Fmp day 5

My teacher suggested I try to create my print in collage, using different materials. when you go close it's one thing but when you step back its another. I failed. I initially used poses from magazine cut outs, created the shapes from my pattern then shrunk it down in size. It was visually displeasing and not very focused. I then tried to use my face, taking inspiration from the stained glass windows and selfie idea. I tired to put my face in the shape of the pattern pieces. this also looked very horrible so it's back to the drawing board.  

However my response to eley kishimoto's prints are coming along. I still havent decided on a colour scheme but I like where my print is heading. 

fmp day 4

Today my main focus was to get feedback from my tutor and evaluate my work so far. She didn't completely hate my work and said it had potential. It reminded her of the William Morris (the arts and crafts movement) but in order to bring it into the 21st century I should:

1. Look at Eley Kishimoto.
2. Make my print solid, at the moments it's thin lines and this wont translate well onto fabric. 
3. Change my colour palette and fabric choice. 

I am trying to develop 2 different prints at the same time, the first one she likes but the stained glass window print she doesn't. She said people don't like to wear other people. I understand this. 

I feel this day was very useful as I now have clarity on how to move my forward and into the 2014. for the next lesson I want to look at eley kishimoto in more detail and respond to it.

fmp

Today I worked on the stands to further develop my rough ideas. I am currently battling with the idea of modernism. I have the tendency to be old fashion and out dated and I am struggling with bringing the Victorian times into the 21st century without designing wedding dresses. I want to take concepts of Victorian dress like the gathering and ruching and the undergarments and bring it forward.

I used wire to create structures, then draped satin on top. This was a useful experience as i am coming close to working what material is the best for creating the under wire structure. I originally used wire and a hot glue gun, this didn't work, the glue would slip off. I went away and bought thinner wire so I could try a different method. I then used solely wire and twisted the wire round each to secure, this worked better but was visually appalling. For next time I will use the second method but use tissue and glue to strengthen and improve the appearance. By the end of the second day I had many photographs of my stand work.

For the the next lesson I want to start developing designs using my stand work and the initial ideas.

I have also started to develop my print but it is harder that i thought. I originally drew 16-20 rough designs with the thought that I would scan them into Photoshop along with the imagery of the stained glass window and create a couple prints. It has gone wrong at every stage. I drew my designs onto tracing paper which means when you scan it and try the lift it in Photoshop you lose the delicacy. I then tried to trace them off but you lose the hand draw pen effect and turns into something different. I feel I am trying to go too fast so I will take a few steps back and refine my ideas before taking it into photoshop.   

fmp

Today I went on gallery visits. I revisited the V and A museum then went to see Artist Textiles: Picasso to Warhol and Beyond objects: David Chichuly.

I assumed going to the see the Artists Textiles exhibition would influence my project and spark ways of pushing my project forward, surprisingly it never. I was shocked, it turned out to be very basic. No clever prints or print placement. as an exhibition it was fine to see but in terms of helping me with my project it had no real significance.

Beyond objects was a lovely exhibition to see. I think he uses colour very well, which is something I am still learning and trying to grasp. He works with glass but its a different visual story to stained glass windows. one deals with space and 3d and ones is 2d and tends of tell a story. I will revisit the workshop i did with one of the tutors and select colours from the photographs i took. Using the colour wheel as a guide, I will extract different colour schemes that I may potentially use to create my print.

In the hopes of being inspired by shape and silhouette I went to the V and A to look at ceramics, Very clique and didn't participially help.

fmp day (3)

On day one I explained that I ran in a problems as I didn't want my print to look like unoriginal wallpaper. My earlier drawings of the iron casts and silverware from the V&A took me to a place I didn't want to be and I didn't know how to move on so I moved on to day two's stain glass window research. by the end of day 3 I have started to find a solution to my wallpaper problem. After advice from my teacher I we concluded collage work was the way forward. I should use the iron cast and silverware drawing to create a series of collages, trace and draw from these to develop a stylized pattern from each. Another suggestion was to look further into the word captured and use this to develop rigid and angular iron cast and silverware drawings. I was also told not to spend time working on intricate and time consuming drawings.

I made a start with the collages, I am surprised at how much these have helped. I have been inspired by the shapes and silhouettes created in the collages and will used this to inform my design work. my next step will be to do a series of illustrations from each collage and to trace of new patterns. 

I have developing the stained glass windows imagery and incorporating the crude 21 century. Stained glass windows were used to pay homage to saints, worship and tell stories. I want to tell the story of the brash teen pop culture era who pout and worship sex. I think this will be a stark contrast to the usual.   
Art and fashion have always gone hand in hand and it seems like it's come back around with the ss14 trends. Artists like Picasso and Matisse and Warhol have inspired many runway prints, they have been seen on Prada, Jean charles de castelbajac and Aquilano Rimando. I want to explore this idea as well as appliqué.

I also started to do roughs of ideas that have been floating about. For the next lesson I want to have completed 50 rough ideas for me to later develop. 

FMP day 2

By the end of day 2 I have made a start on exploring stained glass windows and established a colour scheme. I went to St. Botolph church in Liverpool street. I saw beautifully coloured windows and shrines. it was gold and shades of red, blue and yellow. I have decided on this particular picture being the starting point for a colour scheme.

I began to draw from and edit the stained glass windows I saw at the V&A and the church. Instead of drawing them how they are I have started to alter their faces to become the African stereotypes with dark skin, large lips and a large nose. It's rare to see black people on the windows and I want to play on this.

For the next lesson I need to have finished drawing from the windows so I can go back and work into them. I also need to gather up everything I have been working on to show a Tutor.   

FMP Day 1

Over the past few days I have been trying to do as much research as possible. Research is not my forte and I must say I find it a little difficult. On wednesday I went to the V&A museum, my main focus was to take note of the stained glass windows and metal iron work. It was a useful experience as I left with load of ideas. A comment my teacher made when I told her my themes struck me, she said stained glass windows are boring. I want to focus on the picturesque aspect and the colours of the stained glass windows and metal iron work. Whilst going around the V&A I noticed that the stained glass windows reminded me of appliqué. I feel I could do a lot with the idea.

I ran into concerns later on when drawing from the images. I don't want to draw from these objects and end up with work reminiscent of baroque wallpaper. I want to being it in to the 21st century and give it a modern twist. I am not a textiles student but i love print so I will focus on this. I have not yet rectified this problem. for now I will keep drawing using different mediums to see what i can come up with.

For tomorrow I want to have completed my page on stained glass windows in order for me to draw from them and work into them.