Revised and finished Chapter 12, the work on three artists is in a separate blog.
I have decided to begin this Chapter by attempting to record my thought processes as I work towards a resolved sample. I started by looking through all my previous work and choosing some images, designs and samples that I feel show some degree of disintegration/dissolving and/or disappearance. My selection is below along with comments.
12a – Rubbing out of some areas to show signs of ‘wear’ and the pattern disintegrating.
12b – Use of colour to show signs of disintegration/disappearance. Blue sponged on orange shows clearly, but orange on blue seems to disappear into the background. The same is true for the red on green and green on red. The green appears to disappear into to the red background.
12c – Use of colour density to give signs of disintegration. This time, as the amount of paint on the printing block diminishes, the stamped design appears to merge into the background.
12d – Use of colour, shape and position to show disappearance and disintegration. The brighter colour star shape on top of its negative shape is more prominent than the more muted colour star under its negative shape.
12e– Use of a net layer to ‘soften’ the fabric pieces underneath and indicate disintegration.
12f – This image shows disintegration by size and density . From the star cluster in the middle the stars gradually reduce in size and density.
12h– This image shows a spiral that slowly disintegrates as it twists to the tail.
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12i – My coloured paper and cut shape designs incorporate some of the ideas from the above photo images. I particularly like the spiral designs, showing disintegration by gradual reduction in size of the stars as the spiral turns. I feel this could be the basis for a resolved sample. I could dissolve/disintegrate the individual stars as they decrease in size. I could use the techniques from Chapter 12 or the above ideas.
I have started to move my ideas into fabric. Initially I dyed and printed a range of fabrics with my chosen colours.
12h– My paint chart!
12i Range of background fabrics dyed and then printed with a sponge
12j - Star prints on dyed and sponged fabric
First thoughts –I cut stars from sponge printed felt and arranged them on different backgrounds
12k - Coral background with ‘dissolving’ turquoise sponged print
12l - The background colours are reversed, the sponged print is more apparent here
12m -A plain coral background with a star spiral, subsequently covered with a gold organza to give a disappearing effect. I like the muted appearance given by the organza
12n -A plain turquoise background with deeper turquoise sponge print. I like the effect achieved with this colour combination, it is subtle and has a light feel. But I am not so sure about the colour of the stars with this background..
12o -A turquoise background sponged with coral as well as a deep turquoise. The stars disappear into the background but the overall impression too busy.
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Disintegrating Resolved Designs
12p - First starting point for a resolved sample. My inspiration for this first sample was a photo image of a spiral galaxy from Chapter 1, shown again as 12h above. The design follows a path through the chapters of Module 1 from the photo image, to printed papers and fabrics, to cut and folded papers and fabrics, to reverse applique and finally to layering and fraying. There are four layers in this sample, a sponged printed background, a star printed cotton, a plain, folded, cut and frayed fabric square and finally a spiral of felt star shapes in diminishing sizes. I have also included some small frayed stars placed randomly to give an idea of disintegration. I completed the sample by knotting frayed pieces of thread around the cut windows to indicate more disappearance/disintegration.
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12Q
Following your helpful feedback I decided to develop this second starting point into my special resolved sample. It is very much my personal interpretation of the disintegrating theme with a starry night and a spiral galaxy of stars in a landscape setting. The background is a random patchwork of my dyed and printed fabrics. These patches were bonded to Vilene and subsequently machine stitched. There are stars disappearing behind ‘clouds’ of thread from frayed cotton fabric, positive and negative felt stars disintegrating into similar coloured backgrounds and a spiral trail of smaller, frayed ‘falling stars’, these are secured by surface knots to suggest more disintegration. The ‘garden’ stitching dissolves into the frame.
I used a variety of techniques, some that I learnt on this module and others I was already conversant with. I liked your suggestion for displaying this embroidery but then realised that I would have difficulty storing something backed with stiff card. So I took your border measurements but used calico for the frame with some padding underneath, now I can roll it for storage.
I enjoyed sewing this sample. I have sewn and embroidered for many years but I did not know how to design and interpret my own ideas from start to finish. I feel that is it is first embroidery that is entirely my own work. With my newly discovered confidence I am looking forward to the rest of this course.