February ATCs

Well, I've been so busy posting to my other blog last week that I forgot I hadn't updated this one. I have decided to make a hanging for the Gloucester exhibition in August and count it as one of the pieces for my course, so if you wander over to Gallimaufry you can see how I am getting on.

Meanwhile - here are the ATCs I made for the February swop on Facebook on the theme of love. They are made from torn bits of magazine pages that have been scrunched up momigami style, paper bags and offcuts of painted paper that I made decorated for another project. Plus a little bit of free machining.

The other thing I have done recently is visit the RWA in Bristol which was showing two exhibitions - Celebrating Paper, and Urban Evolution - Anne Desmet. Of the two, it was Anne Desmet's incredibly detailed prints which caught my imagination on the day, especially the ones which were cut up or broken. I really liked her collaged fragments - small pieces of prints of buildings applied to fragments of glass, mirror or tiles, suggesting decay, destruction and dereliction. In her British Museum series, the prints were made on semi-transparent Japanese paper so that they came through lightly on the back. She had then cut the print into strips, turning over alternate ones and transposing them from left to right creating a new, more complex image that is still recognisable.

On a similar theme, in my local butcher's, the mirror behind the counter combines a normal mirror with one-way glass in narrow vertical stripes. When look into it, you get a fascinating combination of a broken reflection of the people in the shop mixed in with the movements of the butcher cutting and packing in the next room. I have often stood there and thought I should use it as a starting point for a design. It's on the Big List of Things To Do.

More Sampling

Photo 1 is a clearer picture of the stitch sample. Most was done with the fabric stretched on a frame; I did a little in the top left corner without a frame to see the difference.

Photo 1

I had one of those mornings when nothing looks right - feeling doubtful about the design I tried some more variations, see photo 2.

From left to right -a) the circle segments I did a few days ago b) similar but with fewer lines c) trying close parallel lines (like the markings on an astrolabe) d) change of tack - would it look better with long straight lines as a contrast to the swirling background? e and f) variations of d.

Photo 2

Finally, I used the offcut of printed fabric to try adding extra colour with Markal sticks in places in case the printed fabric looks a bit flat over a large area. I also used bronze powder in fabric medium to paint the line, which could be enhanced with couching or stitching to imitate the markings around the edge of a mariner's astrolabe ( see this image from Wikipedia). I have laid the offcut over the stitched sample lining up the print to show the difference.

Photo 3

Sampling for hanging

Carrying on from the last post, I am finally catching up with myself. In between the first day's playing and posting to my blog last week, I decided to explore getting the whole image digitally printed onto one length of fabric by a commercial printer. When I looked into how to do this I was slightly hampered by not having Photoshop which is what is generally used, so I decided to try using Spoonflower. They print short runs and can work from a JPEG, and although the choice of fabrics is limited, their site is very easy to use and there is plenty of community support, with advice on colour matching. Easy for a novice to try!

I had scanned the image at 600dpi so when I enlarged it to full size, it reduced to 150dpi which is what Spoonflower uses. This is quite a low resolution but as there is no really fine detail in the image, it shouldn't matter. As it is, the file is huge so my computer finds it hard work to handle. I uploaded the file and ordered a fat quarter printed on quilting weight cotton as a sample. As the pattern is 3m long, this is just a small piece from the bottom, but at full width (37cm). Photo 1 shows how I have started stitching into the sample, following the swirls. The colour in this picture is fairly close to life.

Photo 1

I spent some time stitching over the weekend - mostly while hanging around at daughters' dance classes on Saturday -and today started thinking about how to make the curved lines in the earlier sketches that represent navigational instruments. Photos 2 and 3 show the sample with various metallic ribbons and wires laid across it to see the effect. I think it will need to be something very bold and with a reflective surface or the hanging will blend into nothing against grey stone walls.

Photo 2

Above - left to right - Copper wired ribbon, gold/orange wired ribbon, lurex ribbon
Below - left to right - Fine tubular knitted wire, narrow gold cord (could be braided?), heavier knitted wire.

Photo 3

None of these are right but from the point of view of showing boldly, the lurex is closest (but ugly) followed by the heavier tubular wire (too narrow and wrong colour). Really, I would prefer a brass or copper colour rather than gold, and I need to see how to vary the effect. In the sketch, the circular segments are solid at the bottom and become lighter towards the top, as does the background.

Now to practical details. I am stitching the sample (which tries out various threads and stitches so is quite random at the moment) on the printed cotton backed with cream cotton. I have a small offcut, so I think I will try with a different backing - perhaps black felt - as a) the stitching is quite heavy and b) white shows through the needle holes. The printed cotton is quite unforgiving of unpicking as it leaves a trail of white holes behind, so I think a dark fabric behind will help. After stitching, the hanging will be backed with a plain toning fabric and the edges turned in. To prevent sagging, I will machine through the layers unobtrusively, eg by going around the edges of the curved lines, and may need to weight the bottom edge. It will hang from a rod at the top either through a hanging sleeve or tabs - I think this will be decided when I have seen the whole thing and depends on what kind of rod. Old brass would be in keeping with the theme. I forgot to mention before that as the image is so narrow, if a length of fabric is printed, it will be repeated across the width, so I will have plenty left over for making mistakes - sorry, more samples.

Ideas for a Hanging

I have started working on module 4 chapter 1 (study sheets on flowers in Elizabethan and Russian embroidery) but have been diverted into working on a site-specific hanging after being invited to exhibit some work in Gloucester in August. I wrote about this over on Quodlibet but have now decided to make it as one of the assessment pieces for the diploma.

I actually meant to write this blog entry last Thursday while the first thoughts were all fresh, but somehow ran out of time and then carried on working with some ideas. So before I get too carried away (and forget what I was going to say) it is time to get my head together and put it all in writing - I find posting to this blog helps to sort things out for me when the brain is buzzing.

So, I started with two thoughts which I brainstormed 1) I like the idea of a long narrow hanging based on the designs I posted about here and 2) the church (which is no longer in use for services) is dedicated to St Nicholas and I would like to reflect this in some way.

Because of the height of the space available, I want to make something on a large scale. I looked back at the prints I had played with before and found that the one I liked had sides in a ratio of 1:7.6. If the hanging is to be a simple rectangle, it is important that the proportions look 'right' while keeping the long narrow look I am after, so I checked a table of silver means to find the nearest one, which turned out to be 1:8.1231. If I scale this up, I can make a hanging that is 3m long and 37cm wide - large enough to make a statement without becoming unmanageable. To get a feel for working at this scale, I cut a roll of cheap lining paper to size and just scribbled on it with some Markal sticks, making big marks - picture 1.

Picture 1

Going back to the original design, with its swirls of colour on a dark background it looked a little like a night sky so this could tie in with St Nicholas being the patron saint of sailors and giving protection from storms. I played with enlarging and cropping the image again and chose a section that did not have any of the gold lines but had some particularly interesting swirls that suggested chaos and storm clouds. Picture 2 shows the image in the correct proportion.

Picture 2

Next step is to consider ways of getting this image onto fabric - these are the ideas I noted down as possibilities

• dyed fabric base - could be joined pieces; stitch together and then dye to get colour variations
• use Markal sticks on midnight blue background, add detail with stitch
• digital print for background
  
• add texture with gesso or crumpled tissue
• use padded or raised areas
  
• discharge colour to get swirls
• add line sketches of nautical/navigation images - layered
• is it to be opaque or translucent?

And here are some paper samples printed to scale to play with

Picture 3, left to right - the print untouched, shaped at bottom (don't like this), drawings of sextants and astrolabes.

Picture 3

Picture 4 left to right - astrolabe drawn on print. I thought this was a bit too literal so tried just circle segments to suggest the instruments. On the right I have printed a small part of the background larger and gone over it with Markal sticks. I would like to illustrate or represent the idea of the chaos of a storm being calmed or overcome.

Picture 4.

Picture 5 - another rough sketch on a small piece printed full size.

Picture 5

Picture 6 - I took two of the papers from picture 4 and stuck them up outside so I could see them from a distance - the larger one is not quite at full width.

Picture 6

A Good Day Out

All very exciting - a couple of weeks a go, I had a letter inviting me to show some work in Gloucester in August as part of the Three Choirs Festival, alongside an exhibition of quilts. We were a bit snowed in at the time so it wasn't until today that I visited the venue and met the curator to find out more. It is going to be in a lovely old church in the centre of the city and visiting it has really sparked off some ideas of how to use the space. I did take some photos for reference but there are much better ones and some information about the church here. So watch this space for progress.

On the way out, I found a bookshop having a closing down sale and picked up this lush book of undersea photos for inspiration.

End of Module 3 Admin

Just to show I have done it, a photo of my notes on health and safety relating to module 3.

On a more interesting note, I saw a fascinating article in the Sunday Times about sculptural photography by Szymon Roginski and Kasia Korzeniecka - you can see the same photographs here. They have taken pictures then printed lots of copies and made them into objects that are arranged into a new image and re-photographed. I really like the way they repeat the move from 3d to 2d and back again. I thought this might be an interesting idea for anyone thinking about their 3d item?

Website Update

Finally sorted out adding the notes on Cogitation to my website. The reason it took so long was that I got a bit carried away and gave the site a makeover. The notes are now in a virtual sketchbook that you can read by turning the pages, which I think is rather fun. I have also given the name 'Resolution' to the assessment piece previously known as 'that thing with the animation' which makes life simpler. Take a look at www.janeoleary.name.

A Quick Note

For anyone on module 3 of the diploma with Distant Stitch and struggling with the Elizabethan stitches (I certainly did) - have a look at the videos here for a demonstration.

I have just uploaded another time-lapse film of Cogitation here with the extra red marks - it is now mounted on our wall and running happily. Still intending to collate my notes and put it all on the website.

Module 3 Chapter 12 and Tidying Chapters 7 and 8

Photos 1,2 and 3 Sheets of collected images of artists who use construction (I did these some time ago but I don't think I documented them) for chapter 12.




Photos 5,6,7,8,9 Sketchbook pages to show the short artist study on Laura Thomas.






Photos 10, 11 Going back to chapter 7, to show samples mounted. On the sheet in photo 10, the sample on the top right has been changed since it was last photographed.

Photo 11, below, shows the tiny piece of wire weaving combined with another sample. This could be the resolved sample as both pieces were based on ideas from the research project.


Photos 12,13,14 I have sewn the edge samples from chapter 8 into a cotton cover to make a sample book for future reference. Photo 12 shows the outside with some words stitched on to describe the contents.


Photo 13, folded over to show the pleated spine. The samples are grouped and stitched into the pleats. To decorate it, I repeated the beaded edge idea.

Photo 14 shows the pages inside.

Ice

We seem to be heading for a thaw - most of the snow has been blown off the roofs and trees anyway. But some lovely ice bubbles formed on the pond pump overnight.

A small bit of Big Knitting

Remember those big knitting needles I bought back in October? Finally had a go with them one afternoon last week when the Christmas visitors had thinned out enough for me to claim some sofa space. I braved the ice to go up into the store room and grabbed a selection of blues/lavenders from the box of half used balls of wool - there is nothing like the cold to stimulate fast decision making, perhaps we should adopt it as a design exercise - and dived in. After a while, I decided it would make a bag so I used a giant lucet to make a strap, and that is as far as I have got at the moment. In the picture, it is sitting on the fish quilt which is finally finished and labelled. I meant to show this before but it has been in constant use since the last stitch went in, keeping us snug in the evenings while we wait for spring!

November ATC swop

Another varied group of ATCs arrived this week from the November "Tis the Season" swop on Facebook. I was especially pleased with the reference to the Archers in one as I am a hopeless addict. The organiser Sue has posted pictures of all of them on her blog Crafters Corner so you can still see the ones I made.

Module 3 Chapter 9 Continued

This next batch of work is all about enlarging and taking sections of the drawings to come up with new designs. When I looked again at the drawings, they reminded me of some images from my module 1 sketchbooks, the first is a newspaper advertisment and the second one of my photographs of electricity pylons. (I always think these coils make them look as if they are wearing dangly earrings) so I have included them for reference.


Above - the couched gold threads could represent the lines of pipes, and the drawn lines in gold pen (on the A4 sheet in previous post) could be sets of wires. Below - similar spirals.

Third Stage and Fourth Stages - Take A Long Thin Portion

First I took slices from a photograph of the 2 drawings and original image at different sizes.

Then I took a close up of a small portion and printed an enlargement (by printing on A4 sheets and taping them together). This is roughly 25 by 30 inches - to show the scale there is a 10p coin (1 inch) on the bottom left corner.


I then cut this into strips and played with different combinations.

I like this second one - possibly enlarge to make a set of hangings?

Or this could be a single very long hanging - floor to ceiling.

I also thought about vessel shapes. After a bit of folding, looking and muttering, I decided that because the design is busy, it would need a simple, clean shape. I taped 3 of the sections into a triangular arrangement - if I were making this, I would probably make the body in the black and blues/mauves and have the gold lines represented by something wrapped around the vessel (eg wire, stiff cords).


Stage 5 Take An Extremely Small Portion
For this I took some even more close-up photos of the A4 drawing.

I chose the second one and enlarged and printed it as before, this time on 9 sheets of A4. At this magnification, it shows some lovely scrunchy textures from the pastel marks and the pen lines look like thick, glittering cords.

Here it is with the original so you see just how much bigger it is. I didn't think to mark it when I took the picture, but the spirals in the enlargement are the tiny ones immediately to the left of the small portion stuck onto the a4 design.

And finally, I cut it into squares and rearranged them to make 4 linked designs.

Module 3 Chapter 9 - First stages.

For this design exercise, I chose to use a fragment taken from a photo of one of my module 2 metal thread samples (above left, it is the top sample in the sketchbook). The sample is very small so the photo already enlarges it. Above right shows my first try at continuing the design onto A4 paper and below is the second. Both used oil pastels and the second used gold pen.

I used the second design to take it to the next stage, changing to Markel sticks to make larger marks and reflect the texture of the original stitching. The blues/purples on black relate back to the colour scheme used in my research project in module 1. The photo below shows the fragment placed on the A4 sheet which is on top of the larger design.

Making Christmas Shopping Fun...

...by buying lovely handmade things. The insect lavender bags came from Fig in Bristol and the brooches and books are from Jackie Cardy's Etsy shop. If you haven't already found it, take a look at Jackie's blog DogDaisyChains to see more of her work and better photos - lush. Now to figure out who gets what. Hmm, one for you and one for me, one for you and one for me...