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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.

PE Task 2

I have thoroughly enjoyed working on this project. With an early engaging concept, I believe my research and development was in-depth, and I tried to think about the words ‘data’ and ‘mapping’ in a more abstract way.

From the very beginning I began to identify contextual artists that related to the direction of my work. After my visit to Manchester Art Gallery and the initial drawings that I did, I stumbled across an artist named James Pegg.

James Pegg is inspired by architecture, he draws buildings that people would not give a second glance to, by only using lines. He is also a screen-printing artist, which relates back to my origins project. I feel that my initial drawings were restricting me, and I was unsure how I could develop them further, however once I had gathered visual references of James Pegg’s work, it fuelled my ideas, and I was able to envisage my work as an end product.

Looking back at my original research, I had looked at using light and long exposures to reflect ‘time’. I wanted to somehow combine light into my samples. I began to look at an artist named Astrid Krogh. She uses optic strands to make tapestries that glow and illuminate into a rainbow of colours. She is influenced by natural light, and the shadows cast throughout the day. During one of the group tutorials, and expressing my interest in Astrid Krogh, my tutor advised me of an optic wire website. I ordered three metres of the wire, in varied colours. At present I am still in the stages of designing my samples that will incorporate the wire.

During the mixed media project we were introduced to the laser cutter. After using the ‘data’ verb sheet to manipulate my drawing and designs, the laser cutter was very much suited to my concept. I began to look at artists that used light to create pattern, or projections to engage.

Anila Qyayyum Agha has recently created a series of shadow art cubes named ‘Intersections’. She has created intricately carved wooden cubes that fit together, and hold a light. The result of which projects the most beautiful designs. Anila is greatly inspired and influenced by Islamic sacred patterns. I found this extremely interesting as she was expressing her own researched data in a more abstract way. I think researching Anila and looking through photographs of her gallery pieces, was a turning point in my project, and from that moment I could place my work within a context.

 

I believe that the contextual research helped me develop my drawings into ideas, and ideas into a final concept. I can now envisage my work as a gallery piece. Due to the abstract projections that it produces, it would engage and intrigue an audience. I feel it fits in very well with the brief. Using line drawing techniques and the laser cutting tool, I have produced work that is of an abstract nature, and relates to portraying a period of time, and a journey.

Print room samples

I went into the print room twice this week. I used dying techniques that I had learnt in origins, but I also learnt a new technique called marbling. I think this project has really allowed me to learn new techniques which allows me to experiment in future projects and I will have a broader knowledge of processes to play with. I also visited the fabric store and bought flock and foil papers. I used these materials and my screen to create successful samples. I hope to incorporate these with my clear acrylic laser cutter samples.

I think I have definitely tried to challenge myself more in the print room, and to further my knowledge of the materials available to me.

Projection of laser cutter samples

I took my laser cutter samples to the dark studio and used an over head projector to push light through them, and see the effects on to the adjacent wall. I'm unsure how well it actually worked. It was difficult to imagine the samples in a box room, and projecting on all four walls. I do like the effect, but I will need to sample this idea more. I am booked in to use the laser cutter again, for a three hour session, during which I will be using mirror acrylic, clear acrylic and wood. I am going to use the acrylics for one off pieces that will join to fabrics produced in the print room, and I'm going to create a cube from the wooden faces, which will hopefully work very similarly to Anila Quayyum Agha.

Progression Wall

While studying mixed media, we have been asked to select key pieces of work or research, which reflect the direction of our project. The images are in chronological order. The first one reflects my initial research and thinking. Thinking about the words 'mapping' and 'data', I wanted to reflect a journey I had been through, and decided to base it upon my time at University so far. 

I looked at youth culture, and thought about the friends that I had made at University. I wanted to create samples to reflect this. I also looked at music; with is a common interest in my group of friends, and light; particularly long exposures, as I felt it reflected the concept of time.

The last of my walls, shows the progression that I made, and I think it mirrors my initial research and ideas. The drawings of my friends have been further developed on the laser cutter and in the print room. I have researched contextual artists, concentrating on light projection and LED lighting.

Anila Quayyum Agha

Anila Quayyum Agha is a mixed media artist whom has create's elaborate projection cube. This particular piece is names 'intersections'. The cube is made up of large panels of laser cut wood, and is based upon Islamic patterns found in sacred places of worship. 

This idea of light projection links directly to the work I am doing at the moment. I stumbled across this artist, and I am so happy that I did, as it has given my work much more reference, and I can now picture my ideas and samples in a gallery space. I have thoroughly enjoyed using the laser cutter and I know that I could use it as a tool for my future projects and challenge myself with more complicated designs and structures. 

Laser cutter samples

I used wood in the initial laser cutter sessions, but I am tempted to try using transparent acrylic plastic, as I like the idea of being able to view something through it. I want to try and combine the idea of light, and over exposure, with the faces of my friends.

I am going to use the drawings of my friends and the laser cutter to create new samples, and try and combine different materials. I'm thinking of creating a screen in the print room, and placing it behind my wooden faces. I like the idea of layering up my samples. 

Laser Cutter

I took my designs to the laser cutter today and absolutely fell in love with this machine. I don't know whether it's just the direction that my project has taken but the faces worked particularly well.

I wanted to make something more 3D, so I laser cut numerous wooden samples of the block face, and began to layer up the pieces onto a plain board, which I had engraved the image on, so that the positioning of the pieces was perfect.

I also used imotion on my mobile to show the laser cutting through my image. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, and I'm now thinking of ways that I combine the new techniques that I have learnt with the print room processes.

Astrid Krogh

Astrid Krogh uses optic strands to weave large tapestries which glow and illuminate in a rainbow of colours. She is influenced by natural sun light, and creates contemporary light installations to portray this. 

I have been keen to use light or projection in my samples, and this artist has really inspired me to try optic strands. During my group tutorial, I pinned Astrid Krogh's work up on my wall. My tutor commented on her work, and advised me of a website to visit that sells neon, luminous wire. I have now placed an order for three metres, in varied colours, and I'm going to begin to develop my ideas and samples to incorporate these.