Creative Suite workshops

Figure 1: Machine Stitch

This is a drawing that I have done with machine stitch, but to make it look more interesting, I have used Photoshop.  Photoshop has some potential in embroidery especially when building up scenes with patches.

I like to base my Photoshop design on my work, drawings and embroidery.



Figure 2: Photoshop

  

I have used Magic wand to select the area that I wanted on my sample and pasted on several area so that the image look more like a crowded housing area.  From using Photoshop I have begun to stitch together different fabric offcuts with different stiches and qualities on them.

 

 

Figure 3: Second attempt.

 

For my second attempt, I have used my sketchbook drawing instead of my embroidery sample I  did not only use magic wand only, I also bring in the techniques I have learnt in the past as well as magic wand.  This looks like a new sketchbook drawing with blending lines and brushes. I was able to stamp in the floor using the brush tool.

 

Figure 4: Sketchbook drawing

 

This is my original drawing from my sketchbook, I have used paintbrush tool in Photoshop to continue to draw and testing out colours and tone.

However, I enjoy the feel of the fabric more then the look of a digital design. Photoshop is a great tool for me when I was in print, however, now that I am back in embroidery. I do enjoy using Photoshop, but I am sure I can find the middle point where I combine digital print and embroidery on top. At the moment I like the texture of the stitches on the fabric more than design.

 

Embroidery

Figure 1: Machine stitch

I enjoy selecting subject matter out of the city landscape and focus on them. During the process I have discover a new machine feet that I have never came across to – Drawing feet. With free stitch machine feet, I am able to draw through the sewing machine.

For in the past I am only familiar with straight stitch, now I find it much easier to draw with the machine.

I had some positive feedback from my tutor, she has pointed out in my drawings I had the similar atmosphere as Hopper’s work.

I think it is important to always look at other artists work for inspirations, as I was inspired by Hopper’s work, it made me think about a different approach in urban landscape.

Figure 2: Nighthawks by Edward Hopper, 1942.

I enjoy drawing in a sense of space, I like to give my audience room to imagine. For I like to imagining myself.



Figure 3: Landscape drawing.

Leaving space for the imaginative and transferring the drawings onto fabric, using a sewing machine.

Figure 4: Machine stitch.

 

For development I started bringing colours to highlight the object to show what subject matter that I am interesting in. Using my drawing as a blue print for me in order to move on to working with embroidery as always been a helpful way for me to work with. This is an imaginary scene based on the colours and textures I have observed from my drawings.

To continue working in the flow, I must carry on drawing as well as working with embroidery, for I get bored with the same subject matter very easily. I must remain focussed and narrow down my ideas after I have explored large subject matters to find the one that is the most suitable for myself and myself only.

 

 

Intentions Unit

I have carried on looking for different artists for inspiration.  The book Watercolour and Pencil Drawings by Cezanne, 1973.



Figure 1: Heads after various Old Masters, 1876-9.

I have started taken an interest in drawing people, after reading the book. People watching around Manchester has had an impact upon this work.

  

Figure 2: Sketchbook drawing.



 

I find it intresting watching people and drawing them, for everyone is different, but to be able to docment their mood, and personilaty onto paper. I find that intresting and challenging.  Movements of people are an interesting observation, but make it difficult to draw also finding people by chance has an impact upon this work.

Figure 3: Transferring onto fabric.

In comparison to a building it is difficult to draw movement. There is an issue with time as people may leave. I have tried to work from my drawing and transferring it on to fabric with machine stitch. With machine stitch I had to treat the drawing as a continually line drawing.  

The size of fabric has an impact on detail. I find it helpful to continually draw the same thing over and over. For I believe practice makes perfect, so I did the same with drawing and embroidery.

Figure 4: Sketchbook drawing.

 

It is the same person, in a different position showing movement. I find it useful to draw the person first and the surroundings second. As I retained focus on the figure, the drawing took a closer perspective , although I didn’t physically move closer.

 

Figure 5: Transferring onto fabric.

Once again, I have free stitched this piece with a sewing machine, but I found myself copying my own work and getting stressed for the fabric drawing does not look the same as my sketchbook drawing, I need to understand that I am not trying to copy but to create something new, an improvement, that is what I am trying to achieve.  Colour for this purpose would be distracting so in order to know my material properties I am able to recreate my sketchbook atmosphere.

 

 

 

Urban Influences, Part 2.

Figure 1: Painting onto bricks.

After realising that my drawing skills would not improve by just drawing from photographs. I am not just copying but trying to learn how to use more media. I have started drawing on the spot, but I did not start with paper  I have started with a brick  during the process, I have ran out of white paint, so I used yellow to replaced it. I like the texture of the brick it gives to my painting, but maybe, I need to go over that paint again, so that my painting stands out more from the background. This is also quicker than paper as the brick soaks up colour. I would need to mix the colour tone if using paper.

I want to be able to move with my work. 

Figure 2: Sketchbook

  Drawing on the spot, I tend to use blind drawing, because it records what is happening around faster on the page. Afterwards, I would go over it with more planed lines and adding colours.

What I think worked the best for me is that I think using a sketchbook to capture the moment then work on that on another piece of paper. The sketchbook is more of a blue print where I play with scales.

Figure 3: Sketchbook

 

Sometimes, I don’t even stop walking, I carry on walking and draw at the same time. Making myself uncomfortable can surprise myself.

Figure 4: Sketchbook

As I found my subject matter, I concentrated on it, cars.

Figure 5: Ink drawing of a car

 

I enjoy working with colours as well as black and white, I need to divide my colour palette such as try and use white ink only to draw to create a more interesting background to draw on.

I don’t like working with sketchbook because I feel like I am being limited in scale and pushed into filling the pages.  I have just been working on loose papers, to improve I will cut up more papers in hand and carry my pocket sketchbook and record, but look for subject matters, cars.

Urban Influences.

Figure 1: The Printworks, Manchester, 2014.

Instead of selecting drawing buildings at random I have decided to create a storyboard.

I drew all the restaurants and memorable places that my boyfriend and I have visited in Manchester.

At the beginning I worked from photographs and not on the spot, which because camera lenses show everything and I got nothing from my drawings but disappointment. The way I see things is not everything but the way I see things. That is the difference.

I did not try to draw everything I see within the photograph, I have selected the building outline and filled in the details. However, I have blinked out everything else. I do not see why I should draw thing that does not interest me. In a way, I see it as torturing myself. 

Figure 2: Piccadilly train station, 2014.

  In most of the drawings, I used either ink or pencil, I want to keep it black and white, therefore, there is no way of telling what time of the day is it, or the weather. Simply, I just want to draw the building structure design.

Figure 3: Painting onto a street mirror: Step by step.

  After this, I moved on from paper and worked with an urban found object, because I was getting tired of drawing buildings. Subject matter is very important to me, for I have to be interested in the subject matter, to make it interesting for myself. I started with my surroundings, dogs. I painted over the mirror and scratched the paint off in order to draw.

Figure 4: Drawing of Ruby.

 

From working with buildings and mirrors I wanted to draw from a different aspect.

Overall, the drawings that I did, I realised that working from photographs are more detailed. I don’t think I used enough media to experiment, but I have narrowed down my subject matter and decided that I need to experiment more with scales.