometric shapes and structures, however the colour scheme is different. We have pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones by not using colour on the table - usually our main starting point in our textiles work. We have also had some spare time at the end of the project, so we thought we would use our initiative and create a collection of fabric samples too. If we had more time, we would have ideally liked to screen print these designs onto the table top as a feature - inspiration from Daniel Heath (immediately below).

 

Investigation 3 - Laser Designs - Individual Project

After designing the table top on Coreldraw for the laser cutter, myself and Jenny finally got on the laser cutter machine! We began to sample, testing slate, MDF and plywood so we had a better idea of what would be effective for the final product. We had to downscale the designs when we got there because we realised they were going to take too long to laser in the time we had booked. During the sampling process, we made some decisions about the layout of the table design, mixing materials and shape compositions we had not given consideration previously. If we were to enlarge the designs to be of larger scale, and be a more dramatic table, we would have to consider the time it would take to engrave so that we could plan our time effectively around this.

A couple of prototypes of the compositions:

Parts of the slate did not engrave fully because of a waxy substance on the surface which was there when we purchased them. This was unavoidable, and although it was not intended to laser the way it did, I think it adds to the rustic feel we were looking for on the surface. I plan to stain these to see how the woods absorb the colour - we want the surface to look more expensive than plywood and MDF in the final design. We would also need to use 6mm thick wood as the slate tiles measure 5mm thick, so that the table has a flat surface and is practical. From experimenting with scale, we have come to the conclusion to make the samples above (currently A4 size) twice as big so that they cover the whole laser area capacity. This would mean that the hole in the centre would be able to hold 4 tiles. We could enlarge a design to cover all 4 tiles, or have 4 cohesive designs together, we haven't finalised this decision yet. 

Leather Work and Scale

After my tutorial this week, I want to concentrate on using metallic threads on leather (front and reverse/suede) to further abstract my designs and to try out other aesthetics.

Some of the most successful samples - repeat patterns abstracted from my original drawings.

The samples that I think work better are the ones that are less literal and abstracted. The different thicknesses of leather create different outcomes when used on the multi-head machine. They have all been stitched on a relatively small scale due to the materials I sourced, however, by upscaling my designs for the multi-head and laser cutter, it will allow me to work on a larger scale and get across the context of my work more thoroughly.

For my self-initiated brief, I intend to digitally print some of my Photoshop repeat work for an interior context, then use the multi-head and laser cutter to work back into them, creating abstract compositions. 

Design Development

From my initial visual research, I have developed designs to be stitched out on the Multi-head machine with a view to abstracting some of the drawings in the process to appeal to people interested in interior markets as I feel my concept of 'Anatomy', if done literally, would not be suitable in this case.

Annemieke Mein also uses birds and insects within her embroidery, with a more muted palette than Timorous Beasties do. Her work appears slightly outdated and old-fashioned in my opinion if it was to be used within an interior space, whereas Timorous Beasties concentrate more on their colour use rather than specific details which I believe make them a greater influence for my work. 

Timorous Beasties use graphic imagery of animals and insects within interior design ideas which I find unusual but memorable compared with other designs that I've seen before. They understand that floral patterns are relatively popular within the interior markets, but they add their own stamp to it by including birds and insects with bright and unusual colours to their prints. This could influence my work because of the colours I could take from their designs as well as the idea of 'anatomy' being adaptable to interior spaces. 

I have used the colour picker tool in Photoshop to define 4 different colour palettes from Timorous Beasties' work for use in my own designs using the brushes I created. I have tried to be abstract and keep the interior market in mind when doing the digital designs by putting the brush stamps into half-drop repeat. I have created brushes using parts of my drawings that are relatively abstract, such as the arteries of the heart, eye and hand nerves and parts of the ribcage.

Ethos Machine Development

Over the Christmas break I sourced materials that I thought would be suitable and durable within a high-end car interior space - 'Engineering Embroidery'. I opted for PVC in place of leather as a cost-saving measure for initial sampling, although I now realise that I would not be able to develop a proper idea of how the actual materials would behave with the multi-head machine. I also sourced some heavy wools with a view to layering them using the laser-cutter.

After my tutorial last week I have purchased swatches of leather including different weights and colours and I have begun stitching out some of the more abstract designs onto them to see what the material does in the process. I have found that stitching out onto the leather rather than PVC enables me to gain a more accurate idea of how the client could expect the designs to look.

I have considered comlimentary colour palettes, with metallic threads to break up the block coloured threads. This will also add a freshness to a high-end car interior as this is not a usual occurrence.

I prefer the finish of the leather samples to the PVC as the fabric crinkles slightly. The designs that I've stitched onto them are also abstracted from my initial drawings, making them more commercial and easier to place within an interior space, whether that be high-end car or home interiors. I will differentiate between the two projects by the materials used rather than the designs, as I believe they are appropriate for both strands.

Locating - Visual Research

Throughout the first two weeks of this project I have visited Manchester Museum to gather images from their Siberia Exhibition including full size animal and human skeletons. From these images I have concentrated on developing a series of drawings based around the concept of 'Anatomy'. They have a graphic, linear quality to them as well as abstract shapes so they could be translated effectively onto the Ethos Software and Multi-head as well as the possibility of laser cutting parts or engraving them. The colours I've used in my drawings are relatively subtle, although some are more brightly coloured, but within a colour palette that suits the idea of 'Anatomy' - reds and blues (like veins) and oranges and whites (like bones). I have manipulated some of the drawings in Photoshop to enhance the best bits of the selected drawings and merge elements together to create new drawings.

The edit above appears as though the hand is squeezing the heart and the lungs are being pushed out the side. It was a bit of a 'happy accident', but I like the mix of abstract smudges in the background with the graphic lines in front. I think if I was to use the same visual research for the 'Engineering Embroidery' brief I would have to make the shapes more abstract so they would be suitable for the high-end car interior market - my focus over Christmas. The colours would also have to be subtler or cover less fabric to be appropriate for the market.

I intend to develop the concept of 'Anatomy' into designs for the Multi-Head machine that become more abstract compositions so I could also use the ideas for the live brief 'Engineering Embroidery' as samples to fit in a high-end car interior. After discussions in my tutorial, I now intend to create more drawings using acetate so I can really explore the idea of human AND animal anatomy merged together (similar to the frog skeleton image above) - this will be my focus for the Christmas break.

Evaluation of 'Intentions' Unit

 

Throughout the unit I have developed the way in which I think about sampling and research - I have found inspiration much more easily than in previous projects. This could be due to the fact that I considered a context for my work relatively quickly after the project begun; I created drawings in a way that I haven't tried before, or I have found ways to develop samples more easily than last year.

 

I have enjoyed learning new techniques and ways of working in the embroidery area, such as the Ethos Software and Multi-Head Stitch-Out, and Photoshop techniques. The Photoshop workshops, in particular, have allowed me to experiment with compositions to work out what would be most suitable for my project and context. I would like to use these new techniques in future projects as they have helped me to develop ideas into physical samples.

 

My work ethic throughout the project has allowed me to complete, as well as thoroughly explore the techniques I have used, although I have felt far more relaxed than in first year. The tutorial system of only having one meeting a week, I feel, has allowed me to work more freely and experiment and develop ideas more easily.

The initial concept underpinning my work was 'Disguise and Cover-Up' which influenced my project more literally nearer the beginning due to the media I used. The idea of 'Urban Influences' allowed me to explore structures as well as shape - I was inspired by the 'old and new' aspect of the architecture between the City Centre and Media City which contributed to the graphic quality throughout my work, as well as enabling me to explore structures and 3D compositions. Moving forward from my initial drawings, I concentrated more closely on the colours and compositions which have played a bigger part in the samples I worked on, rather than a concept itself.

 

Throughout visual research my main influences were Dario Moschetta, because of his abstract use of colour, and Issey Miyake for his structural garments. These have been main themes throughout my work and have enabled me to explore new pathways.

The context for my work is a mixture of Window Displays and Visual Merchandising, Costume and Set Design. I would say that this helped to portray a diluted concept as these could all be referenced as 'disguise' or 'cover-up'. The context influenced the way in which I planned samples due to the scale and colour use, as the context for my work would require large samples with bold colours.



 

The above images have influenced my samples the most due to the element of structure and detail in them. I prefer the green colour palette, but the graphic qualities of the pink image.

 

My most successful sample was using the Multi-Head embroidery machine and incorporates graphic qualities and complimentary colours in a large scale that would be appropriate for my context. The fabric is suitable for draping as a backdrop, and the colours are bold enough to be seen from a distance which is an important factor in public displays.

 

 The figurative drawings of buildings have become the graphic, dark lines within my samples, whereas the abstract drawings have made me consider my choice of colour more carefully. I have found this relatively easy to translate straight into embroidery using the Ethos Software, as well as experimenting with colour and thread compositions.

In future projects, I will be able to develop the techniques I have used, as well as having a closer awareness of colour and composition. I would have liked to experiment further using Photoshop alongside the Ethos Software to develop my technique and try out other compositions.

 

Ethos and 3D Development

 

My focus this week has been to develop some 3D structures from the Photoshop work which I sent to be digitally printed, as well as developing designs on the Ethos software.

 

I re-visited the 'Pattern Magic' books and developed structures using curves to create a concertina effect, as well as the geometric design from earlier on in the project.

 

These could be used on the body to add structure to a garment or could be used for viewing purposes only on a mannequin on display.

I wanted to create a longer embroidery piece that could be used as a backdrop or simply allowed to hang as a display to be used in conjunction with a mannequin (to showcase all the contexts I have in mind) - below. I prefer the samples with smaller amounts of orange and black stitch on them, as I don't think the colour composition works that well with large amounts of these colours together.

 

 

I experimented with stopping the machine and leaving the support stitches to vary the tones of the colours I used. With using a relatively dark fabric, this caused the stitches to appear darker when I skipped the machine which added tone and depth to the embroidery. Although it is a flat piece of work, elements of it stand off the fabric which create a relief from the surface. I also like the way that the darker stitches add detail to the sample and vary the texture. The green colour palette is more complimentary on this particular fabric than the pink and orange, and I feel it would be easier to work with moving forward.

 

Translation into Fabric

This week I have concentrated on experimenting with ways to create 3D structures using only fabric. I started by using heavy calico to trial this as it would hold its shape once it was sewn together.

In addition, I have also spent some time editing the drawings I have done previously using Photoshop - I've hardly used the software until last Friday when I had a basic skills workshop where we learned how to free transform, change the background, crop and change the colours within the image. I found it relatively easy to use, and after playing around on it with a few images, I feel my work has got better and more sophisticated each time.

 

Myself and my tutor decided the edits that I have done which have a more mature colour palette were the best ones, rather than the edit I did with random colours (my first attempt on Photoshop anyway). However, with a context of costume/set design or window dressing in mind, it would depend on the nature of the person who it was for, or the business, as to whether brighter colours, or more muted ones would be better suited to them.

 

I digitally printed the edits onto cotton canvas as it is relatively thick therefore I would be able to create structures from them afterwards, relating to 'Urban Influences'.

Using the Bernina machines, I have begun stitching into the prints using the geometric set patterns such as the triangular shapes and zig-zag, to enhance the image quality. I also used the pin-tuck foot to create a relief surface on the fabric, making it appear slightly 3D.
 

Intentions - Visual Research Week 1 - Urban Influences

To start my visual research I began searching for artists on Pinterest that work using architecture and the urban environment. I found several artists that use geometric shapes in their work as well as other artists that take a more abstract approach - fitting in perfectly with the drawings I worked on over the summer period.

Dario Moschetta and Karen Benedetti

I have thought about the concept that I adopted over the summer project - 'Disguise and Cover-Up', and by using the urban environment to cover and disguise other things I have managed to include concepts such as; homeless people, new buildings covering old, and detail covering abstract which all still link to my summer concept.

During this first week of the visual research task, I began to collect images of buildings that had geometric shapes in their architecture so I could draw the lines (working in a figurative way). I wanted to find buildings that had an older quality and some that are relatively modern, so to do this I visited Manchester City Centre and MediaCityUK to achieve the contrast I desired. 

After doing several figurative drawings of both buildings and homeless people, I felt my work lacked colour and, as I am an embroiderer, colour is a very important element. Using different wet media and my Costa Loyalty Card, I created backgrounds in which I could layer the drawings over. This is in keeping with my concept 'Disguise and Cover-Up' as the paper dims the colour down slightly in areas.

Whilst thinking about the composition of the architecture in my backgrounds, I picked out elements of detail on the buildings for the foreground. The way the abstract and figurative are collaborated, I believe, make the drawings more interesting to look at and also underpin the concept effectively because of the media used.

Disguise and Cover-Up - Summer 2014

Amy Judd's work is uniquely 'weird' in a sense that she almost creates a disguise by using animal features such as butterflies and birds to cover up the human face. 

'Ascending Athena' and 'The Weight of a Thousand Feathers' (above) are two of her pieces that particularly sparked ideas in my head for further development. I linked this with another one of her pieces where a butterfly covers a girl's face by using segments of a butterfly wing to fan like the feathers on the other images I found. I think her work could relate to either gallery work or the costume industry as it involves the human body as well as animal features.

Using Judd's work to influence my own, I used butterfly wing segments in order to create a feathered effect like in her pieces with bird feathers.

Extending a section of a butterfly wing using watercolour and acrylic paints. This drawing works well because the textures and colours can be related to embroidery relatively easily and effectively. This piece of work could be improved by working in a more abstract manner, using similar colours, and collaborating figurative drawing with abstract colour smudges.