Locating Unit: Week 1

This week I have been doing lots of research for the new unit: Locating. Initially I focused on deciding   which live brief I wanted to do as I thought this might help me form ideas for my self-initiated brief. I surprised myself by being strongly drawn to the Fashion, Form, Fabricate brief. Before I had had a chance to find out about all the projects, I had expected to do one which was interiors based. However, I felt that the FFF project would be experimental and challenging, and would help me push myself out of my comfort zone. This was something I worked on during the Intentions Unit and want to carry on doing in this one because it was so beneficial and I produced more innovative samples.

I’m really interested in the combination of fashion and technology, and with the fashion live brief hope to explore wearable tech and the sustainable possibilities being investigated through fashion and technology. Another reason why I was drawn to this project was the opportunity to expand my skill set and learn how to do 3D printing. This is something I’m fascinated by, and I’m especially excited about creating very sculptural and multi-angular samples, and eventually a final piece which refences sculpture but is also wearable.

Sculptural neck piece.

This led me to consider sculpture as a primary influence for both projects. Some of my all-time favourite artists are sculptors, such as Barbara Hepworth, Anthony Gormley, Henry Moore and Anish Kapoor, to name a few. I also love the curves created in the ceramics by Lucy Rie. I haven’t had a chance to draw on these artists that much in past projects so thought this would be the perfect opportunity to do so. Particularly with the Live brief, I feel that this will inspire me to push myself in terms of making my prints three-dimensional.

Lucie Rie vase at the Hepworth, Wakefield.

Barbara Hepworth sculpture at the Hepworth, Wakefield.

Looking at sculpture made me think along the lines of curves and contours. In contrast to the Intentions project which focused on geometry, this time I want to do large-scale, curvaceous drawing and mark-making, with an emphasis on movement and gestural shapes and patterns. I’m really inspired by the work of American artist Elliott Puckette, who does flowing, calligraphic line paintings. I also love the work of printmaker, Peter Green. The first tutorial was helpful for pooling ideas and it made me think about how I would make sure both projects remained distinct from one another.

'Black Form' woodcut and stencil print by Peter Green.

To research sculpture further, after spending time in the library, I went to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park to gather photographs and primary research. It was a crisp wintry day which gave some lovely light for photographing the sculptures and the works by Henry Moore looked particularly beautiful in the afternoon sun. On the same day, I went to the Hepworth museum in Wakefield to see the Barbara Hepworth Sculptures. What interested me most, along with the curved lines of her designs, was the emphasis on how tactile her sculptures are and how she combines materials. I hope to get really hands on in my design work.

View across the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

To make sure both projects remain separate, I am going to focus on sculpture for the live brief and curves and contours for the self-initiated brief. To further distinguish the two, I am going to work towards an interior context for the self-initiated project. At this point I am considering wallpaper designs but this could change to fabric once my main body of research and drawing is complete. I hope that by having a fashion outcome and an interior one, I will end up with two conclusions which are entirely different but linked in ways too, such as colour or motifs.

Henry Moore Sculpture at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

My plan for the next week is to continue researching by going to the library. I’m going to look for more contemporary sculptors and artist who work with line and movement. As well as this I am going to start drawing and working from my sketches and photographs from the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and get started on the moodboard for the live brief.