Textiles in Practice: Unit X

Textiles in Practice - Unit X

For unit X I based my designs on research I gathered from the Whitworth Gallery and Manchester art gallery. The basis of my inspiration was mainly derived from ceramics and all stemmed from Halima Cassells ceramic work.

Halima Cassell: Eclectic- Global Inspirations

Manchester Art Gallery Walls

 At Manchester art gallery, I also found the intricate wall detail carvings very inspirational and how many intricate designs in the walls makes up one grand design. For this project, focusing on tiles, it was important to create repeated patterns. The best thing I found during this project to help realise this was by reflecting my designs in illustrator to create larger more abstract designs; some which look more Kaleidoscope like.  I was really interested in the early century pot designs, and merging this older style, with Halima Casseslls more modern abstract shapely approach. The result was a wide array of different designs. I found in this project particularly that I had a lot of very different inspiration, and had a hard time choosing one to fully focus on. I found this especially with the geometric reflective style, using my line designs; to the more whimsical ‘foresty’ inspired by the older ceramic plates.

Development (Whimsical)

Development (Whimsical)

Development - Structured

As a result, I found it hard to find a result as I had some many things I wished to experiment within my designs. I really enjoyed exploring the different filters in photoshop to try and create more interesting and less expected designs. However, I felt many of them were not strong enough to be in my final designs. During Unit X, I have really enjoyed the freedom I was given to which techniques I could use, and in this project felt that doing it all digital was the best way to go. In my second written assessment I noted that during my contextual studies, I was driven to do a more digital approach to help forward a less waste project. I also felt with the direction my inspiration was going, digital work was the closest I was going to get to the ‘tile like’ and intricate reflected designs, I had imagined. A lot of the deigns in the older buildings and older tiles, all have intricate repeated designs, so for the level of detail I wanted, digital felt the best way to go.

For the layout of my work I decided it would be an interesting idea to create an almost 'pattern book', similar to ones you can buy at craft stores, to help show the evolution of my designs, considering there are so many. I hope it made it abit more interesting and visual to the viewer. I also considered a pattern book for my final object to sell, however leaned more to an actual usable product. 

Overall, I to improve my project I feel I needed more original drawing inspiration in my book; as well as trying more hand techniques which I could have adapted in digital. I also feel I should have solely focused on one style to avoid confusion. I am also sad that I was unable to participate in the sale, due to lack of preparation in designing my final product. I planned to paper-mache my designs onto some sketch books. Due to time management I was unable to correct this mistake in time. I also had plans to print onto some canvas bags as well as scarves; shown at the end of my sketch book.  

Final design

Final design

Sampling

Sampling

Final Print 5 

William Kentridge - Thick Time Exhibition

Connect 4

For the Sampling unit I decided to focus on board games, as growing up it was one of my favourite type of games to play. I went to Zifferflat in the northern quarter to take pictures of different board games, as I knew they had a wide variety. I was happy to come across some which were a bit older and had more antique looking designs; as well as some famous more recent games. I also took a trip to Whitworth, and was inspired by the Thick Time exhibition, by William Kentridge. I was intrigued by how he had an almost scrap book approach to his textile and wasn’t afraid to mix different patterns, fabric and textures, to create an overall piece.

For my print, I decided in the end to go for two of the most well-known games, connect 4 and snakes and ladders. I chose these also as the colour pallets were so different and I wanted to challenge myself in being able to coordinate them both successfully in a print.

Overall, I would say I have struggled with this unit, I failed on behalf of organisation, and found myself rushing various things and have limited myself with what I have learned. I found my sublimation prints never came out to be the right colour, and I would have to photoshop them to make them useful. However, sometimes this was a blessing in disguise, as it meant I thought harder about combing different techniques together and making more interesting background.

In this unit I really enjoyed digital print, I like how easy to was to manipulate and develop each print into new samples, and enjoyed discovering some of the limits of the brush tools.

Snakes and Ladders

Textiles in Practice: Origins Reflections

Starting Origins I was very excited to delve deeper into textiles further than what I had done before and explore all aspects, especially 3D. I highly anticipated learning how to use the looms, and seeing where embroidery could take me; as well as refreshing myself with some knitting and print.

To begin with print was most familiar and I was excited to begin. However I don't think I got involved with the hand printing as much as I found it hard to be creative with pre-done screens. So I decided to focus my efforts on digital print and really enjoying being able to use the brush tool so freely to create different layered and multi coloured prints.
Next, embroidery was definitely my downfall of the bunch, I found it hard to translate what I had drawn in my summer project using the needle. And the lack of colour made it hard for me to really express myself, and I unfortunately pushed embroidery to the side. I found it hard to manoeuvre the fabric on the machine and it was an over all stressful 2 weeks, and I wish I had spent more time with it.
Next unexpectedly I really enjoyed weave. The use of colour, and 3D aspects really brought it to life and I loved experimenting with all the new patterns and the the way it affected the weave with the use of thread, and different thickness. As well as adding tassels, and thicker lines. This made me doubt my first decision to do print as I enjoyed it so much. However I didn't anticipate how time consuming weaving was, and it took me a while to get into the groove of the patterns. I wish I had more time to add to my collection.
Finally, I also really enjoyed knit, delving back into my previous knowledge was useful, and I enjoyed trying to create samples. I tried to make them as interesting as possible for my technical file and wish we could have created samples from research for this, as I really enjoyed it.
Overall Origins has been an eye opener and helped me to pick out what I enjoy most and excel in most. I think going forward Print, then Weave is the areas I wish to learn more in.