Artist Research

From producing samples, I am considering where my work could be seen. My pieces are starting to take the form of a wall piece to be shown in interiors or as an installation. The main context behind it is that it will be shown on a wall. I discovered the work of the the Bouroullec Brothers and I love their very simple but effective designs. The piece that caught my eye the most was their piece called 'Algue', which is used as either a room divider or a decorative piece for the walls.  Algae shaped plastic components are joined together in any shape to make the required design. The natural shapes that are formed could be translated into my work and the idea of being placed on a wall or across multiple walls is a concept that I would like to explore further with my work. 

For unit X I looked at the work of Mia Pearlman and I have been drawn back to her stunning paper cut outs. I love the very natural and free flowing feel of her pieces and the way she hangs her pieces as they drape from wall to wall and onto the ceiling. 

The First Cut Exhibition

I visited the newly opened exhibition, the First Cut, at Manchester Art Gallery and I was inspired and amazed at the intricacy of a lot of the work. One of my favourite pieces was by Noriko Ambe who cut hundreds of layers of paper to create an undulating surfacing, reminding me of a topography map.  She cuts each piece of paper by hand so that no line is perfect and to achieve subtle differences in each layer representing that nature is in no way flawless.  I like this organic approach that I feel I can apply to my work and let the tools I am working with direct my work, rather than trying to make my pieces appear precise and accurate.

I also had the chance to see Mia Pearlman’s work in the flesh. I love her large scale, free flowing paper cut outs. The shadows produced are amazing and when light shines through the overall effect becomes even more vivid. I especially like how her pieces are not restricted to one wall, but are often spread across the ceiling creating a much more atmospheric look.

Inspiration

I find the work of Ingrid Calame interesting; she simply traces found marks and enlarges them to produce an interesting piece of art. The way that when made into the final pieces they do not look like the marks, but something a lot more abstract appeals to me and is something that I would like try to  bring into my work.  I also like the layering and the simplicity of the line, a quality that could be translated into embroidery in many ways. 

Intentions- Research

For the first project of second year, I have continued looking at similar ideas to that of the summer project, found marks.  I have tried to capture some of the lesser seen marks and lines found in Manchester that often will pass people by. Similarly to my photos of Montenegro, the pictures start to look like maps and aerial views of islands. I have always been drawn to maps. I am inspired by the pattern and colour of the lines and being able to discover about new places.  Since collecting the images I have started to draw and sample, concentrating of the lines, colour and shapes of the images. 

Summer Project

 During the summer I visited Montenegro, a country that I did not know much about, so I decided to base my summer project on this small country. I was staying in a small remote village which had some stunning ageing buildings. I loved the patterns and lines created by the layers of paint that had been painted on top of over the years.  From noticing these shapes I started to notice lots of intriguing shapes throughout the rest of my stay, from lamp posts to marks on the ground. They look like maps and imaginary worlds seen from above, despite being zoomed in images.  The shape of Montenegro is very interesting as it has a long inlet of sea, some of the marks I found almost started to look like the outline of the country.

Context Sheet

Below is my context sheet for my project, I have chosen a selection of images that show my journey through the project, including my inspiration, sampling, digital work and final outcomes. I enjoyed putting this sheet together, as it allowed me to realise and reflect on how I got to the final design. 

Strong Image

As my strong image that is to be shown on the screen on Oxford Road I have chosen the image below. I decided to choose this photo as when combined with my visualisation it shows a close up of what the final outlook could look like. I like the details and the shadows, as well as the colours, which reflect the colours of the Manchester Metro Map. It will be interesting ( and a bit nerve racking!) to see how it looks once it is up on the big screen.

Final Visualisation

After struggling to get the desired effect with my visualisations, I had another attempt focusing more on creating a sculptural wall piece. In a digital session, Mary helped me to create a pattern using my folded paper designs which were then placed in situ in the new build, using an artists impressions photo.  I prefer this visualisation as it shows what I want to achieve as well as looking more professional than my previous attempts.  I decided to place it in the reception area as it relates back to the use of maps in my projects of arriving somewhere new and not knowing where to go, therefore needing a map to guide you. The build up of layers on the image too reminds me of maps when the relief is show of hills or mountains.

Displaying My Piece...

I've started to thinking about different ways in which to arrange my sculptural piece. I did a few quick sketches to illustrated how it could be displayed. I definitely like the idea of hanging, whether in space or against a wall. I also like the idea of bringing light into it somehow, maybe arranged a around a hanging light bulb (bottom left sketch) or having light behind it, such as a window or using artifical light that will shine through the piece and create a interesting effect and shadows. 

Mia Pearlman

Having just changed my idea for my final proposal, I saw that Hannah had posted about the artist american Mia Pearlman on the group blog and I really like her work. I feel that it is along the lines of how I envisage my final piece to look if it was to be made. Her paper installations have a similar look to my work in that it is very sculptural and plays with form and I like the draping look to it whilst still being a solid structure. I love how they go from wall to ceiling and onto the floor, something that I will consider for my piece and think could look could in the new building where the walls are very high,a sculptural piece could help to close the space down and make it feel more intimate in areas. 

More Visualisation Work...

Whilst working on my visualisations and playing around with different ways of arranging and photographing my folded paper designs I started to think that maybe my ideas were not that suited to a room divider but something more sculptural. They have become alot more 3D and form based, which are not what a room divider is about. I like how they lay on top of eachother and drape in different ways. I started to play around more with my ideas and the more I did the more I realised that a sculptural form was more suitable as my final outcome. Thinking about my idea practically, a wall divider made of paper may not have been the most suitable as its likely to have not withstood the wear and tear of being used constantly.  Here are some of the photos that helped me to conclude that a a sculptural piece/ wall piece was what I wanted to do.

My Visualisations

I went to the new Business School here at MMU to photogrpah the interiors as this is similar in style to what the new art school will look like, and could work well as a background to my visualisations. I started to play around by putting my ideas into the space...

This was my first attempt at a visualisation using Photoshop. The background is one of the images I took inside the Business School and then had a pixelated effect added. It looks too much like I have just put my designs on top and looks too solid and structured. 

I then tried using a photo taken from the Living It groups visit inside the new build, as it gives the feeling of the new space. My paper designs all look too neat and perfect here which is not how i envisaged them to be at all. 

This was my next attempt, although it looks a little bit less forced and it place it still looks too perfect to me. I feel like I need to play around with my ideas a little bit more and see what happens and if a better outcome can be achieved. 

My Work...

 Not knowing what to do with the prints I have created I started to think in what other ways I could manipulate the paper to make a more interesting room divider. I immediately thought of origami, so I looked at he various ways in which different shapes were made. I Started to play around with paper, folding it and cutting it in different ways and this is what turned out....

My Work...

Having printed the scanned images ( that were then manipulated in Photoshop) on A1 I wanted to do more with them to make them more interesting and attractive, so I screen printed onto them. Although I like the pattern and design, I do not like the quality produced. When printing onto the tracing paper with the procion dyes, the paper tended to ruffle when it dried so a completely smooth surface wasn't created. I tried to press this out, but the crispness of the tracing paper never came back and I could get smooth finish. I carried on working into them more in the  machine room, using the embroidery foot and the pin tuck foot to achieve parallel lines. I really like the effect the stitch gives, as it reminds me more of the original lines on the maps and adds a bit of texture to the paper. Using the A1 tracing paper on the sewing machines was a bit of a challenge as it isnt as easily manipulated as fabric, I lost a bit of the crispness of the paper from the folding and crumpling I had to do in order for it to fit under the needle.

Room Divider

I have done some more research, as I have decided that it is a room divider that I’d like to propose. I have decided upon this over a blind as I feel that as the new building is so open plan that to be able to make it feel more intimate when need will be very beneficial while still having the feeling of space.

Here are a few more images that are helping me to design and think of ideas for a new room divider. I have chosen these because they split a room up, but are not solid walls which ensures the feeling of space is maintained while still adding the feeling of closing the room down to a smaller space. 

I really like the simple graphic pattern created by this room divider by Apartment Therapy, which has been made using old painted vinyls.  

'MOLO' have created a room divider with a honeycomb design that can be easily moved and  stretched up to  4.5 metres. I like the innovative use of cardboard that has been developed to created a simple but elegant design. 

This wall divider, by 'The Brick House' , made using rope cleverly splits the room in two while still keeping the room as one.

Bloomming Design Studio

I have found a company that makes interesting wall dividers amongst other products such as vases, clocks and tables. Bloomming is a Dutch design studio who have created a stainless steel blind/ wall divider whereby the diamond shaped components can be moved and tilted to created varying patterns and allowing patterns to be created by the shadows. I really like this idea as it allows you to change the design and allow different amount of lights to penetrate through. I want to see if I can do something with my ideas to achieve a changing pattern or let different shadows be created. 

Large Scale Printing

Not being very good with technology I have kept putting off going to use the large scale printers, but I have finally gone, and although it is quite complicated it is easier than I thought it would be! I scanned my maps in using the A3 scanners in the Mac suite in Chatham, I edited some of them and made them into patterns by layering and repeating them on Photoshop, shown below in the pictures. I have never created patterns on Photoshop before, but I surprisingly really enjoyed the process. It was so quick to make a pattern, just by duplicating layer and then layering them. This is a process that I definitely want to keep on working with and seeing what effects and patterns I can produce. I printed these off onto both A1 paper and A1 tracing paper and will now work into them and see what results will come out! It was great to see my designs on such a large scale rather than just on a screen. Seeing them big allowed me to see them in a new way and help to visualise what I wanted to achieve alot more, it was also satisfying seeing your work come out so big.

My Ideas... Tracing Paper

I was playing around with various papers and fabrics that I had, and started to use tracing paper, which I liked the effects that were being produced. I like the transparency of it, especially when it is folded and the patterns start to overlap each other, making different patterns from different angles. I think it could be suited to being used as a blind or a wall divider split up the space in the open plan areas of the building. It could also look good as a textured wall or a wall hanging on a large scale.

The above two pictures are my samples using tracing paper with drawing, stitching, masking tape on them, and then folded to distort the pattern and make it more 3D.

This is various of layers (including acetate, tracing paper and handmade paper) on top of each other. The printing didn't work very well on the acetate, where the green has crumbled, but I still like the layered effect and the combination of shapes and lines produced by a combination of screen printing, drawing and machine stitch.  I am going to carry on this idea of layering. 

CV

ALIX DESSAIN                                                                      

EDUCATION

2011- Present             Manchester Metropolitan University

                                    BA (Hons) Textiles in Practice

2010-2011                         Oxford and Cherwell Valley College

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design- Distinction

2002-2009                       Bloxham School, Oxfordshire

3 A Levels in French, Geography and Spanish (B,B,C)

1 AS Level in Textiles (A)

10 GCSE’s - grades A*-C

WORK EXPERIENCE

November 2010- Present: Inn at Farnborough

            I work as a waitress in this busy pub having contact with the customers, handling money and occasionally working behind the bar.

July 2008- August 2012- Rachel Jones Flowers.
           I assisted this local florist on a variety of events, such as weddings, parties and corporate events. I would prepare the flowers and help with putting the arrangements together. 

June 2007- August 2011: K2 Recruitment

            I regularly work at a variety of venues as a temporary retail assistant at a range of designer shops in Bicester Village Outlet Centre, including Mulberry and Matthew Williamson. I have also worked at Silverstone Race Track at motor racing events as a waitress. As well as in 2009,I had the chance to travel to Abu Dhabi to work at the Grand Prix.

I am currently in my first year of university studying Textiles in Practice. I have really enjoyed my time on the course and being able to discover new techniques as well as improving those that I already knew. I have particularly enjoyed using the facilities of screen-printing and the machine embroidery room. Combining these two techniques has been key to my work and sampling this year, and I am sure will carry on throughout my degree. I like the speed and effects produced from machine embroidery combined with my own designs from printing that helps make my work feel like my own.

My ideas for my work often lead to back to the theme of travelling combined with geography. Having lived in France and Belgium when I was younger, travelling has always been in my bones and since then I have visited a number of countries including Morocco, Peru and Brazil. I always find myself looking to these countries for inspiration, from the colours, patterns and my memories of my time spent there, maybe in the hope that I could go back to visit them one day!

Digital Workshop

I went to the digital workshop yesterday with Mary Stark, as using computers and Photoshop is definitely not my strongest point! This session was really helpful as she showed us how to digitally visualize our ideas in the new building. This is essential to the project, and the design world today, as a digital image of the piece allows it to be seen in context. I started to get to grips a bit more with Photoshop and this is the result of the session. It isn't the best quality, but once I have decided on my final image and get to know Photoshop more it will hopefully look a little bit better! The piece below is not an idea of mine, but a found image that vaguely relates to my project in that it is a hanging and placed against a wall. 

My Work....

After looking at more maps, the map that stood out to me the most was the tram map, not only are the trams iconic to Manchester but the bold graphic colours stood out to me.  I started to draw more from this and started to like the results more than what I was doing before. I went into the machine room to begin sampling my ideas, which are shown below. 

These were just sowing onto strips of bias binding and webbing, i like the results of the the lines and colours together, but I need to find a better surface to sew into, maybe something more delicate and paper like but that can still hold its structure when folded. 

This piece was weaving the bias binding having sewn into it, I like it but think it could be developed further to make it more interesting.  The piece on the right here is sewing into bubble wrap, I like the texture of bubble wrap and how it is transparent but you cant see everything clearly. I want to carry on working with materials that are see-through and allow the light through.