Assignment 5 - Personal Project - Part 1

Reviewing my work so far:

The first task at hand is to review the work I’ve done within the Exploring Ideas course. What inspired me the most? Which techniques I liked working with? Which ones I got better at?

During the time of this course, I have learned several techniques. I networked better within my local area and found textile workshops and classes, which really helped me with the assignment tasks. One was the screen-printing workshop at Ochre Studios. The other one was a series of one-day workshops at Godalming College run by Emma and Norma Textiles. They don’t have an online presence but they are a real gem to find. Working on assignments I discovered new approaches, found new inspirations and learned new skills. Looking back the work I have done three textile techniques stand out for me:

• Screen printing. I love mixing colours and creating new colour combinations for print. I love designing patterns and layering them on with various colours.
• Stitching. I love machine embroidery or hand stitching. I try to incorporate stitching in my sketchbook work often now. Simple stitches can be very effective and bring life to the piece at hand.  
• Wax resist. I experimented with wax-resist technique. (This isn’t covered in the curriculum). I love the fact that you can build up colour and shapes so effortlessly. You can utilise the images to build up patterns for further use. I mostly experimented on paper but I would like to take it to textiles and work on batik more. 

S Payne Pattern created using wax resist and inks. 

Reflecting on how do I develop ideas and implant them: Well…. Like many fellow students, I am time poor. I work fast with quick sketches. I like to draw with jagged lines. It is something I developed instinctively after I have seen A. Giacometti’s work back in the 1990s. I snap lots of photos or trawl the Internet for inspiration. I intend to choose source images that are rich in texture and shapes, which can be turned into patterns. I love photocopying too. It enables me to play with scale. I love working with the black and white version of the image, too. It helps me see different forms in the image. Any process applied to the image changes it slightly and brings out its different properties. I loved material led approach, which was introduced in Part 3 of this course. I enjoyed its intuitive attitude – working by responding to the material and the process rather than following a strict design plan.

Soo… This is the final project of my own choosing. What will I make?

Initial thoughts: I would like to create a fabric… a printed fabric that can be used for garments or home décor. I am thinking of combining print and stitch. I want to follow material led approach.

I chose fish bones as source material. It is an impulsive choice. The images I found are visually strong, suggesting fatality, decay, weakness, and ‘the end’. The bones are milky white and sculptural. They harbour contrast: they look vulnerable but they are strong. Stripped of flesh they are a bit scary. If you can pass the whole “death” thing, you can see the beauty in their form. The beauty within the ugly…

Photo: Dave Russ / Wikipedia

X-Ray Fish Image Source: Wired article 

I made a Pinterest board for the images I have gathered: https://uk.pinterest.com/saadetpayne/fish-bones/

While collecting and pinning I found out about a few textile artists and designers who were inspired by the same subject matter. The beautiful crochet sculptures by Caitlin McCormack for example. They are amazing. Building the bone structure from a thin cotton thread, her crochet sculptures contrast the soft and gentle material they are made from. They also defy traditional use of the crochet technique. But for me visually they communicate the uncomfortable emotions bones evoke. http://caitlintmccormack.com/section/323579-Sculpture.html

Caitlin McCormack - Et Erit 2016

My second find is the intricate fish bone collages by Chinese artist Lin Hanbing. He is a very meticulous artist obsessed with the material he works with. He puts fish bones through a long process of cleaning and sorting and turns them into beautiful and peaceful images in line with traditional Chinese painting. Fascinating work. http://www.odditycentral.com/art/fish-bone-painting-the-unique-art-of-han-bin-lin.html

Lin Hanbing Fish Bone Collage on Canvas

I also need to mention Iris Van Herpen and her latest collection. “Between the Lines” is a great inspiration. Van Herpen combines 3D printing techniques with garment construction with mesmerising results: http://www.irisvanherpen.com 

Iris Van Herpen 2017 Hot Couture Collection

Plenty of inspiration and lots of visual simulation. At this point I am not sure where the project is leading, I have only very loose ideas.