27/10/2012 Blackburn Museum

I returned to Blackburn Museum to have a look at the collection of stuffed birds. I decided that I wanted to move on from using the bright blues and greens to a more delicate colour pallet of browns. I remembered that there was a collection of birds with more natural feathers. Looking at the birds themselves, I liked the idea of using a structural element to create a piece. Here are some images of these birds...

25/10/2012 Feathers Galore...

Water Colour feathers, on tracing paper.

I tried using water colour on tracing paper because it was thinner than the standard paper, giving a delicate nature to them and it means they can be manipulated and shaper easier.
An artist that inspired me to try these water colours is Mary Hayes, one of her watercolour paintings is of a peacock feather, however, she uses much more dull colours. I Have used the colour pallet that I have previously been using to create my own watercolours.

Mary Hayes

23/10/2012 Garment experimentation...

Today I tried using different methods on my feathers to see what results I could get. I tried using lace and stitched it onto the screen printed feathers, this didnt work as well as I hoped because I couldnt cut the fabric out behind it very well, so it just looked sloppy, it took me a while, but I will definitely try it again on the vanishing fabric, hopefully this time it will work (fingers crossed). The feather that I previously created using vanishing fabric lacked structure and was hard to work with, I decided it would be a good idea to be able to manipulate it more. On the back of the free stitched feather, I used zig-zag stitch to attach a strand of wire to make the feather easier to work with. Its very time consuming creating the feathers solely using sewing and the machine, I think I need to find a different method to produce the mass of feathers for my garment. Here are some images of my experimentation of creating some form of garment (bare in mind, this is my first experimentation and it will get better, I promise)...

18/10/2012 Nature...

By using vanishing fabric, I worked on my adopted theme of nature and used the peacock feathers that I used in my screen printing. I was able to sew onto the vanishing fabric by drawing the feather onto it, I stitched yarns on top of the free stitch to create layers and texture. Later you wash away the vanishing fabric to be left with just the free stitch of the image.

17/10/2012 Experimentation...

Masking fluid prevents pain from covering the paper and can be easily peeled off once the paint/ink is dry. Working with my fashion shoot images, I used the masking fluid to block out the model from the background, I then used paints in powder form and scattered them to make a background which resembled that of the image. The first one I made didnt work very well as the masking fluid split and the paint leaked through (as shown below). However, the second one worked really well and I hope to work into this further by using free machine stitch.

16/10/2012 Textiles...

By using a screen I experimented with surfaces and textures that could be created by placing objects under the screen. I tried using different types of lace and fabrics, but this was unsuccessful. I found some fathers which I placed under the screen, initially I used a mix of green and brown to create a natural look. \this created really nice prints that I can later work into.
In the afternoon I was able to use the sewing machines to work into the prints I had created. Also I screen printed using a bright orange ink to create a contrasting print, this wored well as the feathers printed onto the fabric in green.

15/10/2012 Fashion Shoot...

Over the weekend I planned an outfit for the fashion shoot, I wanted a rustic and distressed look and planned to take photographs in Huncoat Power station and the forest.It took me a few days to design the top, and then make it. The day had come! And it was raining, wonderful! Cant say I was thrilled when I looked at the window in the morning and it was pelting it down, but the shoot was planned for the afternoon so I gave the great British weather a chance and by some miracle it stopped. Me and my friend Amy (who modelled the dress went up to Huncoat to take photos. The building was empty and had been abused in the many years it has been left, but this made it perfect for the shoot. Me being the photographer was never going to go well, lets face it I have never done photography apart from the drawing with light! It was an experiment  that's how I'm going to put it, but it was good fun and an experience for both me and Amy. The first few photos were not good at all and I dont have a fancy camera because I am a textiles student and frankly cant afford one, so I used my standard camera. The photographs are as professional as I could do.. so take a look... 

11/10/2012 Extended drawing...

I used one image and tried many different ways of drawing, the magazine cuting was a Louis Vitton fashion shoot and i used it in several ways to develop on my visual communication work. I wanted to experiment and try different methods that I hadnt used before. One of my favourite methods was to draw the image onto plastic by scratching into it, I later found out this can be used to print, so I am also going to try that out. Also I tried using different types of wire to draw out the image and used free machine stitch as well. By trial and error I figured out what worked and what didnt.
When Jo looked at my work she told me to try doing the drawings based on my own primary photographs. The fashion imagery was a success so I decided to create my own fashion shoot, which brings me to Monday (fashion shoot day).

 As part of my experimentation with drawing, I used clay to make tiles that will later be put into the kilm. I took photographs of them before they are fired just in case they explode whilst being finished.

Dry Point Prints...
Andy Warhol's line drawings simply outline the figure using a black line. Instead of recreating a similar look with pencil, I thought I could recreate this by using dry point printing. I scratched the image onto a thick acetate and then used them to print with. Here is the outcome...

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/artists-a-z/W/5932/artist_name/Andy%20Warhol/record_id/16259

9/10/2012 Screen Printing...

I handed in an image in that I wanted to be used on a screen, the image was put onto the screen and was supposed to then transfer the image when you pulled the ink across the screen. Just my look, the image hadnt quite gone onto the screen right and was missing a section, so it didnt print well at all. I was really looking forward to using my screen and seeing the outcome, but I was gutted when it didnt work. Kim suggested that I used the time wisely and make a paper animated cut out. Running with the theme from Dolphinholme, I used an image of a goat and drew it out into a simple shape, this worked well, but I would have preferred to use a proper image instead. What will be will be.

09/10/2012 Start of Textiles...

Danielle spent the morning explaining to us what textiles was about and what it would entail. She wanted to help us do more towards our drawing and develop some of our previous work before moving on to start the Textiles pathway. I produced a series of line drawings based on work from my sketchbook, using the shapes that had come throughout all the different subjects that I tried, they were small squares of ballpoint pen drawings. In the afternoon we were going to produce larger drawings, but unfortunately I didn't get the chance as Kim worked with me in the afternoon on my screen printing.

02/10/2012... Visual Communication

Jo showed us lots of different ways or reproducing an image, I discovered an image could be manipulated many ways on both the computer and by hand. 

The image above showed all the different methods I used. On the left hand page I have changed the image to black and white, put it in its negative, printed it onto acetate and changed the size of the image. The image maker transfers the image onto fabrics which can later be worked into, mine didn't come out very well as I left air bubbles in it, this means there are now parts of the image missing. If I tried image maker again I would give it more time to dry and then carefully remove the paper. This is a very useful technique considering I am undertaking the textiles pathway, I am going to try sewing into it and creating a larger piece. 

This picture was created by using carbon paper, you draw onto the back of the paper and it transfers onto the paper. I experimented by using a rough line instead of just drawing the image straight off. It gives a different look and I like the effect created.

Image Maker

02/10/2012 Pathways...

3D Wire Work...
I really enjoyed experiencing the 3D pathway, I have used wire before but never welded it together. The wire I have previously used has been craft wire that is really bendy and easy to manipulate, but this time I was able to use a spot welder to attach lots of pieces of wire together. I used my ink drawing from Dolphinholme to base my work on, and overall I think it was very successful. Wire work really interests me and I think I would like to carry on with it and mix it with my textiles.

The work of Helaina Sharpley is detailed and intricate, and she also works with some natural elements (however, this isnt what she is most famous for, she works with teacups). The more natural works created by Helaina are what I am interested in. In the image of her work below, she uses thin wire to include detail, I have also used the thin wire to draw more easily with. I can relate to this type of work as I enjoy working with wire and took great pleasure in creating my piece. Helaina's work is detailed and time consuming, but every item is unique and this is what  like about wire. 

http://www.ruralarts.org/?attachment_id=1972

Dress Photos

Photos by Jessica Stephenson