Category Archives: ATV Research and reflection

Textiles 1 Part 4 Yarn and linear exploration Written reflection

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I have enjoyed this section working with a variety of materials to create linear forms. Each exercise led me in a different direction to create a vibrant, textured, imaginative, sensitive and exciting yarn collection with lots of ideas for further development.

Close observation of my original drawings, colour wraps, watercolour strips, and collages has informed my choice of materials, and design. I learnt a lot about development from the original image to the finished sample, for example choosing materials with transparency and using further deconstruction to create yarns for exercise 4.4.

I have demonstrated that I can develop from an initial image – such as the collage exercise – through to a yarn sample that has clear similarities to the original but also has its own design features, which can then serve as a starting point for more development. I have also demonstrated how one sample idea inspired by the single colour collage has been used for a further sample inspired by the multicoloured collage (using rounded shapes to stitch onto a backing to create firstly a single line of motifs and then developed to a more abstract form using the fabric from which the motifs were cut as a negative space).

Within each exercise I started by gathering together a pile of materials to reflect the original image; some of these had been used to create the original sample such as the yarn wraps, and with some I had to reflect the colours and tones from scratch such as the watercolour studies. With some exercises I needed to find other materials such as exercise 4.2 where I found and used plastic rings, buttons, cocktail sticks, pot pourri, paper, beads and sequins. I find that now we are in lockdown, it presents an interesting and useful exercise to only use things that I have at home.

I am looking forward to using everything I have learned in Part 5.

Assessment criteria

Demonstration of technical and visual skills

I have demonstrated the process of close observation of a source through to the design and making of various samples. I have used my technical skills in exercise 4.3 to construct different yarns, focussing on technique, and then progressing to using some of these yarns with another technique (using Kumihimo braids to make Chinese knots). My samples are well made.

Quality of outcome

I have used a consistent approach to presentation, with a clear and coherent layout to communicate my ideas and samples both in my yarn outcomes and within my learning log. The resulting presentation is clear and exciting to look at.

Demonstration of creativity

I am developing a personal voice through my colour choices and techniques used while trying to be inventive and brave. I feel that I have experimented to move away from a traditional concept of yarn. I am developing my sketchbook with the use of printmaking to add to my drawings.

Context

I have practised critical thinking in my learning log as I have gone along, which has proved useful to stand back and think about my approach and achievements.

Also, when talking to my tutor a while ago she advised me to ‘absorb everything’. As everything in lockdown has to be in paper or online form, I have tried to look at lots of articles online about recycling materials, mending, and sharing techniques. I have subscribed to ‘Embroidery’ magazine, and also ‘Selvedge’, both of which have inspiring articles and photos, and also lots of links to online sites which then lead in another direction.

Textiles 1 Part 3 Colour studies Written reflection

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I have really enjoyed working with colour, developing colour palettes and creating different colour palettes with paint and textiles. Colour mixing was surprising – I needed to think about tone as well as colour, and tone was particularly important for the neutral samples. I experimented with mixing in all sorts of different colours to get the right result.

I have used colours that are not within my usual comfort zone, – colours of glass and unusual colour collage, and learnt lots of techniques to develop different ways of coming up with new ideas for colour, proportion and design – computer applications, use of old paintings, and collage.

Again the sampling and development of ideas has proved so useful in achieving a pleasing result, reinforcing what I learnt in previous studies. I particularly enjoyed the colour wraps – the textures, movement and colours within the materials are exciting to use and create vivid tactile studies. I also created tassels with the materials, and have used yarn to create a stitched piece based on one of the Old Masters. I successfully developed the watercolour studies into 3 crochet pieces to explore further the relationships in the colour palette.

The collage studies pushed me to become more experimental with design and the techniques I learnt will continue to influence my design ideas. It was useful to move away from the original source photo for the final three studies and I was able to use different scales and arrangements while retaining a feel for the original design. I am really pleased with these collages.

My presentation skills are improving and I am proud of my colour resource book, I am looking forward to using it for future studies, and continuing to fill the blank pages.

Assessment Criteria

Demonstration of technical and visual skills

I have used a variety of materials and techniques to present my ideas, and demonstrated my observational skills in my use of colour and materials. I have shown that my design skills are developing with interesting composition.

Quality of outcome

My work has been presented clearly and coherently both in my Colour resource book and my learning log. I have worked hard to ensure my log is clearly categorised and that my assignment is beautiful to look at while being logical and clearly annotated.

Demonstration of creativity

My imagination is becoming more developed with a greater sense of freedom and experimentation, but I want to push myself more to be brave and experiment more. I feel my personal voice shows in my collage and crochet pieces but this is another area that will develop with my studies and experimentation.

Context

This is probably the area that I find most difficult.

I enjoyed the research on textile artists and designers and can relate this to the colour work, seeing how a different colour palette can emerge from observation. I also found that narrowing down a colour palette and creating different palettes from one chosen colour can be an exciting process using computer software.

I still find reflection and critical thinking a difficult process and know I need to continue to work on this.

And finally

A couple more sketchbook pages

Part 2 Surface and stitch Assignment 2 and written reflection

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Paper manipulation library

Drawing with stitch onto paper

Developed and composed samples

Stitching placed and spaced

Written reflection

My approach to the first two projects was to draw on the skills  I already had and to try out new ideas. I found it hard to be loose and free in my mark making and I plan to keep working on this.

 I was apprehensive about the paper manipulation but found this part really exciting. Parts of the  drawings I had done could be isolated and these proved to be very inspiring when creating surfaces and stitching. I found it easier to work with paper than fabric as it retains its form and shape, and I particularly loved the delicacy of the fine papers when crumpled and softened to achieve drape and movement. There was a lot of satisfaction in stitching heavily into the fine papers without tearing them.

I feel my strengths are in composition, particularly in the two paper pieces which resulted in two very different exciting developed and composed samples.

 I spent so much time on the paper studies and composed paper pieces that I did not leave enough time to sample my fabric pieces in the same way. I chose different drawings to work from for the three stitched textile pieces as I liked the composition of the drawings and felt there was an opportunity to create different surfaces with fabrics and stitch, however in hindsight it would have been better to work from the body of paper samples and pieces that I already had from exercise 2.4 rather than starting again from new drawings. I also think this would have enabled me to move away from the original composition and to concentrate on shapes, surface,  marks and lines. I did however find that the drawings I chose for the textile pieces allowed me to demonstrate repetition, scale and a placement design successfully.

My study of the work of Cas Holmes inspired me to cut up the third piece and stitch it back together before adding further embellishment.

I now know that I need to allow more time to plan and try things out before jumping straight in. 

Part 1 Assignment 1 Drawing Folio and written reflection

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Assignment 1 Written reflection

When I first read each of the project briefs I was filled with ideas and had trouble narrowing these down. I found it hard to work without colour but once I had chosen a theme for the Introductory project I enjoyed concentrating on the qualities and placement of the objects and feel I achieved “Balance and Harmony” in the outcome. Research into Wabi Sabi later on intrigued me and I want to try using this in my future work.

I am new to blogging and realise that my online blog is not easy to follow in places where I have worked ‘out of order’. Overall however I am happy with how I have presented my work and I have gone back over it to label items more fully. I was out of the country for much of the time and that presented challenges with research.

I am aware on reflection that I have not been brave enough to work in a different way, for instance in scale and the use of different materials and tools; however I am pleased with my choices of subject and the communication of my ideas in the drawing I have done. For example I used shadows to create an image to paint which I used in ‘Picking and portraying’, this enabled me to be free in my watercolour painting to achieve a feeling of movement and spontaneity. I am pleased with my use of pattern, colour, detail, and composition.

My thoughts on my future work are that I will practise constant reflection, and will make more notes on my blog and on my drawings with this in mind. I will also read the whole assignment brief before I start so that I can ensure I have done relevant research before I begin, and can then reference this in my pieces and reflection.

Introductory Project

Balance and Harmony

Project 2 Recording and capturing

Project 3 Picking and portraying