tutorial and experimenting with repeat designs

Group tutorial yesterday.  I showed the group four repeat designs I have been working on and, judging from the group's responses I am going to have these two digitally printed.  The images on this design are taken from a screen printed textile, photoshopped to create a more even tone, then mirror repeated.

This design looks very busy  and bold.  I am interested to see it once printed -and whether I can process it further.  They are both going to be printed on an off-white thick cotton which will match the robust designs.

Using another design, I have been looking at repeat patterns.

straight repeat



  


half drop



brick repeat
 










stuck

oh I have been stuck.

 I have been trying to design a repeat pattern.  I'm using images I've used throughout this unit taken from drawings and screenprints.  I am using Photoshop to cut, scale up and down, change colour, layer, change translucency values and place.  I have finally managed four very different designs for repeat.

taking stock

 

 

lovely books

Mark Hearld's Workbook reminded me that I want to develop a collage style of work - it isn't happening yet and maybe it won't develop much in this unit but there is time. I love the energy of this book. It's full of detail and processes.  And it looks so 'do-able'.  Love it.

 

India Flint's eco-colour book is reminding me that I want to work in a gentle and sustainable fashion.  I love her eco prints and I'm looking forward to trying the technique.  I recently dyed some cotton fabric using Dylon in the washing machine.  The colour was even and it was intense but it was lifeless.  I used to be disinterested in plant dyes because they can result in many shade of sludge but I've moved on!

 

I'm also looking at India Flint's book Second Skin which is about choosing and caring for textiles and clothing.  I often talk about  Slow Fashion - I want to practice what I preach more effectively.

 

I have also borrowed Drawn In by Julia Rothman which peeks at the sketchbooks of 44 artists.  I am not good at sketchbooks, I attempt to make them look good but it doesn't work - they aren't sketchbooks - they are useful workbooks with cuttings and printed bits from the Internet.  I think I am more successful with this blog.  Hope so.

 

  drawing loads of images for repeat prints.  I began with detailed paisleys - using daisies and swirls as decoration  - all different shapes and colourways.  I think I prefer using just one colour.  Eventually all this detailed stuff got to me and I drew many scribble paisleys which I hope to use but I'm not sure how - yet.

 

 

 

 

paisleys, daisies and swirls

Following on from my research into 1960s fashion textiles, I have decided to use daisy, paisley and swirl motifs in my repeat patterns.  During the AVA class I experimented with some of my drawings but they were too rigid, the colours too saturated and the repeats too predictable.  I wanted to develop a more painterly approach.


In my Learning Agreement I discussed collage style prints and I need to research and think about compositions a little more carefully.

Useful exercise in joining for repeats.



 

Alfred Wallis

Visited the Time and Tide museum in Great Yarmouth today to see the Alfred Wallis exhibition.

Alfred Wallis painted 'for company' after his wife died, he painted anything - cardboard, wood, his tea tray, fire bellows - with household or boat paint (hence the limited colour palette which gives a sense of identity when viewing his paintings).  He wasn't limited by perspective or proportion, his 'canvas' was irregularly shaped (I pulled this image from the Internet and they have 'squared' the image).  I really like the irregularity and naivity of his paintings.  He painted scenes from his memory (he had been a fisherman) and his images really captured the 'splash' of the sea.  At the time (1930s) neighbours and family were disparaging, but he worked on - and then he was 'discovered' by Ben Nicholson and Christopher Wood.  He died in a poor house - what's it all about?

I use repurposed textiles for my work - but in future I'll try using something a little more obviously repurposed to give an added dimension.

preparation for repeat print tutorial

 

 

Birthday party

 The subject (twins) of my wall hangings and tablecloth celebrated their 65th birthday yesterday with a 1960s party - complete with 1960s band and decorative tablecloth and hangings.  It was a fabulous evening.  I received many compliments on my textiles - including from professional artists.  I was particularly pleased with these large wall hangings and the A1 poster - enlarged half tone (line) screenprints and a print - which resemble abstract shapes when viewed at close range and I was a little worried that they wouldn't  easily be identified but they worked beautifully in a large room. 

 

I also hung the large collaged piece of experimental work.  It is too big, too diverse, too fragmented and I have to confess I finally ran out of patience and it lacks finesse.  I have spent many hours on this piece, stitching, unpicking, removing double sided facing (too rigid), adding home dyed stitched threads, machine stitching.  It has been a useful exercise but do I like the finished result?  No.  But I enjoyed the process and learnt a lot.