Unit X - The Brainless Deer

After my tutorial, I have decided to expand on my characters’ background. Such as at drama class, where I was given a role to play and I have to use my imagination to shape the personality of the character.

 Figure 1: Sketchbook drawing

I have set myself a target of filling as much as I can with sketchbook drawings, then I plan to select and create them into samples later on.

In figure 1, I watched wild life of lion pride as my researching reference. Where when a male lion grow up it travels to find another pride and take over it as its own.   There is a feeling of power and isolation.   The lion is forced to leave his own pride. This is one of the reasons why in my work the lion is represented as close to death as he searches for his new pride to rule over. 

Figure 2: Sketchbook drawing

As in background I drew a group of lion pride watching the lion go.  The male lion here represents the head of the pride surrounded by lionesses.  The bushes allow the story to be placed in a number of different locations.   

Figure 3: Sketchbook drawing

I added in the fox at the corner of the page as a hint of its arrival later on in the story.

Figure 4: Sketchbook drawing

This representation of two lions fighting was a useful tool to be able to see how lions' bodies move and how they move, creep hunt. This will allow a sense of realism in the design and this will benefit the planning of the final piece. 

Figure 5: Sketchbook drawing

I plan to draw a series of different types of deer and study the muscle mass of the deer’s body in order to improve my drawing skills.

I found deer are magnificent, especially the male with large horns.  I want this to give an overwhelming feeling for the viewer.  I am designing a unique deer, based upon many different deer to make this piece more original. 

Unit X - The Brainless Deer; Artist Research

Figure 1: The Circus by Brian Wildsmith, 1930 

I am looking at Brian Wildsmith’s work for inspiration composition of use of colours.

For he is a painter and children ‘s book illustrator, which as my current project are narrative, story – telling, therefore, I think looking at his way of illustration would help me to illustrate the story.  This is the type of career I am considering, and this work is similar in style to what I create. I like the childlike drawing style- it creates a connection to the children as his main audience.  I want the audience to make connections with the animals in my work.

Brian Wildsmith

I am looking at the use of colours and the composition on overall in this painting.  The way the animals sit on the page inspire me.  This drawing style is very detailed.  The composition and scale of the image help the sense of the story.

By looking at this work, there is a potential for a great amount of reader imagination that is facilitated by the depth of visual images.  I plan to illustrate my story in a way that is similar to this, but in thread. 

Figure 3: Sketchbook Drawing

Before developing needlework, I have drawn the deer first then added the lion.

Figure 4: Sketchbook drawing

I then cut out the deer and re drew the lion.  I have developed composition and scale through the drawings. Focusing on spacing between the characters and using Wildsmith as an example.

Unit X - The Brainless Deer

Figure 1: Hand embroidery

After my tutorial with my tutor, I had the feedback of what needs to improve within my practice.

See figure 1, I need to combine a mixture of machine and hand embroidery and not limit myself with one and other. I am developing scale within my work.  

Figure 2: Sample

The techniques are within my sample, see figure 2. See figure 3.

There seems to be a contradiction in the facial expression of a hunting and stalking lion in this sample.  However, the expression of the Lion are about to kill are not within my drawing nor in the sample.

Figure 3: Sketchbook Drawing

In order to address this issue, I have a conclusion; I plan on using my sketchbook drawing and found materials to create a bigger scale and working towards a final piece rather than singular samples.

Figure 4: Sketchbook Drawing

I have set myself a deadline for creating samples and sketchbook drawings.

Figure 5: Sketchbook Drawing

I plan on create the samples from my two sketchbook drawings then using photocopy to plan them onto fabric to plan a composition for my big scale piece.

Unit X - The Brainless Deer

Figure 1: Sample

Following up my sampling I have first chosen a lightweight fabric to work with. However, it causes too much tension on the stitching during the process.  This had an impact on ho professional the final piece would look. I then solved the problem with cutting around the figures and placed on an heavier weight fabric, which I am pleased with for it creates the winter effect. 

Figure 2: Drawing

I was finding it difficult to draw and capture the front portrait of Lion.

For the final scene of my story, I want the Lion to eat the Deer, but in figure 1, a clam stillness. For it was not sad about the deer. For what is chaos for the deer, is nature for the Lion.

I plan on to have the deer body below the Lion.   I will experiment with different angles of the body and how these can show emotion as much as facial expressions can.  

Figure 3: Sampling. 

I have started to map out my figures through hand-stitch. During the process, I have developed a hand stitch pattern within my design. 

Due to holiday, I have no access to machines, I have decide to hand embroidery. It helps me to decide and see which technique is appropriated for which area.

I plan on to make a start on samples.  I enjoyed hand stitch, it mirrors painting an image and it allows a personal connection and more control over the final look.  

Unit X - The Brainless Deer

For this Unit X, I have decided to work on ‘The Brainless Deer’.

This narrative project relates back to Braford Textiles live brief work of narrative animals.

For I understood my strength is at the field of narrative, which I have lost my way within the last two previous projects, such as referring back to Michael Kidner and Gawthorpe brief.

The Fox, the Lion and the Deer. (The Deer without a Heart is an ancient fable. The story in numbered 52 in the Aarne-Thompson classification system)

Folktale about;

‘A lion had who is nearly dying and a Fox stayed with him. The Lion has a craving for the Deer who lives in the forest, but the Lion is too weak to kill the Deer himself, so he asks the Fox to use his ‘Sweet Speech’ to speak with the Deer to get him into the cave for the Lion.

After a fail first attempt and on the second attempt the Fox has trick the Deer into returning. The Fox took the Deer’s brain for himself. His explanation to the Lion for the brain’s absence is that the Deer is so silly, it cannot have had the equipment to think with.’

I have used the original Folktale The Deer without a Heart to interpret into The Brainless Deer to a more fitting story telling from my perspective. Using my past experience with narrative and figurative and relates back to a live brief project that I have done for Braford Textiles and work on the narrative of animals. 

I use my work to commutate with my audience, which for my expected outcomes I plan to create a range of fabric samples for different purpose, interior designs, illustration as the story-telling, dedication motifs for fashion use.

Figure 1: Sketchbook Drawing

For this Folktale, The Brainless Deer has three main characters and I particularly enjoy working with the number three. Three shows a progression and is aesthetically pleasing.  Groups of three feel complete and yet cyclical.

Figure 2: Sketchbook Drawing

Using colours to represent the mood of the character. Such as the Lion is near death, looking at Picasso use of colours in the Blue Period.

The blue lion allows me to represent emotions of sadness and loneliness. Lions within children’s narratives are usually proud animals.  The lion is represented as roaring as it’s last attempt at pride.

Figure 3: The Old Guitarist – 1903-1904 (Picasso's Blue Period)

Figure 4: The Desert (1849) Edwin Henry Landseer

Looking at historical artists of how they capture the moment, mood and transferring it into painting.

From this I have taken inspiration. I am familiar with this painting from childhood.  The image makes me feel sad.  The skin and bone of the hungry and dying lion make me wonder and believe the lion here is still breathing and gasping for it’s life.

The use of light and shade within the brown helps us see the lion’s body in different areas of the desert.

Figure 5: Sketchbook Drawing

A lion had fallen ill and was lying in a cave. A fox stayed with him, and one day the lion said to the fox, "If you want me to survive, please listen: I've got a craving for the deer who lives in the forest. At this moment I no longer have the strength to go hunting after him, but with that sweet speech of yours, the deer could come here and fall within my claws."

The sly fox went off and found the deer in the forest, in a meadow of tender grass. The fox stood before the deer and greeted him, saying that he had come to relay some important information. "As you know," said the fox, "the lion is my friend, but he is very sick and near to die, so he has been thinking about who will be king of the animals after he be dead."

"The boar is not intelligent, the bear is lazy, the leopard is impulsive, the tiger is crazy..., but he thinks that you, the deer, would be a worthy king, since you has an impressive appearance and lives a long time. And your antlers can scare away all kinds of snakes."

"But why do I tell you more? It is decided that you will be the king and you will rule over the beasts of the hills. When that finally happens, remember that it was me who was the first to inform you."

"I advise you to follow me and accompany the lion faithfully up to his death."

This was what the sly fox said to the deer, and the deer's heart swelled at the sound of those sweet words. 

He came to the cave of the lion, with no idea of what was planned for him. The lion recklessly sprang up from the ground and launched a hasty attack, but he only slashed the deer's ears with his claws, and the wretched creature ran straight out the door and disappeared into the forest.

The fox was striking his paws on having seen his game lost. And the lion was throwing strong screams, stimulated by his famine and the sorrow. He begged to the fox to try it again. And the fox said:

"Of course this is a difficult task. But nevertheless I will carry out your command!" 

He went out of the cave and continued the traces of the deer up to finding him restoring his forces.

The deer saw the fox and prepared to fight him, saying: 

"Miserable fox, do not come to cheat me! If you give one more step, take yourself as deceased! Looks for others that do not know about you, speak to them nicely and raise the smokes promising them the throne, but already not more to me."

But the crafty fox answered:

"But dear deer, do not be so slack and coward. Do not distrust us that we are your friends. On having taken your ear, the lion only wanted to say to you secretly his advices and instructions of how governing, and you do not have even patience for a simple scratch from a sick old lion."

"Now he is furious against you and is thinking about the intrepid wolf as to be the new king! Poor person! Everything that he suffers for being the master! I swear to you for all this forest that you must not be afraid of anything from the lion. Come with me, but of course, be humble as a lamb. And as for me, only I try to serve you."

And cheated again, the deer went out towards the cave. There was not any more the deer than brought in, when the lion already saw his whim fully satiated, trying to leave not even memory of the deer.

Nevertheless the brain fell down to the soil, and the fox took it undercover, like a pay to his negotiations. And the lion looking for the lacking brain asked to the fox for it. Then the fox answered:

"This ingenuous deer had no brain, do not look for it. What class of brain might be had by a deer that came two times to the house and to the claws of the lion?"

http://www.aesopsfables.d6ok.com/Fables/Aesop/E42The%20Fox,%20the%20Lion%20and%20the%20Deer.htm