YEAR TWO: UNIT TWO: BRITISH BUGS IN PRINTED TEXTILES

I have chosen to focus this live briefed unit on british insects and bugs. My aim is to use printed textiles techniques combined with other textiles processes to create a design for the fashion market. 

My designs should fit into the current fashion trends with embellishment and large, bold print being central. Other key elements will be colour and fabric choice. 

With J W Anderson using bold, animal orientated, repeated prints in his A/W 2012 collection for Topshop, and designers such as Louis Vuitton using bright and bold prints on the catwalk, my designs need to be in keeping with these themes.

I plan to study insects and other 'creepy crawlies' to then group together in a repetitive pattern that resembles scenery. My inspiration will come from my photographs and other sources of bugs that are common throughout England and the UK. 

WRAPPING THE NEST, FONT BAR, FALLOWFIELD

This month we (a group of friends and I) were asked by the creative director of FONT BAR, Fallowfiled, Manchester to create a piece of textiles to sit in the back corner of the bar. As it is autumn, we decided to build a suspended, wrapped nest to create a warm, cosy feel to the table underneath.

We used autumnal colours to wrap the gathered twigs, then started to wrap them together into branches to hang from the ceiling. We did this in an ordered manner to give a sense of flowing colours around the nest. We suspended them from the ceiling using hooks and fishing wire. The final touch came with the fairy lights which added a soft atmosphere and colour to the piece in the evening...

CONTEXT SHEET

Final Proposal

My final proposal is to create a movable and changeable exhibition screen in the form of digital tiles. The installation would originally show my Manchester inkblots which are based upon marks and memories that have been made in Manchester in the past, however the screen could then be used a single screen or multiple screens to show new students and staff artwork as marks they have made in Manchester. 

  Concentrating on the idea of interaction and change, I wanted the tiles to facilitate new patterns and marks being made from my designs which is why the tiles slide to change position on the wall.This way my original designs will never become stagnant or 'boring'. The movement will also allow variation for the digital exhibitions that can be uploaded onto it. 

I think digital exhibitions could be a very new, exciting and practical way of students to show their work in a public environment. The art world will always hands on and traditional however it is becoming increasingly modern and digital and I think that this screen could help students to begin to show their work in a digital way, ready for their working careers. 

 As the screen would be of a substantial size and the tiles would be in large numbers, I needed to come up with a way to allow anyone to be able to move the screens interactively. This shows itself in the form of a smaller replica of the tiles lower down on the wall. These would be digitally connected to the working tiles and act like a sliding puzzle remote. For example when you move a tile on the remote, the corresponding larger tile would move on the wall above. I think this is an easy, simple and fun way of interacting with the screen.

 The screen could be installed inside the new building in a large space such as the reception. However, I think a better idea would be to have it on the large blank wall on the side of the new art school so that the public could see the work as well. 

I wanted my final design to be new, exciting and useable and I think that the PIXEL SCREEN achieves this.

PIXILATE

Mechanics and Movement

I have been deliberating a number of methods to allow the tiles to move and to allow the students and staff to rearrange them as they wish. One method that grabbed my attention was that of a children's sliding puzzle. I like the simple design of these toys and the simple movement of the tiles within. I think it would be great to use these movements and methods for my tiled installation and it is a wonderful notion to think that such amazing and complicated patterns could be made from such simple actions. 

I wouldn't take on all aspects of the sliding puzzle though as this could be too restrictive. For example I wouldn't use the square shape and frame, instead opting for a wall system which allows the tiles to cover a larger area and also allow them to move to create unusual and unrestricted shapes.

 

Making Patterns With Pixels???

Interactivity in my project is very important and I'd like the new students to be able to create different patterns with the final installation.

  However I'd love the imagery to be changeable as well, and I think it would be a great idea to allow students to showcase their own work on the installation as part of the ever changing new art school. Therefore, instead of the tiles being made of glass or resin with the imagery trapped inside, as I had originally planned, the tiles will now be digital with the ability to move and have imagery uploaded onto them.

I've been playing around with my Manchester inkblot images to see what kind of patterns can be made with them in 'tile form'. Because the original images are made with inks, the patterns and marks which become apparent are soft and delicate but also strong in colour which i love! The images could change at regular intervals with the different inkblots I've created until a student books the screens to exhibit their work for an amount of time.

A CHANGE IN DIRECTION???

After a lot of editing and creating patterns with my inkblot images on photoshop, I've decided to use my images separately as the patterns seem to be taking away from the original features and textures. I have also decided I want my project to involve the new users of the building and for the outcome to be interactive so I'm now focusing my efforts on moving images and patterns. Maybe the tiles could be moved so that individuals could create their own patterns with my Manchester inkblots??? I would like my design to be constantly interesting and changing rather than static and I think this might be a way to move towards that criteria. Another point I have been discussing with myself is pixilation of my inkblots. 

This may allow me to use my images on a larger scale in my final design. It also suggests the use of square tiles which fits in with my project very well.

MODULE H

'Module H' is a wall hanging system design by Shigeru Ban in association with Hermes. The design comprises of an aluminium mesh with crafted leather/fabric tiles. The shape and form of the tiles can be chosen by the client therefore creating their own design. The mesh can be used as a room divider, a wall covering or a ceiling covering! I think this idea is brilliant and I love that the 'artwork' is left to the client to decide upon. This sort of flexibility and interaction is something I would like to develop within my project.

CV

Danusha Komar –CV

EDUCATIONAL CAREER

GCSEs- 12 GCSEs grades A* to B

AS Level- Art A, Design B, Photography B, Sociology A

A Level- Art A, Sociology B, Design C

 Art Foundation Year (Manchester Metropolitan University) – Merit

Degree- BA Textiles in Practise (Manchester Metropolitan University) – 2011-2014

WORK

JD Fashion Group Plc – October 2010- present

Part time Senior Sales Assistant.

As a senior sales assistant in the Adidas Originals shop in the Trafford Centre, I am in charge of my own section and staff on a regular basis on weekdays and on busy weekends. I am in charge of dealing with customers’ queries, managing staff and merchandising, which involves my creative skills as an artist/ designer. This means making sure that new or high selling lines are of prominent place in the shop and also making sure that the colour ways match and that the shop is looking its best at all times. It has also helped me to develop my interpersonal skills and time management.

ABOUT ME

I have always loved art and design from an early age and I have always been around art as my mother is an artist herself. For my GCSEs I chose as many art and design based subjects as possible which included an extra after school GCSE: Textiles. I gained A*s to As in all of my art based subjects (Art, Textiles, Design). Similarly in my AS Levels I chose to do an extra in the form of Photography. I gained a B in my Photography AS and it taught me techniques and methods a normal art A level could not.

I enjoyed my foundation thoroughly and it helped me to decide which particular area of art and design I wanted to go into (textiles). I also found during this time that I love to bounce ideas off other people and to work with other people to come up with new exciting ideas. I enjoyed my foundation at MMU so much that I decided to stay for my degree. I chose the BA Textiles in Practise degree because I thought it would give me a wide base of textiles skills and allow me to keep my options open as to which specific discipline I would finally go in to. So far the course has given me all of these things and my skills in many areas such as weaving and print have developed and are still developing. The course is big so I can carry on bouncing ideas off people and gaining new experiences every day.

MY INSPIRATIONS

I take inspiration from many aspects of life however my work tends to veer towards past movements and subcultures and peoples mental health and state of mind. For example I recently did some work based on the Hacienda and the Factory movement in 1990s Manchester for which I created both prints and weaves. I have in the past used natural world inspirations which I have enjoyed also.

MY WORK

My work tends to focus on colour and excitement. I love to combine colours to create eye-catching pieces and designs, mainly for fashion however some of my work could be used for interiors. I am not set on one particular discipline however I love to use weaving and print as the colours and effects I can create lend well to my work.

CURRENT WORK

I am currently doing work about inkblots and marks related to Manchester for Unit X in which I am to produce a piece of work for the new Art school building. I am choosing to make my design interactive as I want people to be able to create art work with it. This has been challenging however it has also been exciting and a great chance to learn about art projects outside of university and to network with other people.

REFERENCES

Tony Radcliffe- MMU foundation, Grosvenor Building, Oxford Road.

Kate Egan- MMU BA Textiles in Practise course leader.

Peter Harding- Manager, JD Sports Trafford centre.

TIMOROUS BEASTIES

I discovered Timorous Beasties last year whilst on my foundation but have found that I have come back to them time and time again for inspiration. Taking inspiration mainly from the natural world, they create amazing unique and modern designs sometimes however harking back to classic print designs such as their well known 'Glasgow Toile'.

  
Most of their designs have a hand drawn quality to them that I love and even though some finished products are digitally printed, they still use the 'hand made', screen printed method which I think sets them apart from many other design houses.


In June 2011 they embarked upon a project to create window coverings for the inside of Stratford Market station in East London to provide privacy in parts of the building. They used their 'Tree Of Life' design on clear vinyl for the finished product.
This could be an area of further investigation for my work as the new build houses a lot of glass and this is a contemporary and fun way of giving privacy to areas in and around buildings.

http://www.timorousbeasties.com/

6 IMAGES- my project so far...

We were given a task to sum up our work so far using only 6 images in the hope that it would help us analyse our project critically. 

To showcase these images I decided to make a concertina artists book with the 6 images/pages that I think have played the biggest part in my project's development so far.

I think this helps to show clear thought processes and it also helps to make decisions about the next steps of my project. 

INKBLOT PATTERNS

Over the past week I've been developing my imagery (iconic Manchester inkblots) into patterns that can be used in and around the new art school. I've been using photoshop for this and I've found using the programme very easy and effective! :) I love the colours I've developed in the patterns and I think it could be just what the new building needs to get it to start looking and feeling like an art 'hub'. 

 This process will be ongoing however I have started to now think about how I can display these patterns. So, I have been experimenting with different paper and fabrics to examine and to help me choose which textures and finishes I want to use in my work. 

INKBLOTS

I've decided to focus my imagery for this project on inkblots and how they can represent events, people, places and marks found within Manchester and Manchester's past. So, I started to look at marks found in and around Manchester such as peeling walls, puddles, brickwork etc and I have also started to look into major events, music movements and influential people within the city's past. From these I have made some inkblots which I think represent the imagery and information I have found.

'Factory Records Inkblot'

 The imagery I have created has lead me to think about pattern and how I can use these to create pattern in and around the new build.

Thoughts and Ideas (week 2)

Just a few thoughts and ideas I've had progressing from my starting point. Jotting down my thoughts like this helps me to sift through my ideas and give me a sense of direction!

CLAIRE LOWE 19/03/2012- Danusha Komar

Today I attended a talk by Claire Lowe, the partenership manager for 'The Corridor Manchester'. The 'Corridor' runs from St.Peter's Square, through the city and down to and past the Whitworth Art Gallery, the heart of the corridor being Oxford Road. The area covers 243 hectares and employs 18% of the city's total workforce.

The Corridor is a unique business location which links three of the main educational centres in Manchester:

Manchester Metropolitan University

The University of Manchester

Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS foundation Trust

The Commonwealth Games and the move of part of the BBC to Oxford Road (Manchester) in 2002-6 made way and kickstarted the partnership. In 2007 the Manchester City South Partenership was formed and in 2008 the name was changed to 'The Corridor Manchester'.

The main aim of 'the Corridor' is to be 'the leading UK location for knowledge-based businesses, research & development and learning and knowledge'. Their vision is to be CREATIVE, ORIGINAL and SMART and they are currently working on 5 main themes throughout their business:

1.SENSE OF PLACE

2.TRANSPORT

3.ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

4.RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

5.EMPLOYMENT, BUSINESS AND SKILLS

One fundemental project they are working on at the moment is the Cross City Bus Package which is going to involve a bus route that travels up and down the Corridor and allows tourists and workers to visit and get to places along the corridor without a need for and transport changes. This should make the Corridor more accessible and more well known.

Another project the partenership is working on is the Public Realm. In this they aim to regenerate and to develop streets and areas which surround the Corridor through art and new technology. One area where this can already be seen is the Grosvenor Square.

They are also very interested in 'green' spaces and travelling.

Other members of the partenership are:

Cornerhouse

Bruntwood

Manchester City Council

Manchester Science Parks LTD

http://www.corridormanchester.com/welcome

Arrivals...

 

I decided to look at Manchester for my arrival point as the start of the unit. I thought it would be fitting to look at the city and the immediate surroundings of the art school to add history and context to my ideas. I wrote a short piece describing the scenes I saw when I first visited Manchester and ended in the Northern Quarter which is where I have decided to focus my attention at this point in Unit X.

I made some drawings from memory that related to my 'short story'.

I then visited the Northern Quarter to gather research and take photographs. I started to take photos of backstreets and the brickwork but then discovered the metal tiles in the floor about half way up 'Oldham Street'. They are symbolic tiles with images and patterns synonymous with Manchester and what was once the underground music scene. This made me think about the marks and the memories people have made and left in and upon Manchester. Hopefully this idea of memories and mark making will feed into my work and help me to produce some amazing ideas!

SAMPLING Evaluation...

I am very pleased with the samples I have produced throughout the whole of the sampling unit however I am especially pleased with how the second half of my project has developed. I produced a lot more research than in the first half and I have enjoyed working towards more of a goal. I think my drawing and time management skills have improved again and the experimental side of my practice has gained a little more momentum. I have been working hard in the weave room nearly every day to produce my samples and this has lead me to discover that I think woven textiles is the main area of practice that I would like to develop, even though I have really enjoyed print and I thought that that would be my favoured discipline. 

 

In my personal brief I wrote about looking at colour more than imagery, which i have done however imagery has played a bigger part in my weaving than I had first anticipated and I have found this to be a good thing as it links the first and second half of my project well. 

I have tried to think about structure in my weaving by adding extra weft and using other techniques such as seersucker and floats rather than just thinking about a flat surface however after finishing the samples I have come to realise that maybe some of these techniques would not suit fabrics for fashion which I originally was aiming towards. The thicker fabrics may be more suitable for interiors or just pieces of art however I could think about toning them down or making them thinner to make them more suitable for fashion.

 A contemporary weaver called Laura Thomas inspired me in the structure of my weaving and also to think about how I can manipulate my woven samples after being taken off the loom. 

 

 'Loose Threads- Emerald'

For example I decided to weave some cream/ white samples to dye after being on the loom as I found I really enjoyed dip dying fabrics whilst using print in the first half of the project. I also thought this would make a good link between the two halves.

 

  

Overall I think that this project has been a success however an area I could work on is contextualising and using more influences from contemporary artists which is what I will aim to do in future projects. I think I will also continue to use more than one sketchbook in my projects as it has worked well for me to have a separate book for research and drawings, I find this helps me to research and draw more out of my subject matter.

 

Laura Thomas

I came across Laura Thomas whilst looking for inspiration for my own weaving. Her use of colour caught my eye initially as she uses it subtly with graduations and blocks of bold colour. I also like her bold, modern designs which include a range of geometric shapes. However Laura doesn't just weave and leave it at that, she manipulates her weaving after she has taken it off the loom as in her work 'loose threads' in which she captures the essence of the warp alone within an acrylic casing. 

Laura studied woven textiles at the 'University of England, The Royal College of Art' and then went on to become one of the founders of the 'Ann Sutton Foundation' (a woven textiles research group).

She mainly uses an AVL 24 shaft loom with a width of 1 metre however some of her samples are created at small mills around the country.

Shelly Goldsmith Lecture

On Tuesday 7th Febuary I attended a lecture by Shelly Goldsmith about her work and practise. She talked about the thought processes behind her art and it became clear that there is always a reason and a meaning behind each piece. 

She started her career as a tapestry weaver however she has now turned more towards fine art textiles in which she seems to use a number of hand processes such as hand stitching. I like the sense of emotion behind her artwork, an example being her delicate printed children's dresses which showed images of natural disasters and traumatic scenes. 

 'No Escape'

I also found her newest work very interesting. It's about how she believes textiles and clothing can 'absorb' events and experiences of the owner throughout its life span and that these can never be washed away or forgotten. She used her families experiences to create pieces of art with stories stitched into them, usually where she thought the body would touch the inside of the clothing most. She also involved a lot of forensic links within this work. 

 

Shelly said that it is very important to her to research and explore for a long period of time before creating her work and that it is also important to push boundries and techniques to the limit.

SAMPLES IN PROGRESS...

After testing out yarn qualities and various patterns I have started to create my final samples. Here are my samples in progress...

TBC...

WEAVING THE SKY...

I have been testing out different yarns and patterns in my weaving to decide which techniques and colours to use in my final samples...