UNIT X - 22/5/14

Over the final week of the project my work has begun to come together. The most exciting and challenging part of this project has been designing my work for the Vertical Gallery. The opportunity to be able to realise my ideas has been very beneficial as I have never created work on this scale before and there have been many factors to consider that I had not thought about before. I am now looking forward to making and installing the work and to see how the final piece will turn out for the degree show.

Alongside this I have continued to create samples, with the intention of being for a interior wall piece. The samples have become very geometric and this is a element that I would like to develop, both in my textile samples and drawings. 

The drawing side to my work has been particular enjoyable and informative for this project. I believe this is because it is a quicker process in which to create work and generate ideas as at times hand sewing and embellishing the fabrics can be a lengthy process to achieve the results required. 

The combination of using the laser cutter and hand embroidery is proving interesting and I feel there is scope for developing the combination of a machine led process with hand processes.

Furthermore, I have completed my website and I am happy with how it has turned out. http://alixdessain.wix.com/alix I feel that it shows my style of work and the range of work I produce. Alongside this I have created business cards that will be ready in time for the degree show.

Finally, I have been fortunate in securing an internship for 6 weeks over the summer for Coops London. I am now looking forward to learning more about working for a design company and seeing all aspects of how a creative design business runs. 

UNIT X- 16/5/13

Continuing on from creating my digital drawings to inform my practical samples, I have now begun to stitch these works to create physical pieces of work. Through incorporating the laser cut etching and stitch, a combination of new and old processes are combined.  I am particularly enjoying creating these pieces as although they are very simple, they represent the timetable clearly whilst also creating a graphic graphic quality. The numbers from the airport timetable are represented through colours, quantity and line thickness.

Evelin Kasikov is a graphic designer who creates stitched illustrations. She uses typography, grid systems and design techniques to challenge the preconceptions of embroidery, whilst ensuring her work maintains a mathematical edge. I like her work due to its simple composition of colour and how there is a element of restrictions and rules to her pieces. These are factors that I try to incorporate into my work; setting rules to follow (such as numbers represented by a certain colour) and keeping a simple compostion of shapes and line from which to work from.

I have begun to create and design a website to ensure that I have a online presence to showcase my work. This has been a interesting process as it has allowed me to put the body of work into separate strands and see the different aspects that have been created. Below are screenshots of how the website is currently looking.

UNIT X - 9/5/14

As a result of my proposal for the Vertical Gallery being successful, I have been altering my design as the work now needs to be double sided as it will hang on the second floor outside of the lifts, so will be visible from all angles. This has been challenging but interesting as it has made me realise how important scale is and how a consideration to the space and architectural elements is vital. The process is proving to be very exciting (and slightly scary!) but I am looking forward to completing the work and translating a small sample into a full scale interior hanging piece for the show.

Three panels with smaller components on the middle section, as see from the lifts.

Three panels with bigger components on the middle section, seen from a distance. 

I have been exploring how to take the components off the surface, the most successful option was to use metal links to join each piece to allow the wood to be seen from both sides. I like how this has turned out as it creates a negative space in the shape of the triangles as well as the possibility to create two different designs, one on each side.  I have also increased the size of the components to 10 cm squared, as if they were smaller I think that they would have got lost in the space. 

Deciding on the design of the piece has proved a challenge to visualise as there are so many possible options, such as the component size, placement of colour and hanging arrangements . Whilst also having not yet created the piece I have found it hard to fully envisage how the final piece will look. I have begun to create some visualisations of how the placement of the tiles could create a larger pattern from a distance. I have referred back to my original drawings on the Airport runway markings and trying to achieve the lines and curves that were visible.

UNIT X- 2/5/14

I have been looking into data visualisation designers to look at different ways of recreating the airport timetable. This has helped me to develop the shape, scale and layout of my work.

David McCandless is a British based designer who focuses on visualising information. I like his designs as they present the data in a informative way with a emphasis on using block colours in simple arrangements.#

David McCandless


Natashsa Nuttal has visualised her blogging habits using a geometric pattern of triangles. This has helped me to consider varying the way in which the components can be applied, in particular using one small component to create a larger shape.


Natasha Nuttal


Furthermore, I have been creating a range of drawings that have strongly informed my samples. Through the computer based drawings it allows me to quickly create and visualise my ideas that could then be translated into textile based pieces. Through making the drawings I have developed my skills on Illustrator and I have enjoyed the process far more than expected as I can produce results quickly and accurately. Some of the drawings are particularly reminiscent of embroidery and would translate into stitch well.

UNIT X - 25/4/14

It became apparent that I needed to explore the grounds I was working on further to provide a greater variation and find something more suitable. After visiting Berwick Street in London I discovered some more translucent fabrics such as Latex and Rip Stop, that have proven to be successful and are particular effect when displayed against light.

I visited the ‘Artist Textiles : Picasso to Warhol’ exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum which had some interesting and intriguing pieces. Althought designed for the Fashion and Accesories market there were several scarf designs there which provided me with further ideas of how I could divide and arrange components in a square for my wooden samples.  In Particular Wesley Simpsons scarf proved to be inspiring both in terms of the division of the square and creating a pattern with a pattern.

UNIT X - 4/4/14

Through the lasercut and etched shapes, a patchwork style has begun to emerge through the arrangement of the components. This has lead me to begin to explore artists who are interpreting the traditional term of patchwork in innovative ways.

Greely Myatt has created patchwork pieces using aluminium and road  signs.  Reusing materials was traditionally part of the patchwork process and through using recycled materials he is reviving this element of the process. His combination of primary colours and the use of geometry is reminiscent of my samples and reinforces how they can work well together.

Stephen Sollins creates patchwork pieces using the inside of envelopes. Through the varying patterns a very geometric pattern is achieved. I like how the repetition of a simple shape and a slight variation of pattern a interesting piece is achieved.

    Greely Myatt                                               Stephen Sollins

                                      

I submitted a proposal for the Vertical Gallery commission which was a worthwhile experience as it forced me to start to bring my ideas together and plan my time efficiently for the remainder of the unit.  The presentation part was slightly daunting, but presenting my ideas is something that I will have to do in the future and this was good practice of the process. It also made me consider factors such as costing, production timescale and installation. When I am creating samples these concerns are rarely considered and it made me fully consider how the sample could work on a larger scale.  

The open portfolio session with MMU textile graduates was very useful and it was very worthwhile to see how the portfolios have been compiled. I gained some useful information, such as good websites to use to create a online portfolio ( e.g WIX) and how to display images to show off the work to its full potential.  

UNIT X - 21/3/14

Continuing on from my data visualisation work from the last unit I have begun to look at  the information surrounding Manchester airport. I have chosen this source of data as it is a huge travel network with over 600 daily flights whilst also conecting Manchester with the wider world . Through looking at the travel movement, I have begun to manipulate the data and timings surrounding the arrival and departure of aircraft at Manchester airport, through the use of colour, proportion and placement.

I visited the airport and was very fortunate to be given the opportunity to have access to the fire station and the watch tower which gave a fantastic perspective of the terminals.  From these aerial images I have begun to draw to create a sense of the space to be incorporated into my work. The markings on the runways and the shapes created  when seen from above were particularly interesting as it showed the location from a new angle.

I looked into incorporating the destination the aircrafts were travelling to and arriving from through the country’s flag, focusing on the colour. But these drawings were not successful as the colours and shapes were too obvious and block like. In future work, I would like to incorproate this idea of representing the place (in this case the country) along with the data as it adds further meaning to the work.

Furthermore, I installed my work at Stockport Art Gallery for the exhibition ‘Irregularities’, a collective of work from Level 6 embroidery students   It was a great experience as I had the opportunity to personally install my work in a gallery and begin to learn about the considerations of curating a group exhibiton, such as promotion and professionalism of displaying.

23/02/14 Practice

I have put the abstract prints of the bus seat fabrics onto my compoments and I am happy with the results as it adds a new element to the samples. This is an area that I would like to experiment with further as I think that through adding pattern a interesting surface can be created through the joining of the shapes.  My samples have also become more tactile and textural than previously which is also another area to be explored.

In regards to furthering my work there are several elements that I would like to experiment more within Unit X. I intend to start to work on a larger scale and create bigger samples as I would like to realise a large scale interior wall piece. Whilst still exploring the concept of using numbers, I want to fully explore the possibilities of combining and layering colour and explore working with pattern further. I want to  create work that is still derieved from data but uses a set of figures that the viewer can relate to more easily, as the X57 bus route is very specific. This may be through national or global statistics or extracting numbers from the news.

Moreover, I also would like to continue my paper collection as it has really started to inform and develop my work. I would like to create a collection of paper pieces and potentially work on a book/catalogue that would illustrate my ideas and that could be distributed to potential retail outlets that may be interested in my work, such as Flow Gallery in London.

As the final weeks of the project have gone by, I have felt excited by the possibilites of my final samples and how these could really be pushed further and developed.  I just wish that these ideas had come earlier in the project. But moving towards Unit X, I am looking forward to fully exploiting the possibilites of combining data and embroidery to create unique textile pieces.

16/2/14 Pratice

By continuing to concentrate on what is on the surface rather than the surface itself, it has allowed me to push my ideas forward and experiment more.  It has become apparent to me that it is the texture, colour and pattern on the surface that I am interested in, rather than the ground that I am working into.  Using simple shapes, I have layered, repeated and stacked the components to create varying textures whilst still translating the numbers from the bus timetable into a pattern.

I received some photos of the work in Paris displayed at the show and it was great to see it as it was intended to be showed. Following on from the exhibition, the piece along with everyone else’s work is going to be shown at Stockport Art Gallery. This is an exciting opportunity and I am looking forward to being part of the full process of setting up an exhibition and learning more about the procedure of curating.
Crafts Council have a large range of oppurtunites that are posted on their website as well as useful guidelines in regards to seeking out gallery oppurtunites.

I have looked at the work of Anne Kyro Quinn who designs and produces a range of sculptural interior accessories using felt with a strong emphasis on three-dimensional structures. The studio create the pieces by hand and then work with architects and interior designers to create bespoke textiles for the commercial, retail and domestic environments. They have created work for the high profile corporations such as the BBC, Quator Airlines and the Hyatt Hotel Group. This is an area where I would like to see my work going, creating commissioned interior pieces whilst working and networking with architects and designers. 
 

                                       Anne Kyro Quinn

9/2/14 Practice

Through concentrating on the minor side to the project and working on my paper based pieces, it has started to inform and generate ideas for the major project. I have been experimenting with colour, shape, line and composition to create a series of finished paper pieces. It has been enjoyable as I have been able to quickly explore various possibilities and outcomes. This allows me to see how these could work with more substantial materials, such as acrylic or wood, that could be used on a larger scale within an interior environment.

Sandra Fettingis creates geometric sculptures and wall murals alongside a range of jewellery. Her patterned based pieces are shown in a variety of contexts, but predominantly in a gallery setting. Her jewellery work is sold in selected retail outlets as well as through a personal online shop. Through designing and making for two different contexts and varying scales it allows her work to become more diverse and further exposed.

I envisage my work to be seen within a similar context to her work, having a body of working concentrating on more durable and selected substrates combined with my paper work that is more accessible.

     Sandra Fettingis