Ceramics: Sketch Ideas

Using my visual research as my source of inspiration i began to create small sketch ideas relating my clustered design to an octopus's tentacles, the photograph below shows my first quick sketch although the image is based on the circles found on octopus tentacles they seem to remind me of ipod speakers.

Sketch Idea.

Carrying on with the octopus themed sketches i began to think about adapting my ceramic forms to circular shapes such as metal hoops, i still like the idea of clustering my forms together and so i have sketched my hooped designs linked together so that in reality they would fall an appear clustered, the photograph below shows my design.

Sketch Idea.

Ceramics: Sketch Ideas



Sketch Ideas.

When thinking about clouds in a clay form i initially thought of various sized balls of clay joined together, my sketches above show my sketch idea and how i would like each cluster of clay balls to be joined together in some way either by string/wire or even metal hoops, i have placed my design arcoss the form of a body making it drape across the sholder almost like a sash, although i like this idea i would like to play with the possition of my piece further.

Textiles: Contextual Research

The video above shows a catwalk performance created by designer Alexander McQueen and is titled Savage Beauty, this video really stood out to me as the print formed on the dress is created at random by spray gun machines, i felt this connected well with my own print designs as i create each one of my prints using random methods not knowing what the outcome of each one will look like. This video also made me realise that taking chances with my designs and colours will help me create prints that are outside the box and not so over thought.

Textiles: Experimenting

I decided to experiment with disperse dyes again but this time on a silky piece of fabric, i randomly made marks onto a piece of photocopy paper using black and bottle green disperse dyes, i then placed my fabric onto the heat press and laid a large amount of string across it before ripping up the pieces of dyed paper and placing them over the fabric at random.

Heat Press Sample.

The photograph above shows my finished sample, the lines created by the string reminds me of vines and the colours used also suggest a forest theme to me.

Textiles: Experimenting

I created paper stencils based on images of coral on my electric neon mood board, i randomly placed my stencils onto a piece of cotton and laid a silk screen on top, using a spoon full of both baby blue and baby pink poly print dyes i created a marble effect on the first layer of my print.To create the second layer of my print i moved my paper stencils around and again laid a silk screen on top of my fabric before using a squeegee to push and pull a mint green pigment dye through the screen, my finished sample is pictured below and gives off a very sarnie feel.

Poly print Sample.

I decided to re-use my paper stencils used on my previous print to create another sample, this time i laid them randomly onto a silk like fabric i had come across in my fabric box, i again laid a silk screen over the top of my fabric and stencils before creating a lilac coloured poly print dye. I used the lilac dye for my first layer before rearranging my stencils and using a lime green coloured poly print dye on top, although i am not keen on the outcome of my second print i do like the shimmering effect of the print created by the silkiness of the fabric.

Poly print Sample.

Textiles: Experimenting

Using black and purple disperse dyes i created a quick leaf like sketch onto thin photocopy paper, i then placed my material under the heat press and placed a piece of string randomly across the fabric before placing my painted sketch on top, my sample created from this experiment is shown in the photograph below.

Heart Press Sample.

When looking at my sample i realised I liked how the black and purple disperse dyes worked together and also how the string has almost blocked out the colours. Using the same two colours i painted onto another piece of photocopy paper randomly before creating a number of paper stencils in the shape of lightning bolts, i placed my fabric onto the heat press with a piece of string spread across it i then placed my stencils over the top and finally my painted sheet of paper, the photograph below shows my finished sample.

Heat Press Sample.

I was pleased with the outcome of my second heat press experiment as the stencils, string and colours combined helps to create and give off an electric neon vibe, i would like to experiment with this method of print making further at a later point as i feel this could defiantly be expanded on and made part of my electric neon styled collection of prints.

Ceramics: Contextual Research

Mario Salvucci.

The piece pictured above was created by artist Mario Salvucci who's work consists of lighting sculptures 'Electric Flowers', his work really stood out to me as i loved the way his sculptural designs casts amazing shapes and shadows which relates really well with my ceramics designs so far.

Ceramics: Sketch Ideas

Sketch Idea.

When looking at my visual research particularly on cloud formations i instantly had design idea in my head and began to quickly sketched it down, the photograph above shows my rough sketch consisting of an am piece made up from small ceramic forms.

Close up of Design.

This photo shows a close up of my sketch showing the small ceramic pieces i envision on my design, they all vary in shape as clouds do and have soft, smooth feminine forms reflection my cloud formation imagery.

Ceramics: Sketch Ideas

When previously taking photographs of clouds i had tried to take a photo of the clouds reflection through a random buildings windows, looking at that specific photograph i liked how the windows made the image of the clouds look fragmented and from this began to sketch a quick design off the top of my head.

Sketch Ideas

I first sketched a sharp structural abstract design using my fragmented photograph as my inspiration, but when looking at my design i realised i didn't want to use harsh, masculine, ridged shapes and began to create a similar sketch using more soft feminine forms with the help of my visual imagery of clouds.

Textiles: Conxtextual Research

The piece shown above is titled Dataclysmic-LEDVHD and is a mixed media piece consisting of fibre optics and phosphorescent silicon, the bright flashing florescent colours are reminiscent of explosions and instantly reminded me of my theme Electric Neon. This piece made me think of how i could represent electric neon within my textiles prints, looking up imagery of explosions could be useful and splashes or bolts of colour could be added to my print experiments to help give off an electric neon feel.

Textiles: Experimenting

Pigment Dye Print.

When looking at my previous pigment prints colour i thought it to be quite dark so i decided to add white pigment to my tub of orange dye, i created a paper stencil using imagery of coral from my mood board and used it under my silk screen to create the first layer of my print. Without cleaning the silk screen i added a small amount of red pigment onto it and used a squeegee to pull the dye through, as the screen hadn't been cleaned Orange dye came through the silk screen with the red dye i had applied creating a marble effect on the second layer.

Textiles: Experimenting

Pigment Print Sample.

Pigment Dye Printing: I decided to go over my first heat press print using pigment dyes to give it more depth and layers.

I placed my previous print onto backing cloth and ripped apart my previously used paper stencils and placed them randomly onto the print before placing a silk screen on top. I mixed a small amount of red and yellow pigment dyes together with a scoop of manutex (thickener) in a small tub creating a tropical bright orange colour, i spread a line of the dye onto my silk screen and used a squeegee to push and pull the pigment dyes up and down the screen creating my second print.

Textiles: Experimenting

Paper Stencil

For my first experiment I created five paper stencils of an insect which had been displayed on one of my Tropical Forest themed mood boards, using pink, blue and yellow disperse dyes i began to randomly paint onto thin photocopy paper creating multiple brush strokes and marks.
I placed a large piece of paper onto the heat press and placed my fabric on top, i then places my bug stencils and the negatives from the cut outs onto my fabric randomly before placing my painted pieces of paper on top. Finally i folded the paper used on the bottom to sandwich them all together and closed the heat press for 30 seconds creating my first print sample.

Heat Press Print Produced.