Project 2, Week 5

In order to develop my sketchbook work, this week I worked on some more sampling for my second project, as well as some initial digital designs, to then embellish onto. I envisage the final outcomes for this project as being bespoke wall hangings or wall paper, in the style of wallpaper designer Tracy Kendal, so have been experimenting with combining repeat patterns and stitching on top and adding Perspex elements to the designs to add a sense of irregularity.

Digital compositions

Tracy Kendal interactive wallpaper

I think these initial samples have worked well, in illustrating how they could work on a larger scale, but as I wanted to start visualising these quickly, I had the digital designs sublimation printed. Ideally, they would be printed on a natural fibre such as cotton, but in the next few weeks for this project I plan to work on dyeing fabric to achieve the right colours for this and refining my digital compositions. So far, I have only done a4 compositions, not repeat patterns, so I want to make sure I get this right before committing to digitally printing designs. I also plan to work on developing my designs for paper print, as I would like to see if they will work as wallpaper.

Embellished digital repeat design (a4)

As well as this, I have continued to sample with fabric, combining materials including dyed natural fibres, synthetic materials and adding dyed Perspex features. I feel that this has really influenced my ideas for large scale hangings. The dyed perspex elements have really enhanced the samples, although I need to contine working on the colours and timings, as I have realised that clear perspex dyes really well, whereas opaque can be more blotchy. With my most recent fabric samples I have aimed to imitate the textures and shapes seen in the primary research I gathered from Lisbon. Next, I plan to assess the materials used and refine my colour palette for my final samples. Looking at the work of Hamburg-based design studio Besau-Marguerre and textile artist Bethany Walker has helped me to think of the outcomes as individual hangings and bespoke pieces. Along with my wall hangings/wallpaper I also plan to create a publication detailing my material sampling.

 

Recent material samples.

Bethany Walker's mixed media textiles pieces.

Visual communication and styling studio Besau-Marguerre.

Additionally, this week I went on a site visit to Riverside, an office building owned by the company Bruntwood. This was for the launch of the Bruntwood live brief, which involves pitching an idea for an installation in the Riverside building. I was inspired by the visit to pitch for the window space, Cloister. I was inspired by the shapes of the trees seen through the window and the industrial yet curved shapes of the surrounding buildings. I wanted to combine these elements to create a piece which would hang in the window and be translucent, letting in and distorting the light.

Following the launch, I returned to the site to take more pictures for inspiration and get the measurements for the space. I went late in the afternoon and was worried about the lighting for taking photos, but I was surprisingly pleased with the shades and colours I achieved by going at that time of day. The orangey tones of light from the windows contrast strikingly with the barren greys and browns of the windows and trees, so I plan to work with this palette for my installation.

Photos from Riverside.

With my photos, I began to work on moodboards and then moved into my sketchbook to plan ideas for the space. Due to the linear nature of the buildings I was instantly drawn to paper cutting window shapes and began to work with these, seeing them as hanging mobile-like structures. I then worked on making these shapes larger scale and cutting them out of paper. This worked reasonably well, although I realised that I needed to use thick paper or carboard when increasing the scale, as the thinner paper was too flimsy and would bend easily when hung.

Bruntwood moodboards.

For this project I plan to continue working on the scale of the elements, as well as having pieces cut from wood and Perspex, and then painting and dyeing the materials to work with my colour palette.