Further adjustments to assignment 6 after tutor feedback

Once again my tutor has given me very in depth and helpful constructive criticism which I am using to try to improve my submission for this assignment. Unfortunately I am running out of time. With the deadline for the November assessment event at the end of September and having had a holiday at the beginning of September I wont have much time to get any amendments done.

On the indicative photographs my tutor had commented that: ‘The ‘pile of cushions’ image, though a simple idea, communicates your fabrics as a collection well, contrasting the changing scale of motif and density of pattern’. I had agreed, I liked the stack of cushions and will be presenting this picture as part of my assessment submission as part of a selection of the best photographs that i took for part 6.1 and 6.2.

On 6.3 – Trend book continuation she had said ‘This summarised your Brightly Light project well. The photos of layered fabrics presented the fabrics as a collection beautifully. The presentation is clean and minimal, and it’s great to full pages for some of your imagery. Some of the images were quite similar, so you could perhaps remove a few to make it more succinct (or crop some to make them look more different).’ I have taken another look at this and removed a couple of pictures that were very similar to others, I also made sure that the photographs that were not my own were referenced in the back cover as she suggested. This little booklet now flows much better and is a good accompaniment to the samples and other work.

On a similar note I also swapped the images on the illustrated proposal for deconstruction to show the image of the panel at the top rather than the specification.

My tutor thought that my 6.5 Independent Project Presentation The proposal read well, setting the scene of the theme. but felt that some of the description could be more evocative. ‘E.g. instead of “artificial mood lighting”, describe the quality of the light – is it dim, soft, harsh… What is the “mood”? Does the light change / move or is it static?’ I have now added to this description to make this better understood.

She also made a couple of other suggestions; ‘Perhaps the plastic could continue almost 360 degrees, with light shining through the floor, so it is more enveloping, immersive and claustrophobic. Or change the box to a more amorphous shape with a smaller entrance….’ I originally designed it as a cubicle or box and as discussed in the earlier work it would need to be a very simple shape. I tried visualising it as a tunnel (like you would have at an aquarium) as I hoped that this could be even more immersive. On reflection I feel that as aquariums use this model it could just end up making the audience see it as such. I originally chose the rectangular shape as it is suggestive of being confined or trapped, rather like a cage or coffin. I also feel that it would work better in a smaller gallery situation. I have also decided to stick with the sand substrate on the floor as I really wanted the effect of walking under the sea with the masses of waste surrounding you. More of the embroidered fish carcasses could also be placed on the floor to add to this sensation.

I have decided to keep the debris booklet as part of the proposal, choosing to include some of the new indicative photographs in the exhibition proposal itself as well as in the shortened version of the booklet. This along with my sample portfolio that goes with the project should show it in a much better way.

I tried to take some indicative photographs of the sample but it really was very unsuccessful. I cannot seem to get a decent shot of it no matter what I do. I did manage to get some photographs of the sample itself but it is far too small to get an indicative shot of someone standing in front or behind it. It requires light behind it to show it at it’s best but not light around it as this reflects off the shiny surface. Eventually I managed to take a photograph of my Husband standing in front of the sample and cropped it to remove all other detail making it looking as though he was stood looking through the wall of the installation. I altered this picture to enlarge the sample itself to make it more believable as a picture of an installation.

I really wanted a silhouette through the sample but was unable to achieve this as its a little too opaque and I don’t have strong enough lights to light it correctly. I managed to Photoshop an image for this purpose which worked. Getting the opacity right was a little tricky as too much created an unrealistic look I wanted to achieve a very feint silhouette to be believable which I think I achieved.

I also updated the ‘debris’ pamphlet to reflect the new material. I am much happier with the new version, I think it advertises the installation well and gives a sense of what a gallery could expect.

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TX2CC Assignment 6 tutor feedback

Formative feedback

Overall Comments

The fashion trend book is the strongest output, having benefited from the development work from ex.6.1. There is less work than expected in response to some of the other exercises, however, particularly for the debris project, where one existing idea has been visualised without evaluating its strength or considering alternatives. The written proposal is a suitable communication tool for this project but the visual aspects lack development, and the presentation of the imagery in the same format as the Brightly Light trend lacks analysis of the context and consideration of how the aesthetic of the theme could inform the presentation.

Feedback on assignment Demonstration of technical and Visual Skills, Quality of Outcome, Demonstration of Creativity

6.1 Indicative photography: You’ve explored different angles and compositions to visualise your fabrics on the body. Whilst the garden relates to the butterfly, you don’t mention how it communicates the Brightly Light theme. You identified that “a black top or dress beneath rather than the blue would focus the eye more onto the fabric”, and the same could be said for the background. For example, how would a flat background colour change the aesthetic of the image? The garden images vs more minimal background could have looked starkly different. Where would you expect to see such imagery (e.g. Vogue, Sunday supplement, fashion catalogue etc)? Whilst the garden background was justifiable, a stronger research method would have been to test more widely and then evaluate which approach worked best. I decided to use the garden not only due to its relevance to the butterfly but also for the light and for the flowers in the background. We were asked to consider backgrounds in the course notes. At the time I felt that a plain background, white for example would remove some of the feeling of fun found throughout the aesthetic and that it would feel too stark. As it happened, as the project progressed I did move towards a plain background  for the final drawing as I felt that the backgrounds distracted the eye from focusing on the fabrics.

The interior context posed more problems for you to solve, as you fought with felt to make it curve around the cushion. The rug worked well, as the solidity of the felt made it a believable product. Your exploration is more varied than the fashion photos, with more varied products tested. The ‘pile of cushions’ image, though a simple idea, communicates your fabrics as a collection well, contrasting the changing scale of motif and density of pattern. I agree, I liked the stack of cushions and will be presenting this picture as part of my assessment submission. I didn’t choose it as a final image as the brief was to choose one fabric to develop and the picture showed the whole collection.

The art textiles in the windows resulted in some nice imagery – the fabrics were enlivened by the light coming through them. I agree, this is why I particularly liked the outcome of that project. Creating transparency is something I enjoy using in my work. I love the interplay of layers to create combined views, as can be seen in my debris work too.The evaluative questions at the beginning of 6.2 have given you a good structure in which to critique your work, though some of the answers could have resulted in more analysis of the work itself. “How successfully do the images communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The plain painted walls give an exhibition feel to the work and communicate the context of art textiles well.” The white walls confer the feel of a gallery but how does your work respond to this stark environment? You’ve evaluated the images but consider also what it teaches you about the work. I have added a short paragraph about this point.

6.2 Propose in context The exploration for this part could have been much more varied, particularly in the interior context where there was potential to play with scale of motif on the chair. In the art textiles section, the quick drawings of ways to mount the work showed you using drawing to think about the communication of the work in more depth, which was great to see – more of this kind of thinking-through-drawing would be great to see in the sketchbook. You’ve made a good attempt to capture the transient colour of the organza fabric in the Brightly Light theme. The cuffs you’ve researched are made from hard materials, which have a very different commercial context- more research into relevant contemporary textiles products would have been beneficial. More analysis of this product context in contemporary fashion design could also have led to a more ambitious garment type being chosen. I must have misunderstood the instructions for this part a little. I thought we were to propose the use of our fabrics (that we had already produced) in context. This is why I didn’t alter the scale of motifs for example as the collection had already been produced. I couldn’t find any images of similar fabric cuffs (or bracelets) when doing my research. The sample lends itself to many different garments as investigated in the indicative photography where I showed it being used in a number of ways such as a shawl (or wrap) which, when I was originally working on the project was the end use I had in mind (as shown in my drawings at the end of assignment 2. Once I took the photograph of the sample around the wrist it looked a much more exciting proposition than a wrap or shawl so I chose to develop it in that direction.

6.3 – Trend book continuation This summarised your Brightly Light project well. The photos of layered fabrics presented the fabrics as a collection beautifully. The presentation is clean and minimal, and it’s great to full pages for some of your imagery. Some of the images were quite similar, so you could perhaps remove a few to make it more succinct (or crop some to make them look more different). I will take another look – thank you

6.4 Illustrated Proposal The proposal describes the concept well. The imagery on the front could be a little more seductive; the plan communicates the space well but it is technical drawing, rather than a rich image to entice the viewer. Consider presenting images of the textiles first, with the technical image on the reverse. A proposal is a marketing tool! You want to win that commission / exhibition! Thank you I will do that!

6.5 Independent Project Presentation The proposal reads well, setting the scene of the theme. The third paragraph becomes much more specific about what you want the audience to experience. Some of the description could be more evocative. E.g. instead of “artificial mood lighting”, describe the quality of the light – is it dim, soft, harsh… What is the “mood”? Does the light change / move or is it static? Thank you, I was struggling to find the words! Something to also consider in your evaluation of this work is that it is likely to be quite beautiful – the colours are rich and seductive. How can you create the feeling of unease or disorientation linked to the concept, so viewers don’t just enjoy the aesthetic? Perhaps the plastic could continue almost 360 degrees, with light shining through the floor, so it is more enveloping, immersive and claustrophobic. Or change the box to a more amorphous shape with a smaller entrance…. Exploring the visual communication of the work provides the opportunity to evaluate the success of the original idea. You’ve visualised your idea without allowing the process to challenge you to improve it. Thank you, I will go back and take another look. I originally designed it as a  cubicle or box and as discussed in the earlier work it would need to be a very simple shape. I may try showing it a s a tunnel (like you would have at an aquarium) as this could be even more immersive. I do quite like the idea of a sand substrate on the floor suggesting that you are actually walking on the seabed but will try showing it as a 360 degree view to see if that would work better.

Who is the intended audience for the debris trend book? Given that the proposal is an artwork, copying the trend book format is not the ideal communicative tool. The handbook suggests making a mini-portfolio similar to the trend book but not to copy it. The composition of this document -the layout and fonts- are the same as Brightly Light. Given how different the two aesthetics and contexts are, I’d expected to at least see modifications to the format. What would a curator / funder need to see to make the decision about giving you the commission/exhibition? How does the colour palette enhance that person’s understanding of your exhibition proposal? This course has challenged you to analyse contemporary textile contexts, and Part 6 asks you to demonstrate your new understanding. This is a neat summary of the development but does it communicate the concept/narrative of the installation? To be quite honest I really did not understand this part. I have never created a proposal before as I am not an artist (nor particularly want to become one). There was no guidance in the course notes on how this is done and all the information I found regarding producing a good proposal centred more on the illustrated proposal and your artist’s statement. For assessment I will be submitting a portfolio folder containing samples that pertain to this piece and had envisaged the trend book as a summary of the development. I will however take a look at it again and see if I can find a way that makes it work better as a tool to communicate the concept and narrative.

The trend book for ex.6.3 benefitted from the visual research developed in exercises 6.1 and 6.2. It was expected that you would use these methods to develop imagery to communicate your independent project. Whilst you have refined the drawing of the installation, there is limited visual exploration beyond this. Ex.6.5 was the opportunity for you to demonstrate what you’d learnt through part 6, but there is very little new work developed.

Prior to assessment, use skills learnt in exercises 6.1 & 6.2 to visualise your samples as an installation. The mini- portfolio can then contain new work which communicates the form/atmosphere/aesthetic of the installation. Whilst you might not have a large enough sample to photograph as an installation, you could photograph a smaller sample to evoke an appropriate sense of scale and its immersive quality (as you did in ex.6.1). E.g., photographing a sample within a space, as though it’s the edge of the installation; photographing through the sample to capture a silhouette behind it; photographing the samples with ‘mood’ lighting to communicate the atmosphere of your installation. Thank you I will revisit this and make sure it is all included before assessment. I had to submit this assignment before I  had managed to completely finish the alterations for part 5 that you suggested due to time constraints.

 

I also recommended reworking this assignment at the end of part 5, as you hadn’t developed a resolved collection. I think I have seen all these samples before. I strongly advise you to revise Part 5 to ensure you pass at assessment. Yes I have done this now. It wasn’t quite finished when I needed to submit the assignment to get it back before the assessment event.

Learning log: The log is structured well, with selected images used well to illustrate each post and the trend books are so easy to view.

There is minimal proactive research to inform your exploration, which we expect at this level, and there are still many missed opportunities for demonstrating your ability to evaluate your work. For example, in ex.6.1 in the interiors section you include imagery but just write “Other ideas, Left to right: Upholstery fabric, As before wrapped around chair upright, Cushion, Place mat / table runner”. What do you think about these ideas? Which display the fabric best; which are the strongest compositions?

Good evaluation should highlight areas for improvement as well as strengths. More emphasis on analysing what you could do better could have led to the development of a more solid body of work. Similarly, in your end of project evaluation, you often state what you’ve done but don’t explain how or give examples. “During this assignment I had to show a lot of visual awareness, design and composition skills in the making of the images and design proposals. What are the best examples of your composition skills? I also demonstrated using a range of materials and techniques to achieve them. Can you provide an example of where a material or technique was used particularly effectively in relation to the trend, or a technique executed well? I used some technical skills in both the photography and making of the drawings and trend books using both digital and traditional drawing skills throughout.”

“I used my creativity to produce a wide ranging, interesting and varied body of work for the assignment. Where did you do this particularly well? Where could you have improved? Although more technical in some areas than imaginative I tried to imagine what clients customers and audiences require and responded to this in the most creative way I could Where did you do this particularly well? Where did you not do this well.”

Re-working prior to assessment

– Develop a solid body of varied visual research for ex.6.5 based on ex.6.1+6.2. Evaluate and select from this to develop an exhibition proposal with a stronger visual narrative of the installation.

Preparation for Assessment

Reworking textiles: At the end of assignments 4 and 5 I asked you to review and re-work aspects of your course. I can’t find evidence of you reflecting on or acting on my feedback in your learning log. Please ensure the re- worked projects are critically evaluated in your learning log for assessment. Yes I have done this now

Learning log / Research Points: I’ve previously given you feedback relating to proofreading, referencing and critical evaluation. Review all feedback to ensure you’ve addressed the points made. If you are improving older posts, you could add new evaluations to the blog posts in a new colour or date it to make it clear that you’re adding retrospective evaluation. This has now been completed ready for assessment

Presentation: The physical work is usually the first thing the assessors review, followed by exploring the blog. To ensure you communicate your work to its best advantage, ensure the physical submission is really strong, and allow the learning log to play a supportive role. Rather than asking the assessor to hunt through the log to find the photos produced for ex.6.1, for example, print out the strongest images and leave the development work on the log. Part 6 is all about communication and presentation, so ensure that you demonstrate what you’ve learnt in how you present your work for assessment. Thank you I will make sure that I print off the best photographs for 6.1.

The textile tutors have recently written a few blog posts to help students prepare for assessment, which I recommend reading: https://weareoca.com/subject/textiles/textiles-organising-work-assessment/ https://weareoca.com/student-work/textiles-presentation-assessment/ https://weareoca.com/education/textiles-presenting-work-assessment/ –

Thank you, these were all very useful

Tutor name Cari Morton

Date 24th August 2018

Next assignment due N/A

Answers to your written questions:

– As stated above, I recommend printing selected photos, as these will communicate your work to the assessors with more immediacy. It also helps you demonstrate your evaluative skills in selecting the best and most appropriate images. – Presentation of the trend book as a separate booklet or add to original? Presenting it separately is fine. – It can be helpful to print off the learning log, as you can bookmark where each part starts and perhaps add retrospective notes, however, as you say, it isn’t necessary. Assessors are used to viewing it on a computer. I think for your last assessment you printed off piles of artist research which had minimal (or no?) annotation. You haven’t sent me any of this since assignment 2. Please don’t submit this for assessment either. Any research should be embedded and explored within the sketchbook or log (so it is evaluated and applied to your work).

 

Assignment 6, Review against the assessment criteria

 

Demonstration of technical and visual skills: Materials, techniques, observational skills, Visual awareness, design and compositional skills. During this assignment I had to show a lot of visual awareness, design and composition skills in the making of the images and design proposals. I also demonstrated using a range of materials and techniques to achieve them. I used some technical skills in both the photography and making of the drawings and trend books using both digital and traditional drawing skills throughout. I do not have a lot of photographic experience and feel that it showed in some of my images although most were successful in illustrating the proposed uses for the fabrics.

Quality of outcome: Content, application of knowledge, presentation of work in a coherent manner, discernment, conceptualisation of thoughts, communication of ideas. I feel that the quality and outcome of each exercise is good, looking both professional and well presented. The work is presented in an organised and coherent manner and each stage is easy to follow and is well communicated. Before assessment I may mount the proposal drawings up to improve the presentation of them. I am a little worried that the proposal for Debris is a little weak. I still have to finish the final samples for this so once they are complete I will add to this. I ran out of time at the end of the course and needed to get this assignment to my tutor to get it back in time for assessment. I am also not sure if this proposal is along the right lines as I have never done anything like it before so am looking forward to feedback on this.

Demonstration of creativity: Imagination, experimentation, invention, development of personal voice. I used my creativity to produce a wide ranging, interesting and varied body of work for the assignment. Although more technical in some areas than imaginative I tried to imagine what clients customers and audiences require and responded to this in the most creative way I could. In the final presentation of my samples I need to used imagination and invention as many are sheer or at least show better with light behind them. This leads to interesting issues when it comes to mounting. I am using acetate panels so that they can be held up to the light to be viewed.

Context: Reflection, research, critical thinking. Throughout the assignment I conducted research into contemporary artists’ ways of communicating their ideas for instance the way that contemporary jewellery designers present their work to clients in the forms of sketches, CAD drawings and models. I spent a lot of time reflecting and evaluating throughout this assignment which helped move the projects along to a successful outcome. I feel that I have not done as well as I could in the research area. For instance for the art textile projects I concentrated on the gallery spaces themselves rather than how things were actually displayed. I feel that more in depth research would have made me stronger in this area.

Assignment 6 reflection on presentation methods

My reflection on what I have learnt about methods of presenting and communicating my work to various audiences.

During part six I have explored a range of presentation methods, many for the first time. I would usually take some photographs of my work but would not necessarily do them for development and evaluation reasons, generally using them as a final record of the piece. I have never really used photography to move the project on by experimentally photographing the samples in context. This really worked well, especially in the cases of the Brightly Light Cuff and Solstice Chair as the photographs immediately suggested uses for the fabric that I had not considered before then.

The making of the trend books was really useful and something that I will use moving forward. I really enjoyed putting the booklets together and am pleased with the results. They chart the development of the project well and show the progression through the projects. They are also a very neat way to show the project as a whole and gave me the opportunity  to present them digitally as well as in paper form which is much more in keeping with a modern way of working than large display boards. They could be emailed to a potential client or sent on a disk or USB stick saving both waste and postage.

During this assignment I spent a lot of time using the computer for drawing and collaging which is something I have not done a lot of up to now. As the course notes stated, we need to have digital images and copies of our work for embedding within documents such as proposals and websites. This is a consideration that I had not thought about before so is another thing I will take with me from this course. It made sense to use a drawing program alongside more traditional methods especially when it came to more technical specification style drawings.In a way the whole course has made me think in a much more modern and professional way particularly when it comes to presenting my work to galleries or exhibitions.

Applying designs over an image of the proposed context is another thing that I have learnt through doing this part of the course. It is extremely helpful in suggesting new uses for the fabrics I design and the placement of my ideas especially when site specific larger scale items that would be difficult to explain in other ways. It is also helpful in a evaluative situation when deciding scale or form of an item in context.

I have often produced work for entry in wearable art competitions and have presented the idea as a design sketch with fabric samples, usually on a sizable display board. In the future I will be enclosing a written proposal and trend style booklet or slideshow to accompany the design explaining more about the background to the project and the key principles and behind it.

Assignment 6, Exercise 6.5 – Independent project presentation

During the original design development for the Debris project I produced a very rough sketch of an installation I had in mind for this project. Thanks in part to the feedback received from my tutor at the end of that assignment stating how she felt that the proposal of an installation using these melted plastics could be interesting especially if made from the plastics themselves rather than printing onto acetate as I had originally planned, and the way that the samples react to light passing through them, the idea has changed a little into this proposal. I envisage an installation made of the layered melted plastics making use of the patterns created within them as well as additions of ‘tangled’ masses of fishing wire and ‘plastic sea weed etc. big enough for the audience to walk through. The addition of a sand like floor and mood lighting shining through would give the impression of walking beneath the sea.

The audience for this proposal would be an art gallery or exhibition curator. Having worked through the previous exercises I decided to produce a written exhibition proposal accompanied by a mini-portfolio style booklet summary of the project.

I spent some time working on the computer redrawing the installation as best I could (I still need to practice and play about with the drawing program) and managed to produce a drawing that showed my idea including the transparent layered look of the piece. The smoothness of the digital drawing conveys the shine of the plastic that will be used and the positioning of people inside give it a sense of it’s size although the drawing is not to scale.

 

‘Debris’ Walk-through installation

Julie Hooker

 

Debris: Broken or torn pieces of something larger, detritus from the land polluting the sea. Leeching into the water, strangling, suffocating and poisoning all within.

This walk-through installation is in response to the recently highlighted issue of plastic debris in our seas, In our broken, wasteful and troubled world everything is disposable including, it would seem our respect and care for the environment and the other creatures with whom we share the world. It is just one side effect of our nearly broken traditional links with nature and its natural ebb and flow of life.

The devastation being caused by this issue is only just coming to light and will no doubt continue to grow unless awareness is increased and action taken to change behavior. We as a species need to ask ourselves the questions: what sort of future are we creating for our descendants and how can our individual actions shape our planet?  The aim of this installation is to prompt the audience to ask themselves these questions.

Walking into the installation, the audience will get a real sense of foreboding, sadness, fear and threat trying to look out through the seething mass of plastic surrounding them. Their eyes will be prevented from doing so due to the walls being too opaque to see through properly. The artificial mood lighting will add to the claustrophobic sensation of being under the sea with colours changing and creating shadows as the light passes through the plastic flotsam adding to the oppressive storm-like feeling suggesting how the rubbish is putting pressure on and strangling the sea and its sea life.

 

Proposed side and top panels detail

Measuring 5m long x 2m wide x 2.5m high, the installation is designed to be large enough for the audience to walk through and small enough to create the feeling of slight claustrophobia. It is to be constructed using melted plastics stretched over a metal frame making it both portable and re-usable, the re-cycled plastic fabric is beautifully crafted to maximise the subtle patterns created by the overlapping plastics including bubble wrap, plastic netting and plastic bags and tangled masses of plastic rope, fishing wire and stitched items. The effect of being under the sea will be further enhanced with programmable coloured mood lighting shining into the installation and a sand substrate floor mimicking walking on the sea bed.

Below is the accompanying mini-portfolio style booklet summary of the project:

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The booklet presents the journey from the visual research, design development, sampling and final proposal. It helps to explain the journey and show it is more detail so the the written proposal can be kept simple and sharp. The resulting document is visually striking and easily visualises my aims for the project. I am planning to use this as an added ‘back up’ to show the progression of the project along with the the portfolio of refined samples and the illustrated written proposal document mentioned above.

 

Assignment 6, Exercise 6.4 – Proposals for applications

I have to admit that I have been a bit unsure of how to tackle this exercise. I have never written a proposal for an art gallery so have no idea how to start. The instructions in the brief were not terribly very clear as to what form the proposal should take other than it should be written and illustrated and contain the following:

• Description of the concept (issues and ideas and how they were explored, focusing on the key principles rather than a diaristic list). Deconstructed textile window panel was originally based largely on the destruction of Aleppo in Syria during the recent war there but also serves to remind us of other wars and conflicts fought closer to home and further back in our collective past, with distant memories of the ruins of Ypres during the first world war and Coventry Cathedral during world war two.
• The work you propose supported by my proposal drawing and relative indicative photographs, dimensions and fabrics Proposal drawing, dimension diagram, Measuring 127cm x 27cm the work is designed to fit the gallery’s front Chapel style arched window and when backlit by the window, gives the effect of a stained glass. 
• How you intend to install it (wall mounted / suspended etc. to be installed within the window reveal against the window pane using repositionable temporary fixings.
• The role of the audience: The transparent nature of the cotton and manmade fabrics used offer the audience to peer through the devastation to their own world gaining a sense of how it would feel to be looking out on their own familiar building at an altered landscape and environment.

There was no guidance as to the required length of the written proposal. I have written just under 500 words and I feel it gives enough detail to make a good first impression and idea of how the piece would look and work in the environment it is designed for. I am hoping that my tutor will clarify this more during feedback.

‘Deconstruction’ Window Panel Proposal

Julie Hooker

 

 

Demolished, destroyed, deconstructed. Ruined and in tatters, what is left behind is but remnants of the past before conflict. Part of the original remains but in a different altered form, beauty can still be found within the new layers revealed symbolising the hope of reconstruction and new life to follow.

This deconstructed textile window panel was originally based largely on the destruction of Aleppo in Syria during the recent war there but also serves to remind us of other wars and conflicts fought closer to home and further back in our collective past, with distant memories of the ruins of Ypres during the first world war and Coventry Cathedral during world war two.

The devastation and suffering caused by conflict and war to the lives and environment of the innocent population is vast and wide reaching. There is no sparing of the people living in the areas affected by fighting, no sympathy for saving their history or cultural heritage, yet time and again people show such resilience and bravery and they appear to still manage to hold out hope whilst their world including their precious buildings and homes are being taken down almost brick by brick around them. The population have to decide whether to stay or flee, some hoping for a better life elsewhere, some choosing to stay in hope of liberation or that someone will save them. All abandoning their tattered and ruined belongings, memories and past lives and entering a new, altered reality.

I have always been struck by the remnants of life left behind after devastation; fragments of clothing, tattered curtains still hanging in the empty window frames of bombed out buildings and abandoned toys and home textiles once so loved and treasured, strewn around demolished homes. This piece explores these themes by using tattered and deconstructed textiles to create a sense of ruin and devastation against light to show a glimmer of hope for the future after reconstruction and the rebuilding of not only buildings and structures but lives as well.

Proposed panel detail

Measuring 127cm x 27cm the work is designed to fit the gallery’s front Chapel style arched window and when back lit by the window, gives the effect of a stained glass. It is designed to be installed within the window reveal against the window pane using repositionable temporary fixings. The transparent nature of the cotton and manmade fabrics used offer the audience to peer through the devastation to their own world gaining a sense of how it would feel to be looking out on their own familiar building at an altered landscape and environment.

 

 

 

Assignment 6, Exercise 6.3 – Colour and trend book continuation

I have chosen my fashion design collection to continue the development of my colour and trend book. This is to visualise how I developed and manifested my trends within the research, development and proposal imagery.

Following on from the original work in the book that visually communicated the atmosphere of the trend an the inspiration behind the project I developed new pages that present the textile collection and it’s proposed context using photographs of my collection as well as the indicative photographs from exercise 6.1.

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I went back to the original book itself and all my development work in my sketchbook as well as the photographs and drawings produced during this section of the course. I included some of my visual research, my development work as well as my favourite photographs of the textile collection and proposal photographs from exercise 6.1 the selection process took some time as this collection photographed particularly well due to the fabrics used, they caught the light so beautifully.

I really enjoyed putting this booklet together and am pleased with the result. It charts the development of the project well and shows the progression through the project. It is also a very neat way to show the project as a whole and gave me the opportunity (as above) to present it digitally as well as in paper form which is much more in keeping with a modern way of working than large display boards.

I continued to concentrate on the trend aesthetics of lightness and brightness and ensured that all the pages fitted within this. I photographed the samples in groups and some individually to show how they would work together and individually. I also worked hard to make the pages varied and interesting.

This is a technique I will use again to present my work especially as I build my own practice in the future. I am also going to use it as part of exercise 6.5 to present my individual project as I have some really effective photographs of the samples that I feel will work best presented in this way.

 

 

 

Assignment 6, Exercise 6.2 – Propose in context – Refined proposal images

Based on my evaluation, the three images that I have decided would be the most successful if developed into a prototype are below:

 

 

My three chosen images

They were not perhaps the best technical photographs out of the collections but rather the ones that I feel work best to suggest the way forward to further development of the projects and can be developed more easily. Many of the other photographs will be of use to illustrate the possibilities of each collection in other ways but for this exercise we are to develop these photographic images into fuller images of the proposed product / artwork.

After some brainstorming I have decided on the following developments:

Looking back at the visual notes and drawings made originally during each project I note that the drawing methods that seemed to work well were:

Part 2, Brightly light – The most successful drawing methods used a mix of digitally produced artwork and print. These both enabled the detailed and colourful, smooth appearance of the fabrics so evident in the samples.

Part 3, Solstice – Working with pastels, coloured pencil and ink produced the most successful artwork during the work on this project. The pastels and pencils communicate the texture and colours of felt better than other methods and the ink is useful to denote stitching lines and finer detail.

Part 4, Deconstruction – I found the most effective method during this project to communicate the aesthetic qualities of the trend was collaging drawn images over a photograph, Using this method created not only artwork but the backgrounds for the samples themselves and created the tattered and deconstructed feel to the whole project.

I will therefore be concentrating on using these techniques to develop final refined proposal images. These images will need to convey both the trend and context in a professional way. They will also need to be aimed at different audiences. The art textile project would be aimed at a gallery, the fashion and interior textiles to buyers or customers.

1. Deconstruction window panel

I am going to start with ‘Deconstruction’. For this I will need a detailed plan of how I envisage the work being hung in a gallery, the final dimensions, hanging methods and other such considerations. I am aware that this will be used as part of exercise 6.4 making up part of my illustrated art gallery proposal so I will need to keep this in mind.

Looking at photographs of some local Galleries to get an insight into standard decor and design of such spaces, I am going to combine these ideas with a photographic image of The Old Chapel. This is a great opportunity to see how my home would work as a gallery space if I choose to take part in the open studio scheme next year and hold my own small exhibition. It is a light and airy space with plain decor and still maintains some original features such as the chapel windows and heavy oak doors. I am aiming to produce a professional architect style rendering of the room showing where and how the piece would be hung.

 

For the gallery plan and drawing I started by taking a photograph of the empty room (above) and transformed it into a digital drawing this created the blank canvas I required to create the architect style drawing. This took quite a lot of time to get the shading and overall look right. I tried several different versions before achieving the look of a gallery that I wanted.

 

I then tried various layouts, positions for the work and with different accessories and furniture before deciding on the best layout (below) which I felt demonstrated the context best. I chose to keep the wooden floor and the white walls but add a plinth to suggest other exhibits in a gallery as well as other areas where art work could be hung.

My final proposed layout showing the piece displayed in the chapel window. This was the first time I have tried to produce this kind of drawing on the computer and whilst I am sure it could be improved with more practice I am quite pleased with the result. It conveys the look of a gallery well and shows how the piece would look in its proposed position in the Chapel Gallery helping to successfully visualise how the final artwork will look, it’s scale and material qualities.

2. Brightly light cuff

The audience for this project would be consumers or fashion buyers so a slightly different approach was required. The focus for this drawing would be how the piece is to be worn, how it drapes and looks against the body of the wearer and the scale of the item.

 

For this drawing I needed to research how designers present their design sketches to this type of market. I found that most use very simple background images with the body being shown using very simple lines so as not to detract from the jewelry piece. CAD drawings are then often produced to show exactly what the item will look like but these are not shown in context. I decided to do my drawing in the same way, merely hinting at the arm on which the cuff is to be worn but still showing the scale of the item and how it is to be worn. Until this point I had not designed the actual cuff so spent a lot of time thinking about edges and finishes and a final look for the cuff.

 

The manipulated fabric was very difficult to draw successfully. I wanted to try and convey the subtle colours, the sheer look and the silky handling of the Organza which was really hard to do. After many attempts I settled on using coloured pencil over a digitally produced drawing to achieve the look I wanted (below).

My finished design sketch for the cuff. I feel it successfully conveys the cuffs size, how it should be worn and the fabric’s qualities quite well . The arm and hand are kept simple whilst showing the context of the item well.

3. Solstice chair

During my original Solstice project I had used a technique using collage over original photographs. I wanted to use this technique for the Solstice Chair and as per my development notes I wanted to create a drawing that showed a whole chair covered in my fabric. To this end I started this part of the project looking at some chairs currently available in styles felt would suit the project. An overstuffed, low chair was my chair of choice as I felt the shape and upholstery style would suit the heavier felt like fabric.

 

As part of this research I also looked at furniture design sketches, It was interesting to note that like the jewellery designers the sketches were presented with little or no background to detract from the design itself.

Whilst on a recent trip to Cotehele House in Devon I came across a chair with accessories buy an unknown designer in the art gallery / shop. I took a picture of this display as inspiration for my photograph and applied my fabric using this as a base. (below)

My final drawing applied to the original photograph, I had some trouble with the paper shrinking ever so slightly as it was applied which made it very difficult to lineup exactly but all in all it works well as a technique. It allows the customer to immediately visualise and understand how the chair would work in an interior setting and how the felt fabric would work with the chair style.

Assignment 6, Exercise 6.2 – Propose in context, Evaluation of indicative photography

After completing exercise 6.1 I have three collections of photographs , each exploring the potential of one of my textile collections from parts two, three and four. To start this exercise I need to formally evaluate these photographs; specifically looking at the following:

• How well is the image composed?
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored?
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project?

Collection 1 – Fashion Textiles

For this collection I photographed the fabrics against the body to suggest the potential suitability as fashion textiles. Being predominately based on butterflies I decided to use my garden as a backdrop as I felt this worked well with the theme, especially on a bright summers day.

• How well is the image composed? I don’t feel this image is composed as well as it could have been. It is cropped a little too close to avoid seeing the clothing worn by the model. If I were to re-take it I would ensure that the model had a plain black top or dress on which to base the sample thus enabling the viewer to get a better idea of the overall effect. To gain the best idea of how it would work, the sample would need to be made into a bodice panel and attached to an existing bodice / dress this goes beyond the brief for this particular exercise but would be done if I were developing it into the product type explored. Also the model’s hair could be dressed to give a more formal view. Setting the subject against twinkling lights or a more formal backdrop would make the context more suggestive of evening wear.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The photograph does show that the sample could be developed into a bodice or panel on a dress, I feel it would have been more successful if it were to be viewed from a wider angle but it does convey the type of fabric and its qualities well such as drape, handle and weight.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? The image is good at showing me the drape (or lack of) stability and weight of the fabric which helps me to determine that it would be better used in the making of a bodice or other substantial garment rather than a project requiring good drape and soft handling such as trousers or skirts which proves that it is successful in this area of evaluation.

Composition X Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well is the image composed? I like the composition of this photograph as it conveys the trend’s overarching sense of fun. It also gives a good impression of actual clothing. It is cropped to the right level to get the effect of real clothing without having to make them which fits the brief of the exercise. The lighting levels are reasonably good and capture the fabric’s design and physical qualities well.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The photograph does show that the sample could be developed easily into dress weight fabric to be used in a wide range of products such as dresses, trousers or tops. The type of fabric and its qualities convey well such as drape, handle and weight.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? The image is good for showing me the drape and weight of the fabric which helps me to determine that it would be easily used in the making of a project requiring good drape and soft handling such as trousers, dresses or skirts which proves that it is successful in this area of evaluation.

Composition √ Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well is the image composed? I don’t feel this image is composed as well as it could have been. The lighting is not very good, making the background a little too dark and the shadows too strong. The fabric itself is highlighted well with the beading and pattern clearly seen. It does a good impression of actual clothing being cropped to the right level to get the effect of real clothing and placement on the body by showing the wearers neck and hair.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? Once again the photograph does show that the sample could be developed easily into dress weight fabric to be used in a wide range of products such as dresses, trousers or tops. The type of fabric and its qualities such as drape, handle and weight convey well through the photograph.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? The image illustrates the drape and weight of the fabric well which helps me to determine that it would be easily used in the making of a project requiring good drape and soft handling such as trousers, dresses or skirts which proves that it is successful in this area of evaluation.

Composition X Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well is the image composed? Photographing the subject against the pot doesn’t work as well as the other photographs to convey the trend as the pot is too far removed from the trend aesthetic, however the feeling of movement gained by the pose could work very well against a different background. It gives a good impression of actual clothing being cropped to the right level to get the effect of real clothing without having to make them which fits the brief of the exercise. The lighting levels are reasonably good and capture the fabric’s design and physical qualities well.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? Again, the photograph does show that the sample could be developed easily into dress weight fabric to be used in a wide range of products such as dresses, trousers or tops. The type of fabric and its qualities convey well such as drape, handle and weight.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? Once again the image is good for showing me the drape and weight of the fabric which helps me to determine that it would be easily evolve into to a project requiring good drape and soft handling such as trousers, dresses or skirts which proves that it is successful in this area of evaluation.

Composition X Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well is the image composed? Taking the photograph of the bare foot against the border plants creates a relaxed comfortable feel, could also be developed successfully using a smart shoe rather than bare foot to show the trousers as more formal wear the composition could be improved by altering the lighting to create less shadow which would highlight the plants behind the subject.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? As with previous photographs of this sample, the photograph shows that the sample could be developed easily into dress weight fabric and the type of fabric and its qualities convey well such as drape, handle and weight.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? Again this image is good for showing me the drape and weight of the fabric and that it could be used in the making of a project requiring good drape and soft handling such as trousers, dresses or skirts which proves that it is successful in this area of evaluation.

Composition √ Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well is the image composed? Despite being very similar to the picture taken with the trainer I don’t think this photograph works so well. The lighting levels are reasonably good and capture the fabric’s design and physical qualities of softness and sheen of the fabric well. The drape of the fabric is not so apparent. The sample was not placed as well as the previous sample with the trainer and so loses some of its ability to show potential use successfully.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The photograph does convey that the sample could be developed into lightweight dress weight fabric which could have a wide range of fashion products. But the type of fabric and its qualities do not convey as well as they could due to bad placement. The sample might be better hung vertically to show the drape of the fabric better. I know that the fabric would be suitable for uses such as loose fitting trousers but the photograph does not convey this sufficiently to show this to a customer for example.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? This image doesn’t particularly help me to determine how to develop the project further past what I already know about the qualities of the fabric in that it is lightweight, soft and has a sheen.

Composition X Communication X Evaluation X

• How well is the image composed? This photograph taken from above, does give the impression of a wearer’s eye view and certainly gives a different and unusual perspective. I took this photograph indoors and it may be better re-taken perhaps walking through flowers. I am unsure however as to how good a technical photograph it actually is, particularly as far as it’s use to convey to others a potential use it does not feel professional enough to want to carry it forward as a basis for further development.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? I think this photograph shows the potential of the fabric in a fashion context better than the previous photograph it particularly highlights the striking pattern and colours and provides a wearers view.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? The image is good for showing me the weight and style of the fabric which helps me to determine how it could be used in the making of a project requiring good soft handling and strong pattern such as summer separates which proves that it is successful in this area of evaluation.

Composition X Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well is the image composed? I am pleased with the composition of this photograph, the interplay with the leaves in the background highlights the difference of texture between the fabric and the wearer’s skin. The wind blew at precisely the right time to capture how the fabric moves.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The interaction of the fabric against the model’s skin illustrates it’s lightweight, sheer properties and iridescence which fits very well with the original trend aesthetic. It also shows how well the fabric works on the body draping well around the shoulders.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? The image works well to illustrate the drape and weight of the fabric which helps me to determine that it would work really well used in the making of a project requiring good drape and soft handling such as a summer wrap or sleeves on a dress. Thus fulfilling the brief for this exercise.

Composition √ Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well is the image composed? In contrast with the photograph above, this photo does not work so well composition wise. Being able to see the soil disrupts the interplay with the leaves in the background and almost focuses the eye past the intended subject. The subject is well lit which highlights the difference of texture between the fabric and the wearer’s skin. The movement in the scales is not so obvious in this photograph.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The interaction of the fabric against the model’s skin illustrates it’s lightweight, sheer properties and iridescence which fits very well with the original trend aesthetic. It also shows clearly how well the fabric works on the body around the arms and shoulders.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? The image works particularly well to illustrate the pattern made by the scales on the fabric and the lightweight nature of the fabric which helps me to determine that it would work really well used in the making of a project such as a summer wrap or sleeves on a dress.

Composition X Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well is the image composed? This photo does not work so well composition wise. An adjustment to the position of the sitter against the background is required as the viable the soil disrupts the interplay with the leaves in the background and almost focuses the eye past the intended subject. The subject is well lit which highlights the difference of texture between the fabric and the wearer’s skin and the movement in the sitters hair adds to the slightly fairy like feeling of the photograph.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The fabric lit in the sunlight illustrates it’s lightweight, sheer properties and iridescence which fits very well with the original trend aesthetic. It also shows clearly how well the fabric works on the body around the arms and shoulders and the placement clearly shows it’s suitability for the product type explored. It shows very clearly that this fabric could be easily developed into lightweight summer wear or even stage costumes. It could be further developed with beading to add more texture and iridescence.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? The image works well to illustrate the drape and weight of the fabric which helps me to determine areas for development. It shows very clearly that this fabric could be easily developed into lightweight summer wear or even stage costumes. It could be further developed with beading to add more texture and iridescence.

Composition X Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well is the image composed? The composition of this photograph, strongly suggests uses for the fabric as clothing. It is lit well to highlight the complex textures and iridescence if the fabric and the placement of the hand on leg adds to the sense of looking at a potential garment. The use of jewelry in the picture adds to this and suggests how the fabric would work as a cuff or sleeve for a more formal occasion or to be worn by a more artistic younger adult as a bracelet.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The fabric lit in the sunlight illustrates it’s lightweight, sheer properties and iridescence which fits very well with the original trend aesthetic. It also shows clearly how well the fabric works on the body around the arms and and wrist and the placement clearly shows it’s suitability for the product type explored. It shows very clearly that this fabric could be easily developed into lightweight summer wear or even stage costumes. It could be further developed with beading to add more texture and iridescence.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? The image works well to illustrate the drape and weight of the fabric which helps me to determine areas for development. It shows very clearly that this fabric could be easily developed into an edging or cuff on lightweight summer wear or even stage costumes. Or as an item such as a textile cuff or bracelet. It could be further developed with beading to add more texture and iridescence.

Composition √ Communication √ Evaluation √

 

• How well is the image composed? The composition of this photograph works well in concentrating the eye and tricking it into seeing a full garment rather than a small sample.The background works well with the subject suggesting a use for outer wear and the lighting captures the colours and iridescence well. The only concern I have is that the photograph being taken at this time of year (mid summer) the does not work as well as it could to indicate a more autumnal or winter garment such as a knitted jacket. Taking the photograph at a colder time of year or altering the colour slightly to give it a cooler feel may help to do this.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The photograph shows clearly how the knitted sample could be used as a wrap or shrug / jacket to wear as an outer layer over another outfit. The fabric is warm and you can clearly see this in the photograph. You get a good sense of the thickness of the fabric looking far more substantial than the other pictures.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? The image works well to illustrate the handle and weight of the fabric which helps me to determine areas for development. It shows very clearly that this fabric could be easily developed into an item to be worn on cooler days such as a jacket or shrug.

Composition X Communication √ Evaluation √
The one image from this collection that I think would be most successful if developed into a prototype:

Based on my evaluation of my photographs of this collection I feel the photograph that I think will be most successful if developed into a prototype is the photograph above, it offers me the greatest scope for development into fuller images of the proposed product of a cuff or bracelet.
Collection 2 – Interior textiles

For the collection of samples made for the interior textile section of the course (assignment 3) I had suggested uses such as cushions, blankets, and floor, furniture and window coverings. To produce a collection of indicative photographs that suggested these uses I used various methods of attaching the samples to existing furnishings.

Due to many of these photographs being composed in the same way I have grouped them by composition.

• How well are the images composed? This collection of photographs taken against a leather sofa is staged to show the samples as cushions. I feel they are composed well enough for evaluation and demonstration purposes but not well enough for product photographs for a magazine or catalogue. They are lit well enough to show the texture and pattern on the samples and the type of fabric. They appear a little to two dimensional and require ‘plumping’ perhaps by pinning to an existing cushion. Perhaps a different chair would create a less heavy setting but using a large leather chair does convey the possibility of warmth and comfort in cold weather that a smaller lighter chair would not.
• How successfully do the images communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? They go a good way to suggest the context as textiles for use in interiors but are not as successful as they could be to demonstrate how the samples could be developed into the product type explored. As mentioned this could be improved with some adjustment.
• How successful are the images in helping me to determine how to develop the project? The images are relatively successful in helping me to determine how to develop the project as although they are not as well composed as they could be this could easily be addressed with some basic alterations. They do show the warm, soft and comfortable qualities of that fabric which helps to suggest the suitability of the fabric samples for use as a home furnishing.

Composition X Communication X Evaluation √

• How well are the images composed? The samples previous sample photographs looked a little flat which led me to try pinning them around a well stuffed cushion that I own. This made the samples look far more 3D and convincing. To try a variation in background I tried to take photographs against the wooden floor and against an old stone wall that surrounds the old chapel. The stone tied in well with the original trend of standing stones however, as the context was interior textiles it did not fit so well with the context. The photographs do show that the samples would work well for use in the garden as well as inside perhaps with a blanket or throw on an autumn day and the floor worked quite well as it suggests a use for the fabrics as floor cushions instead of cushions to use on furniture. I think overall that I prefer the cushions against a chair as a backdrop as it better represents their potential use.
• How successfully do the images communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The photographs do show that the samples would work well for use as cushions for a wide range of uses and clearly show their warmth and comfort qualities. The softness of the felt is also clear in the photographs. Due to them being taken outside they don’t fit with the context originally intended which was interior textiles.
• How successful are the images in helping me to determine how to develop the project? The images are successful in helping me to determine how to develop the project as although they are not as well set as they could be this could easily be addressed with some alterations to the background. They do show the warm, soft and comfortable qualities of that fabric which helps to suggest the suitability of the fabric samples for use as a home furnishing.

Composition X Communication X Evaluation √

• How well are the images composed? Piles of cushions wrapped in the samples produced images that could be used along with some of the other images to create a montage that wouldn’t look out of place in a magazine or catalogue. The images could be cropped and rotated to suggest rolls of rugs or floor coverings as suggested above. It was very difficult to get the angles right with this technique and careful consideration needs to me made to the placement of each fabric in the pile to capture a varied part of the pattern. Cropping closely demonstrates the possibilities of these fabrics without being too specific.
• How successfully do the images communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The photographs communicate the context of interior textiles and home furnishings and show that the samples would work well for a wide range of uses. The photographs clearly show the warmth and comfort qualities of the samples and the pattern and texture of the felt fabrics are very apparent. They demonstrate the possibilities for these fabrics to be used for a wide range of home furnishings without being too specific.
• How successful are the images in helping me to determine how to develop the project? Although originally composed using cushions, looking at them as a group with non specific product ideas helps me to envisage alternative uses such as rugs, throws or fabrics for upholstery use. In this way, this set of photographs is probably the most useful as an evaluation tool. Out of the two the photograph on the left is the better of the two as it includes the striped fabric as well. This could be seen as a lampshade or such other accessory.

Composition √ Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well are the images composed? These images are not very well composed as a group, I found it very difficult to take the photographs against the window and make them look convincing. They do hint at use as a curtain but are not as successful as I would have liked. The view from the window doesn’t really work, either a blurred out or frosted window may have worked better. Showing more of the window frame produced a better outcome (middle photograph).
• How successfully do the images communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? I don’t feel that they communicate the context well either, some more development to the sample may solve this such as hemming the edges of the fabric.
• How successful are the images in helping me to determine how to develop the project? The only image that helps in determining how the project could be developed is the middle image showing more of the window. All the photographs show the sheer nature of the intermittent stripes which does help to show possibilities in developing into furnishings such as lampshades, blinds or curtains.

Composition X Communication X Evaluation √

• How well is the image composed? I am pleased that this image, that is composed to show the sample as table furnishings works well. The lighting is good and the pattern and texture of the fabric shows up well. Had the sample been longer it would also have been able to be shown as the end of a table runner, perfect for a Solstice feast.
• How successfully does the image communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? Context is communicated well, easily identifying the possibilities of developing the sample for use in products such as table mats or or runners.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? This photograph shows clearly that this particular fabric works very well in a wide range of uses. The pattern depicting light burning through the cold stone based on the stone carvings found on ancient stones fits very well with the original trend and is very adaptable. It works as a large scale repeat as well as on a smaller scale as a motif. Being circular it also hints at not only stone circles but also the revolving seasons which solstices mark.

Composition √ Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well is the image composed? I did not set out to compose this photograph to look like a complete product. Instead it was composed try an idea to see if it had any possibility of working. It is not composed particularly well with no thought to that background, but it does set the scene as an interior space.
• How successfully does it communicate the context and can the sample could be developed into the product type explored? It certainly communicates the context as interior textiles but not as a refined, finished photograph. The product type I was exploring was a fabric to be used as an upholstery fabric to cover a chair. I wanted to explore if the fabric was pliable enough to be stretched around an upholstered chair back which it was. In this way it communicated that the sample could be developed in this way.
• How successful is the image in helping me to determine how to develop the project? This photograph shows clearly that this particular fabric works very well as a fabric to cover furniture.The pattern depicting light burning through the cold stone based on the stone carvings found on ancient stones fits very well with the original trend and is very adaptable. Looking at this photograph I feel it would develop successfully into upholstery fabric.

Composition X Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well are the images composed? These images are composed to explore the possibility of the samples being developed into floor coverings or rugs. Lining up the samples against the edge of an existing rug and cropping out any existing worked quite well. I feel combined as a montage with some samples rolled up as you would see rugs in a shop may have possibilities. I feel there are some alterations I would make if I were to redo the exercise for instance, I feel that the fringing although adding to the sense of it being a rug might need to be altered to a colour that matches the trend better.
• How successfully do the images communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The images do communicate the context of interior textiles and that they could be developed into the product type explored. If I were to develop these images I would change the fringing and bind the edges.
• How successful are the images in helping me to determine how to develop the project? These images are very successful in helping me to see the possibilities for further development and are therefore a useful evaluation tool.

The one image from this collection that I think would be most successful if developed into a prototype:

Despite it’s composition problems, this image works extremely well as an evaluation tool to develop the project further. I had not originally thought of using the fabric to use on furniture concentrating instead on home accessories. This image has expanded my view to include chair coverings which I feel is much more interesting than accessories as a potential project.

Collection 3 – Art Textiles

For this collection I had always envisaged a gallery setting with the panel or hanging being wall hung or possibly back lit. I tried to photograph the samples to suggest how they would be presented within a gallery setting particularly as wall hung pieces. They are quite detailed so I expect the audience to view them from a distance then interact with and view them much more intimately, therefore I chose to take close up photographs as well has some from a further distance away. I used the entrance to the old chapel to use as a ‘gallery’ as it maintains the light and feel of a church such as was used as inspiration for the trend.

• How well are the images composed? These images are composed to explore the possibility of the samples being developed into stretched canvas panels. They were taken against a plain painted wall in my studio, they show the piece wrapped around a canvas to give a raised, neat and panel feel. This composition works well to show them in this context, giving a fair idea of how the finished panel could look.
• How successfully do the images communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The images do communicate the context of art textiles and suggest that the samples could translate into wall hung panels. They are almost too neat however and don’t fit the ‘deconstruction’ trend very well.
• How successful are the images in helping me to determine how to develop the project? These images are very successful in helping me to see that further development would be better focused away from neat edged designs and therefore proved themselves to be a useful evaluation tool.

Composition √ Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well are the images composed? Unlike the images above, these images are composed to explore the possibility of the samples being developed into wall hung panels with raw or rough edges. They were once again taken against a plain painted wall in my studio, but just attached to the wall with tape. This composition works well to show them in this context, giving a fair idea of how the finished panel could look with their deconstructed edges which works much better with the overarching trend.
• How successfully do the images communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? This second approach is more successful in portraying the overarching deconstructed theme. The plain painted walls give an exhibition feel to the work and communicate the context of art textiles well.
• How successful are the images in helping me to determine how to develop the project? These images are very successful in helping me to see that further development would be better focused towards raw or rough, deconstructed edges for the designs and therefore proved themselves to be a useful evaluation tool.

Composition √ Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well are the images composed? The entrance of the old chapel played the part of a gallery for the composition of these photographs, it is a lovely light space as it maintains the light and feel of a church, a chapel having been used as inspiration for the trend, I found that the arched windows in there worked really well in mirroring the imagery within the pieces. The pieces looked great on the wall next to the window but light from the windows caused a problem with exposure which I would have to consider in any further photographs. Again the samples with the raw edges worked best in this context showing the overarching theme best. This composition works well to show the samples in this context, giving a fair idea of how the finished panel could look.
• How successfully do the images communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The plain painted walls give an exhibition feel to the work and communicate the context of art textiles well.
• How successful are the images in helping me to determine how to develop the project? These images are very successful in helping me to see that further development would again be better focused towards raw or rough, deconstructed edges for the designs and therefore proved themselves to be a useful evaluation tool.

Composition √ Communication √ Evaluation √

• How well are the images composed? The entrance of the old chapel played the part of a gallery once again for the composition of these photographs, I found that the arched windows in there worked really well in mirroring the imagery within the pieces. This composition works well to show the samples in this context, giving a fair idea of how the finished panel could look laid flat in the light almost as though they had fallen there during deconstruction. The composition would have been better had the window sill been larger .
• How successfully do the images communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? The plain painted walls give an exhibition feel to the work and the setting as before communicates the context of art textiles well. The image doesn’t really do the samples justice as they cannot be clearly seen so are not as successful a communicating whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored as I was hoping.
• How successful are the images in helping me to determine how to develop the project? These images are very successful in helping me to see that further development would again be better focused towards the samples being displayed vertically, they therefore proved themselves to be a useful evaluation tool if not useful in the other criteria.

Composition X Communication X Evaluation √

• How well are the images composed? The entrance of the old chapel played the part of a gallery once again for the composition of these photographs, I found that the arched windows in there worked really well in mirroring the imagery within the pieces in the previous photographs so made use of them to show the sheer characteristics of some of the samples. Back lighting them in this way really brought them to life and shows how they could be extended to fill the window pane creating a really interesting view of the samples. the texture and deconstructed feel really shows up with the light behind them and is really effective.
• How successfully do the images communicate the context and whether the sample could be developed into the product type explored? Back lighting them in this way really brought them to life and shows how they could be extended to fill the window pane creating a really interesting view of the samples. the texture and deconstructed feel really shows up with the light behind them and is really effective.
• How successful are the images in helping me to determine how to develop the project? These images are very successful in helping me to see how the project could be developed. Back lighting them using the window showed how they could be extended to fill the window pane creating a really interesting view of the samples. The textures and deconstructed feel really show up with the light behind them and they appear as stained glass. The plain painted walls give an exhibition feel to the work and the setting as before communicates the context of art textiles well. (Added Sept. 15th 2018): The smooth plain walls also work well with the rough, patched textures of the samples making them stand out even more. They take on a new life as if they were left behind in an abandoned space in a similar way to the torn tattered remains of fabrics that helped to shape the project.

Composition √ Communication √ Evaluation √
The one image from this collection that I think would be most successful if developed into a prototype:

Based on my evaluation of my photographs of this collection I feel the photograph that I think will be most successful if developed into a prototype is the photograph above, it offers me the greatest scope for development into fuller images to develop the proposed art work. The image works extremely well as an evaluation tool to help me develop the project further. I had not originally thought of using the sample fixed to a window but in my proposed gallery setting this would work very well. This image has (like the image I chose for interior textiles) expanded my view to think of a much more interesting potential project than a simple wall hung piece.

Assignment 6, Presentation and communication Exercise 6.1 – Indicative photography

During this last section of the course (part 6) we are to ‘explore the presentation and communication of our work in different contexts and to different audiences using both visual and written communication methods.’

Exercise 6.1 Indicative photography

In the first exercise we were to use photography to explore ‘potential contexts’ for our textile collections from parts two to four. Aiming to compose our photographs to suggest how the samples could be used so negating the need for full prototypes. There are two purposes for using this method; evaluation and communication. To help me assess if a sample works in the proposed context and if any alterations are needed to achieve this and to help others to understand the proposed idea or use for a finished piece.

The brief was as follows: Photograph all three textile collections produced in parts two to four in a manner that suggests their intended contexts (i.e. the one you created them for).

Collection One – Fashion textiles

As part of my original work for assignment two I had proposed a few uses for my samples in a fashion context that can be seen below.

 

 

Contextual proposals for Brightly Light made as part of original design work for fashion textiles.

Using these as a starting point I decided to photograph the fabrics against the body to suggest such potential uses and to test the way that the fabrics would drape around the body and indicate suitability as fashion textiles. I wished to find a suitable backdrop for any pictures too. Being predominately based on butterflies I decided to use my garden as a backdrop as I felt this worked well with the theme, especially on a bright summers day. I had also hoped to capture a butterfly or two fluttering by but unfortunately that was not to be.

 

 

Aiming to create the look of trousers using the two lightweight fabrics that I had originally identified as potentially suitable for trousers or dresses, I pinned each sample onto my daughter’s own trousers and endeavored to take shots that could be cropped to convey this idea successfully. The photographs at this stage are not terribly convincing showing as they do that they are of samples attached to existing clothing. Cropped however as below you start to get the impression of actual clothing.

 

 

The most successful and most convincing photograph is the photograph with the trainer. It gives the best impression of actual clothing and also conveys the trend’s overarching sense of fun. The shot with the bare foot against the border plants could also be developed successfully by altering the lighting to create less shadow which would highlight the plants behind the subject. I feel it could also work with a smart shoe rather than bare foot to show the trousers as more formal wear. The photograph against the pot doesn’t work as well as the others to convey the trend as the pot is too far removed from the trend aesthetic, however the feeling of movement gained by the pose as shown again in the photograph with the flower boarder behind the subject could work very well against a different background. The photograph taken from above does give the impression of a wearer’s eye view and certainly gives a different and unusual perspective. I took this photograph indoors and it may be better re-taken perhaps walking through flowers.

I next tried to take photographs that gave the impression of other clothing items:

 

 

This photo whilst reasonably successful in showing a potential use as a bodice, could be improved by changing the top underneath to a simple black top which would enable a wider view and reduce cropping. Also the model’s hair could be dressed to give a more formal view. Setting the subject against twinkling lights or a more formal backdrop would make the context more suggestive of evening wear.

 

 

The photographs above clearly show the iridescent qualities of the sample and suggest an evening wrap or possibly stage costume. The breeze caught the scales perfectly and showed the movement possibilities of the fabric. The most successful from this set is the top photograph where I concentrated on the fabric against the model’s skin, cropping out any other clothing. It is a simple but very detailed image which shows the fabric very clearly without other distractions.

 

 

Experimenting with different levels of cropping and close-up alters the image quite substantially giving this very small sample a sense of purpose. I particularly like the way the light catches the sample in these photographs helping to convey the feeling of lightness. They all give the viewer a real sense of the possibilities of the manipulated sample as a really pretty fashion fabric particularly for uses as a trim or edging.

 

 

 

My final photographs of the fashion context textiles show how the knitted sample could be used as a wrap or shrug / jacket to wear as an outer layer over another outfit. The fabric is warm and the photographs clearly suggest this. You get a good sense of the thickness of the fabric looking far more substantial than the other pictures. Again a black top or dress beneath rather than the blue would focus the eye more onto the fabric. A more developed and planned photo shoot would see to this. Again the closer in the photograph the better the outcome in terms of concentrating the eye and tricking it into seeing a full garment rather than a small sample.

Collection Two – Interior textiles

 

 

Contextual proposals for Solstice made as part of original design work for interior textiles.

For the collection of samples made for the interior textile section of the course (assignment 3) I had suggested uses such as cushions, blankets, and floor, furniture and window coverings. To produce a collection of indicative photographs that suggested these uses I used various methods of attaching the samples to existing furnishings.

 

 

Firstly, I experimented with cushions on various chairs. It was not at all easy to to shoot the pictures convincingly. The samples just looked a little flat which led me to try pinning them around a well stuffed cushion that I own. This made the samples look far more 3D and convincing. To try a variation in background I tried to take photographs against the wooden floor and against an old stone wall that surrounds the old chapel. The stone tied in well with the original trend of standing stones however, as the context was interior textiles it did not fit so well with the context. The photographs do however show that the samples would work well for use in the garden as well as inside perhaps with a blanket or throw on an autumn day? The floor worked quite well as it suggests a use for the fabrics as floor cushions instead of cushions to use on furniture. I think overall that I prefer the cushions against a chair as a backdrop as it better represents their potential use.

 

 

Cushion samples against various backgrounds suggesting the alternative use as outdoor furnishings as well as interior ones.

 

 

Whilst photographing the cushions on the floor I decided I would also try to show the potential of the fabrics as floor coverings or rugs, Lining up the samples against the edge of an existing rug and cropping out any existing worked quite well. I feel combined as a montage with some samples rolled up as you would see rugs in a shop may have possibilities. I feel that the fringing although adding to the sense of it being a rug might need to be altered to a colour that matches the trend better if I were to develop any of these photographs further.

 

 

Other ideas, Left to right: Upholstery fabric, As before wrapped around chair upright, Cushion, Place mat / table runner

These images, that are composed to show the sample as table furnishings, upholstery fabric and fabric for cushions work well easily identifying the possibilities of developing the sample for use in products such as table mats or or runners. The lighting is good and the pattern and texture of the fabric shows up distinctly. Had the sample on the table been longer it would also have been able to be shown as the end of a table runner, perfect for a Solstice feast.

The sheer and translucent qualities of the striped sample suggested potential uses for blinds or curtains or lampshades. Photographing against a window as suggested in the course material was very effective particularly when a larger area of window was in view to frame the photograph. Careful consideration to the background would be needed if it were to be developed into a final image.

 

 

Piles of cushions wrapped in the samples produced images that could be used along with some of the other images to create a montage that wouldn’t look out of place in a magazine or catalogue. The images could be cropped and rotated to suggest rolls of rugs or floor coverings as suggested above. It was very difficult to get the angles right with this technique and careful consideration needs to me made to the placement of each fabric in the pile to capture a varied part of the pattern.

Collection 3 – Art textiles

For this collection I had always envisaged a gallery setting with the panel or hanging being wall hung or possibly back lit. In my original sketchbook work I had drawn suggested hanging ideas

Suggested hanging ideas for deconstruction

I tried to photograph the samples to suggest how they would be presented within a gallery setting particularly as wall hung pieces. They are quite detailed so I expect the audience to view them from a distance then interact with and view them much more intimately, therefore I chose to take close up photographs as well has some from a further distance away. I used the entrance to the old chapel to use as a ‘gallery’ as it maintains the light and feel of a church such as was used as inspiration for the trend.

 

 

The first three photographs were taken against a plain painted wall in my studio, they show the piece wrapped around a canvas to give a raised, neat and panel feel. The rest are left with raw edges looking tattered and torn. This second approach is more successful in portraying the overarching deconstructed theme. The plain painted walls give an exhibition feel to the work.

 

I now moved to the entrance of the old chapel to use as a ‘gallery’ as it maintains the light and feel of a church such as was used as inspiration for the trend. I thought that the arched windows in there would work really well in mirroring the imagery within the pieces. The pieces looked great on the wall next to the window but light from the windows caused a problem with exposure which I would have to consider in any further photographs. Again the samples with the raw edges worked best in this context showing the overarching theme best.

 

Making use of the Old Chapel doors as a back ground added an interesting look to these samples. with their rectangular shape they almost look like windows through the door. Predicting the future or remembering the past?

The last photographs I took for this collection made use of the sheer characteristics of some of the samples, back lighting them using the window really brought them to life and shows how they could be extended to fill the window pane creating a really interesting view of the samples. the texture and deconstructed feel really shows up with the light behind them and is really effective.