The Field

At uni a big part of the course is dedicated to "Constellation" and "The Field" these sections involve the whole of the art school joining together for seminars, lectures, short projects etc.

So this is a field week. All art and design students have been put into groups of 6/7 to complete a project.

The groups are made up of roughly a student from every course. The brief is to make a short (2min) film about cardiff.

My group decided to focus on the people of Cardiff, making sketches of people on the streets and new people we have met since moving here. We also decided to interview people to gather opinions on Cardiff and why people choose to live here. 

Here are a few portrait sketches I have made;

I kept them quite abstract and tried to illustrate some personality in the patterns i incorporated. I also wanted to use stitch as I am the student representing textiles in my group.

Mid Project Mood boards

I'm probably more than half way into my current project (Re-inventing the Ordinary) now. Here are a few 'moodboards' thrown together representing my project so far.

Ive included stitch & dye samples, key drawings and pieces of artist reasearch in order to visually get a handle on where its all going.

Ideas so far;

Strengths; 

Colour palette

Links between free machinery technique and drawings.

Free drawing style 

a new found drawing style, re-inventing flowers/botanical studies.

Heat press samples.

Weaknesses;

Generally need more of everything

Need to write/ annotate more.

Need to push samples forward & experiment.

Some images in the above moodboards are that of my artist research and so do not belong to me and are not by me. All sourced from pinterest, click on the pinterest link for more info.

Hhmm Pinteresting.....

My top ten most inspirational "Pins" of the month;

1.‘Falling Garden’ by Gerda Steiner & Jorg Lenzlinger in the San Staë church on the Canale Grande, 50th Biennial of Venice, 2003 http://media-cache-ec3.pinterest.com/upload/53339576807296824_dNgO3gkC_c.jpg 2.ANA SENDER http://pinterest.com/pin/81064862013844469/ 
3.Michael Brennand-Wood http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/upload/238831586459146385_0FtAJhy7_c.jpg 4.Olaf Hajek http://media-cache0.pinterest.com/upload/112449321915393079_0A2npIY4_c.jpg
5.liberty jungle print http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/upload/151996556144501884_u0FDqcr7_b.jpg
6.http://media-cache-ec3.pinterest.com/upload/422281184558656_kWdfFVuE_c.jpg
7."Dutch Sky" Wallpaper. Dusk-Violet http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/51791464435936196_gkMvazxQ_b.jpg 
8.La Vie En Rose http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/133911788890262171_hvq98otS_c.jpg 
9.Britt Hermann http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/upload/229613280971242907_lAc8g8K3_c.jpg 
10.Moroccan Tea Set http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/upload/196469602463546202_JGDQzw61_b.jpg

Images all sourced from Pinterest none of the above are work of my own or belong to me.

Free Machine & Dissoluble fabric

This week in the stitch workshop we experimented with dissoluble fabric and free machine embroidery. A technique I had done before both on foundation and during A level Textiles. Its a technique I've never really been interested in before however, I feel it really suits my project and allows me to translate my drawings in to textiles really effectively;

Floral Sketching

After weeks of doing very precise botanical studies of plants, I decided to experiment with a looser way of drawing. I used Ink, water, an inky fine-liner and a black felt tip.

I think the outcomes were successful. I really enjoy experimenting like this, I think they work well because of the mix of media and the free style.

My first project brief on my degree (Eeek!)

My first few weeks on my degree course have included; intensive drawing, basic dye related textile techniques, some research tasks to get to know the resources available and lectures on various topics- it's been a really diverse few weeks. 

We have been given a project to complete over the first term that will incorporate all our drawing, research, lectures and samples, and I think for this reason the brief given is quite broad and open to interpretation. Its titled;

'Re-inventing the Ordinary'

Ideas;
We have focused a lot on plants/botanical drawings at uni.

Found objects, weeds, plants, roots, nature, seeds, botanical studies, The Eden Project, hand embroidery, natural colours, autumnal colours, cataloguing, compose, cook up, form, discover, pressing flowers/plants, leafs, textures, floral, print, exploring techniques, process, drawing, garden, folk, handmade, ecological, environment, everyday, conventional, traditional, undistinguished, routine, walking, making, thinking, meditation...

...Meanwhile Cardiff train station was particularly atmospheric on my way home tonight;

(no effects applied!)