Unit X- Research

The initial research basis for this project stemmed from the trip to Blackpool. The illuminations archive was the main fascination for me although at the time, I didn’t believe I had enough inspiration from the day due to nothing being of interest to me. It wasn’t until I was looking through the photographs I took from Blackpool and started editing them on Photoshop when the idea of ‘City Lights’ grabbed my attention. I used Pinterest as an initial research engine in order to get the kind of sense and photography of this theme. However, the theme idea was short lived when I realised in a crit session with Teresa that I could only take it so far in printing as well as the fact that it seemed to be a popular theme throughout the whole of Unit X. Due to this popularity, I decided I would rather research into a new theme as I want my work in this project to be original and challenging. 

Photoshop Development                             Pinterest 'City Lights' Research                 Pinterest 'City Lights' Research

Therefore, I needed a new direction. I looked back into my sketchbook and started to look a little outside the box. I remember the man who took a group of us for a tour around the illumination archive was working hard on restoring the lights due to weather damage and decay. Using Pinterest again I came across beautiful patterns and surfaces created by the damage and decay the weather caused on many surrounding places. I came across the photographer, Joanne Coyle whose work managed to show the beauty within the rotten, decaying ruins she manages to find on her journeys. 

Joanne Coyle Photography

Some of the photographs I came across completely attracted me to the texture and deterioration of surfaces. These surfaces ranged from brick walls, concrete floors, peeling paint, cracked wood etc. It was also interesting to see what patterns the natural elements can create which lead me further into my research when I found the artists, India Flint, Cara Marie Piazza and Sandra Fisher. Their work consists of dying fabrics with flower petals and leaves to generate original patterns. In failing to create as interesting pieces as these artists, it was helpful to try out and research the ways in which they naturally dyed their fabrics. My samples were not skilled enough to be used as a pathway for my final piece and will most likely take up valuable time perfecting. Therefore instead of using this technique I will stick to using my initial idea of screen printing to portray the theme of texture.

Cara Marie Piazza Natural Dye Sample               My Natural Dye Sample

Due to the realisation of wanting to stick with creating texture with screen prints, the Friday drawing session with Lynn, consisting of drawing small squares of zoomed in areas from photographs of inspiration, I created mainly texture based drawings. These drawings also became inspiration for possible colour palettes and ranged throughout all the different tones of colour seen within the surface textures. 

Sketchbook Page from Friday Drawing session

The induction on the Cornely sewing machines and an introduction to the Mossing stitch, surprisingly got me thinking about bringing some parts of embroidery into my work to add even more texture, thus linking to the surface pattern theme.

To develop upon my research I will be taking my own photographs of weather decay and draw from them to hopefully find an idea for a screen.