By the time we got to 2020 I’d become comfortable enough to begin a new sketchbook/reflective. This post shows some of the pages form it. It was a mix of printed off photos, stitch samples, hand written text and FINALLY some sketching and drawings.
Ferns and charnia sketchbook
Scale, reflecting on scale – sketchbook flatlay
Sketchbook flatlay – layout
Flatlay before cropping out the background
Fern shapes inspired my design, as the charnia fossil was somewhat stiff
Fossils sketchbook
Frining samples
Fringing samples in sketchbook
Fringing sketchbook flatlay
Fillings design, sketchbook page flatlay
Visualisations
Website layouts
Visualisation sketchbook page
Stitch samples from February 2020
Various laser cut samples March 2020
Reflections on the Fashion Fictions activity April -May 20202
Reflecting on the Fashion Fictions workshop
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This gallery shows some of the pages, with samples photographed or scanned as flatlays. I tried to use some overlays and textiles with the pages. I love tracing paper overlays and used this a lot for planning layers in the design. (see the time-lapse video re-creating the small box layout -apologies for portrait orientation!)
One of my objectives on this whole MA journey was to learn how to communicate visually. It was important to me to overcome a fear of drawing, sketchbooks and art language. I wanted to develop a visual language, and learn ways to communicate my ideas. I envisaged that I would be taught how to do those things as part of the course.
I even ventured to life drawing class! Thank you Oliver Lovley for living up to your name
The phrase ‘Just have fun with it’ began to haunt me, I felt like my rescue pup, faced with a range of toys and tennis balls, not having played with a human before. I didn’t know how to ‘play’, let alone have fun and enjoy it. I had no idea how to explore ideas on paper, in fabric or on a computer. I began my own hashtag #sketchbookwoes and dreaded drawing. But I kept trying and attended drawing workshops and life drawing classes, determined to face that fear. I found I enjoyed using ink, it had an intensity of colour that appealed, and I splashed it around with abandon, but without knowing how to take it further.
Using drawing classes to practice my skills
trying to loosen up with my ink drawings
I like the prickles on the edge of these leaves, like picot loops on lace
Ian Cutmore suggested I try drawing some of my own lace
Click on the gallery below to see some of my trials…
Textile sample January 2019
Using a drill to make marks on paper and acetate
Pierced acetate projected onto the studio wall using an OHP
Using a camera to create light and shadow
Collage with images of scaffold and humans, gave me some ideas of using human scale lace motifs
Collage with images of lace and humans, gave me some ideas of using human scale lace motifs
fake neon lights
Using the camera to capture light and ‘sketch’ with photos
my ideas for using light painting, trying to draw (note this is in January 2019) but I abandoned this style as I thought I hated drawing
a single line embroidery with thread
a sample, machine stitched making holes in acetate, trying the idea of machine made holes or net
a sample, machine stitched making holes in tracing paper, trying the idea of machine made holes or net
Close up of continuous line drawing
Laser cut samples of continuous line drawings
Developing continuous line and adding text
Developing a ‘continuous line’ style in text
My ‘Flatlay’
Other layouts during Helen Hallows’ workshop
Sample layout during Helen Hallows’ workshop
Sample layout during Helen Hallows’ workshop
Sample layout after Helen Hallows’ workshop
Another drawing exercise after Helen Hallows’ workshop
I discovered that I enjoyed continuous line drawing uring Helen Hallows’ workshop
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My poor friends listened to me with great patience as I outlined my woes, even loaning or giving me art materials to try with. Thank you Rachel and Gail for your support! Rachel and I went to a sketchbook class taught by the super-talented, patient and understanding artist Helen Hallows. We packed up our materials and papers and turned up at a fantastic eco-venue in Derbyshire. Helen turned the light on for me. She took us through various exercises to loosen up and forget that we were drawing. I tried continuous line drawing with a pen for the first time and that was it. I found had my style, my method and my medium.
[Edit – additional 2020 -I’ve developed a continous writing style, and in later posts you’ll see how I’ve pushed that further into picots (edges loops) and brides (joins between motifs).]
