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.

Summer Project: Part two, Inspirations

During the summer holiday, I have looked at a few different artists for inspirations, in order to help me to develop new ideas. Such as Picasso and the idea of using colours to represent the mood. E.g. The Old Guitarist, 1903- 1904.

For the experiment, I have used black papers, instead of my usual choice white paper. I tried to use colours express how I felt toward this person in the painting. However, I felt like I am still trying to paint photographically, so I had a second attempt.  

 

Figure 1: First attempt




Figure 2: Second attempt

I feel good about the second attempt, because I have gained better control of using colours to representing the mood and border movement within the stroke.





Figure 3: Sketchbook

In order to help with the creativity, I have purchased Wreck This Journal, 2007 by Keri Smith. In the book, there are tasks and one of them is ‘collect outdoors objects only’, I have combined this with another task ‘collect circle objects only from outdoors’.

I not only collect, I have also created. Using daisy chains to create circles.





Figure 4: Magpie painting

To improve and bring the found objects to another improvement, I have used found object as the background for me to paint on. Out of interest, I have painted a magpie, I like the textures of the found object on the paper, and instead of using paint only, I have found a nail vanish that match the feather colours of a magpie. Therefore, when looking at the painting in different angles, the colours changes on the wings.

Also, I have involved text work within the painting for composition, ‘One for Sorrow’. Bringing the context of the magpie rhythm.

 

 

 

 



Figure 5: Kelly Chun, 2014



Figure 6: Kelly Chun, 2014

 

 

In the summer, I was working in a nightclub in Blackpool, called Domain. The expectation of the job brief is very different from Manchester, (For in the past I have worked at a few events in Manchester.)

For Domain, the focus point are the laser lights. Therefore, I need to capture the lights on camera shots and to make it look more interesting, I have used a fisheye lens and learnt how to use long explosion in the process.

 

During summer, I started painting the environments around me, such as people that I know, see figures 1 and 2. 

I had a moment of working indoor only. When ‘Wreck this Journal’ is all about outdoor experiment, I used that to help me combines my strength in painting and working with found objects.

I had an opportunity to collaborative with Domain, which I have learnt not only working independently, but to fit my clients need and what they ask for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Summer Project: Influence and Inspiration 2

Figure 1: Tracey Emin – Everyone I have Ever Slept With 1963-1995.

Figure 2: Inside the tent.

The reason I have chosen this piece is because I like the idea of using already made objects and combining with collage works inside the tent (see above). I like the idea of using personal events as a material to document and making the connection with the artist through the writings / texts.

Also, the title of this piece suggests this particular time period of Emin’s personal life.  I like the message behind each name, as each one suggests a different memory to Emin. I think what makes Tracey Emin’s work unique is that she was able transfer her negative energy into art work and have the confidence to talk about it through her work to the public audience. 

 

Figure 3: Jim Dine – Tools of the Earth, 2007.

I like the idea of documenting, for example, in figure 3 the still life drawing of tools. It demonstrates the artist’s drawing skill and the composition of the work really draws my attention. I enjoy still life drawing but not photographic drawings. I like the idea of drawing the object, but then putting a few artist touches to create a sense of style, like Jim Dine does with the repeated drawing of the same tool. Jim Dine also added non-existent tone to the drawing, which is his style.

 

Figure 4: Jim Dine – Five Paintbrushes, 1973.

Documenting and measurement within this drawing is a way of collecting found objects. I always found myself drawing my surroundings because it is something that I see everyday. I think it’s a great idea to draw surroundings, especially when I don’t know what to draw, but the way Jim Dine did this drawing shows that he doesn’t stop after he finishes the drawing. This image has been reworked from the initial plate several times, which is what I would like to work on. Rather than just stopping when I finish a drawing, it’s better to carry on, because I believe there’s always room for improvement. When I have finished a drawing, then come back to it the next day, I am able to see what needs developing. It is a sense of development in order to improve by going away and coming back to rework it.

 

Figure 5: Picasso – The Old Guitarist, 1903- 1904.

I like the idea of using colours to represent the mood of this painting (see above). I think art should expressing the artist’s personality. I like to look at painters and drawers, like Picasso and Jim Dine for inspiration and I like to draw and paint myself, but then I would transfer those drawings, mood and thoughts onto fabrics, for my passion is embroidery and print.

I would like to be an illustrator in the future, therefore, I have been training myself to draw everyday. Through textiles I am hoping to develop a wide range of ways to present my work through different form and material.

Summer Project: Influence and Inspiration

 Figure 1: Face Value – Elizabeth Couzins

The reason why I have chosen this image is because I like work that has meaning behind it. The meaning behind this work discusses the current obsession for women to buy into the impossible beauty myth and the increased numbers of young women seeking cosmetic surgery procedures.

Another reasons I chose this work is because I am hoping to create my future work in the textiles direction and transfer it from illustration to embroidery.

The 62 Group Textiles Artists is something that I am interested in and I want my work to be open for anyone, i.e ‘’Art for all.’’

Figure 2: A photo and the work of Candy Jernigan

I like Candy’s work because she not only collects randomly disused objects, she also finds different ways to display them. For example, in figure 2 she uses the found-objects as still life objects and she also compositions them, and turns them into a collage. I too have a habit of collecting objects so my way of working is very similar to Candy’s. I prefer to work on found materials because of the fear of a blank page.

Figure 3: Tracey Emin – My photo album, 2013.

Tracey Emin’s work is grounded in the personal experiences and events of her life. This is a text by Tracey about why so much of her work relates to memories of her early years. As much as I enjoy her art work, I think my main inspiration is from texts as well as keeping a blog about my work and ways of thinking and developing my art. I also keep a personal journal with me at each unit and in those journals are my thoughts, ideas and things that interest me. I then would turn those into textiles.

 

Figure 4: Birds Illustrated on Vintage Envelopes by Mark Powell, 2013.

Once again, working on found materials makes the whole drawing more interesting to look at, which as I said I am starting to get into the habit of doing . I am also starting to draw on other paper materials other than white drawing papers.

Mark Powell has created a series of drawings on vintage envelopes, which have more detail than his previous work. They show the learning progress within the series. I would prefer to create a series rather than a one off piece because I think a series demonstrates connection between the artist and the audience better than a one off piece. I like to talk to the audience though my work and let them understand the journal that I was compiling as an artist.