UNIT X weeks 1 and 2 (Farm to Fabric)
After completing my embellished wallpaper project based on
imagery from Lisbon for the Practice unit, I knew I wanted to continue working
with bright colour, shape and embellishment. Additionally, I wanted to look for
more nature inspired primary research. This led me to looking at fruit and veg
and markets. I am especially keen on the textures and details of fruit and veg
and the way they are displayed in markets, in grids of crates. This creates a
juxtaposition of the organically shaped food in a rigid grid-like system which I
think could translate interestingly into print designs.
Fruit and Veg primary research |
To begin my research I have been looking at food photography
and going out to look at the way fruit and veg is displayed in markets and
shops throughout Manchester. I have also been taking my own compositional
photographs of fruit and veg, then editing these in photoshop. This process has
really helped me think about layout and lighting in food photography.
Compositional photoraphs of fruit and veg. |
Edited photos of fruit and veg. |
After taking and editing the photos, I began drawing from
them in my sketchbook, initially using watercolours, gouache and pastels. This has
given me a varied combination of effects, which do help to bring out textures
in my drawing, however I feel like the watercolour and gouache painting works better
than the pastel as it gives a more graphic effect.
Whilst I liked the painting on its own, I felt quickly that
this became quite repetitive, and too literal for my style. Therefore, I decided
to begin working with collage to incorporate layers, areas of relief and a more
abstract style of drawing into my work.
I feel that collage lends itself really well to this
project. I have worked with painted paper to give the collages a very hand-made,
textural effect.
Sketchbook collages. |
Over the next few weeks I am going to continue doing lots of
drawing and collaging to produce a large variety of shapes to work with. I will
also experiment with cutting up my collages and rearranging them in smaller, grid-like
configurations in order to replicate fruit and veg in market stalls. I am also
planning to do research into patchwork, as I feel that this could be useful
when translating my work from paper into fabric.
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