Light Sensitive Dye

When thinking about using light in my work, I thought about light sensitive dyes. I liked the idea of using light to create patterns and when I tested the dye I was really happy with the results. I had photocopied some feathers and liked the organic images that it produced. Firstly I used image maker to lift the photocopy and embed it into fabric, however this left quite a messy finish and distorted the flexibility of the fabric. When I used the light sensitive dye, I coated various different fabrics, including cottons and silks, and lay feathers on top of the material while situated in the sun. This process was quick, however it did a few attempts to perfect. It all depended on the fabric used, the amount of dye used, and how much light it absorbed.

At this stage, I would like to create a piece that is made up of different components. I would like to use my previous knowledge of print, and make small samples, which I intend to join together to create a quilt-like wall piece. This will eventually be projected on, and I plan to distort this projection in some way, using shadows.

Ant Dickinson

Ant Dickinson's workshop was really inspiring and completely relevant to my work, and future aspirations. Firstly the talk covered all his previous work, and how he has fallen into different job roles and commissioned work. The projections that he had developed with his wife were amazing, and it was interesting to see how he had used different digital technologies in open spaces, for instance a castle in Conway. He labelled himself as a musician, however his work was so diverse that he could easily be categorised as a textile artist.

He gave us an insight into how to use different softwares, and tutorials on how to use them. This information was hugely useful, and I have been able to list these programs down for future use. 

I have been using audacity, which is a sound editing software, and I would love to develop this new skill and combine it with my projections. 

He also touched on projection mapping, and introduced me and Nicole to the software that he uses and how he uses it. Obviously at this stage I would be unable to incorporate this into my work, and it would take me too long to understand, and I would have to experiment with the settings and sample my ideas, however I am definitely going to use this process in the future.

Curving photography was also mentioned, and is something that I was unaware of. I am a really excited to explore this further, and would be keen to use it in future projects. It involves taking a photograph of an object, and the camera releases electronic pulses at the photograph is taken which creates beautiful halos.

Sam Meech

I have been hugely inspired by the workshop with Sam Meech. I had never used a knitting machine before, and was quite daunted by the idea, but after creating my own knitted sample, I’m already addicted to the process.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to how Sam reacts to briefs, and also about his general interests. It was interesting that he begins many of his projects by creating short films. I love this way of working, and have always been interested in photography and film, but have struggled to combine it with Textiles. However, I now realize that although my degree is Textiles, I can divulge into other practices. The short film he showed us, featuring a group of older ladies, who had formed a knitting group was really cleverly filmed, and Sam had captured and combined a mixture of knitting skills, and gestures perfectly.

Sam also explained that he had been a freelance artist for over eight years. At this point, I am still unsure which direction I will take when I finish my degree. However, seeing how successful Sam is, while still remaining experimental and open to learning new skills, I am more confident in becoming a freelance artist.  I realise that a lot of hard work, and self discipline is needed to be successfully freelance. Sam has shown me that, although recognised for previous work, there are no limits to creativeness, and you can learn new skills during your projects. There are no barriers, and you can divulge in other artistic practices. 

Manipulating projections

Looking back on the workshops that I have taken part in, I zoned in on the structure I had made out of shot glasses and el wire. I started to combine my projections with this idea. I really liked the outcome of this, however realised how difficult it would be to build a large structure out of shot glasses. When making the small sample, I used a soldering iron to create holes between each glass, and also to attach them together. However this process was messy, and didn’t give me a clean finish. I thought about using a drill, but the plastic would be too fragile for such force.

I really liked the knitting punch cards that we used in the workshop with Sam Meech, and thought that the early plastic sample I had made using a soldering iron was very similar. Firstly I thought about compressing the feather pattern down into rows of holes, however after sampling this idea, I didn't think it gave me the surface I was looking for. So I bought a large piece of clear acrylic which I plan to punch holes through, and then sit in front of patterned fabric, to create interesting shadows.

Development of photographs

My research has been mainly based on the Blackpool costume volt. I began to manipulate the vibrant photographs that I took during the trip, and used photoshop to distort them. I rented out a projector  over the Easter holidays and started to use it in unusual places and on various structures. These projections created really interesting surfaces and textures. In particular, I really liked projecting on stacked wood, it gave the image new dimensions and created really unusual shapes. I also projected on hay bales, which gave the images a tinsel look. The hay bales glittered in the light and captured the projection really well.

This process has really fuelled my ideas for potential installations. Rather than just creating images to project, it important to consider what you are projecting on. It could be interesting to project on irrelevant objects or opposites, for instance, much of my work is based on feathers, so perhaps I could project on industrial machines. I also like the idea of distorting a projections using mirrors or shadows. 

This process allowed me to think about the surface I would eventually project on. I began to create my own feathers using threads. I also used the laser cutter, etching on to thin acrylic. I wanted to make my own sequins, similar to the ones I had seen and photographed in the costume volt.

I thought the process was quite successful, and particularly liked the larger feather on transparent acrylic. I projected light through this sample, and really liked the distorted linear lines that it produced.

David Boultbee workshop

After David Boultbee’s workshop I began to consider incorporating the arduinos in to my work. I like the idea that any lights or sounds that I include in my work could be controlled by the arduino. I could potentially manipulate the intervals between the lights turning on and off, or even use a motion detector.

The workshop was really insightful and has spurred me on to think about combining digital technologies with handcraft. However, I believe that it would take a lengthy period of time to fully understand the equipment and learn how to write code.

I was able to play around with a plastic sample that I had made and the light powered by the arduino, which created some interesting surfaces.

After using the arduinos and looking at the coding software, I’m keen to learn more about it, and even look at using a ‘raspberry pie’. With only a couple more weeks of the project left, I think I will just concentrate on combining light, movement and possibly sound into my work, and hopefully in the future projects I will also be able to control these features with an arduino.

Belle Vue

Coincidently visitors and workers of Belle Vue were giving talks about their experience's of the Pleasure Gardens and fairground. A trapeze artist, who had worked at Belle Vue was providing information about what life was like for a performing artist. At this point I am collaborating my ideas and processes with Nicole, who is also studying Textiles. We took a dictaphone to record the talk and our plan is to edit this recording. We could potentially pick key words out that relate to our research, and incorporate this with a moving projection.

We also took part in a woodcarving workshop, and made a Belle Vue poster. The workshop was interesting as we were able to listen to peoples memories of the Gardens and zoo. It gave us an insight as to what life was like then, and why Belle Vue was such an exciting place to visit.

David Ogle workshop

David Ogle lets spaces and environments influence his work. Using quite simple materials in a technical manner, he creates really unusual light installations. He uses meters of fishing wire and UV lighting in such a way that it almost creates a space within a space. I really liked how light was the main ingredient in his work, and by projecting the UV raise at a particular angle he could create long linear lines of detail.

He also demonstrated how he develops his ideas through drawing. He creates rules in his drawing, instructions and restrictions, however the outcome is striking. One image in particular showed David repeating circles, the drawing itself was over a meter long. The outcome was really organic, and the shapes were so interesting it was quite unbelievable it was only made up of circles. 

We also took part in a short workshop which really allowed me to think about the materials I was using. We were able to manipulate fairly low cost materials and create something on a large scale. I collaborated with a fellow textile student and we started to play around with neon shot glasses, neon straws, glow sticks and el wire. We began to think about the space that we would situate our manipulated materials. We decided to use a floor grid; the metal bars created illusions with the el wire underneath. Although it was only a small example, I could visualise it as flooring, possibly underneath glass, or even keeping the grid incorporated in the design.

Pinterest link

http://gb.pinterest.com/hannahbrowntip/

Elizabeth Jane Winstanley

After attending my first taster session of Low Tech Hacking, I was hugely excited to get started, and begin to research, draw and develop my ideas.
We took a trip to Manchester craft centre to view an artists work named Elizabeth Jane Winstanley, who was a previous student at Man Met. Her work was really structured but playful and reflected a similar outcome to Unit X, and particularly low tech hacking. She incorporated 'el wire' in to her work along with coloured acrylic, which were features in my last project. Her collection of work was named 'Tactile Illusions'. She had numerous pieces, all of which involved laser cut piece's of acrylic forming structured shapes, and she relied on the movement of the viewer to create the illusions.
I think her work has really allowed me to think about movement in my work, I found it particularly influential as I would like to involve illusions in my work.

Chatham Library archive

Our organised trip to Chatham Library was really interesting. It wasn't just the archive that was impressive, it was the actual building itself, I almost felt like I was in a Harry Potter scene. The historic book collection was fantastic, and the gothic layout and architecture was unbelievable.

We flicked through the various leaflets, maps, posters and photographs, trying to grasp what life was like one hundred years ago. The "fairground" or "pleasure gardens" as it would have been named during that period, was a place for people to socialise, have fun, and escape from the hardships in life. It was a place full of attractions that the public had never seen before, therefore it was constantly advancing and growing. It was intent on bringing new and more exciting attractions to entice people to come back, or visit Belle Vue for the first time.

The fairground had a dark side though. At the time, animal welfare was unheard of. Belle Vue would buy exotic animals to show in their zoo, but the animals would rarely live past six weeks. Conditions were truly abysmal, much of this was due to a lack of education however the greed for money, and a need for more visitors played a part. Freak shows and circus's were also a common occurrence. Dangerous acts like the trapeze and wall of death attracted massive crowds.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Unit X is inspired and fueled by the "fairground". With the university, we went on a trip to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. The trip was the starting point of our project and I wanted to document and photograph as much as possible to fuel my initial research. I took hundreds of photographs, and once I had returned from the trip, I began to filter through them. I had veered away from the industrial frames of the roller coasters and smaller rides, and instead I was concentrating on the fairground acts and their elaborate costumes.

I really enjoyed rooting around in the costumer volt that contained over 10,000 different items of clothing and props. I paid close attention to the feathers, beads and fabrics that had been used to create these extensive costumes, not only were the textures beautiful, but the colours were vivid and diverse. The colours of these items could give me artistic licence to use any colour I want in my development, and final piece. However, because my photographs do include so much colour, I am already interested in producing a final piece that only concentrates on one, or two colours, and potentially use a projection to produce the vibrant colours.

I also thought about making numerous samples, all different, to represent the amount of costumes, fabrics and materials that I photographed. I was really inspired by the trip to Blackpool and was really grateful for the opportunity to rummaged through 10,000 costumes, old to new.

Unit X options

Once the Unit X options had been released I started to zone in on the skills I had learnt in the previous projects, and what particular processes I enjoyed and wanted to expand on. I narrowed the options down to three; quilting, low tech hacking and digital collaborations. Although I enjoyed print, I was disappointed that there wasn't more than one option, and that it only focussed on designing for fashion. I also wanted to incorporate the digital technologies that I had been inducted on, and was keen to broaden my knowledge of the adobe creative suite.
I decided to take a chance, and I went with Low Tech Hacking. I made the decision based on wanting to challenge myself and also the new techniques I would learn.

When I received the brief, I was really happy with my decision, as it included lots of workshops. I want to learn how to incorporate projections, light and possibly movement into my work. Although within this unit I will be producing a final piece, I believe I will also be learning much more about digital processes.