Photos from my first two weeks!

I have finally managed to find my computer cable so I can now add my photos I took from Fashion and Textiles on to my blog! YAY!!!!

These photos above are of one of my final pieces I produced with the idea 'compress' and 'expand'. For this piece the materials I used were a fabric I stiffened with PVA (the yellow fabric) and a tracing paper which is on top. On the left hand side I have the fabric being layered coming through holes I cut, which I think is a really good effect! Then the on Right hand side I cut the shape of a half circle but then used stitch to create a pull. This effect I'm really pleased with because the stitches are loose which gives it a soft feel which is opposite to the hard cut on the other side. I also drew on the tracing paper a pattern I had in my sketch book, of a belt buckle which looks like the half circle pattern. I'm really pleased with how this has turned out!

These are photos from my second final piece I made in Fashion and Textiles.

This piece I was playing around with materials, concentrating on what effects I could get from the materials. This piece has four materials in it. On the base I have some of the stiffened fabric I created from PVA glue, but only on the left hand side because the side with the stitching was already busy enough. Then the second layer is some tracing paper. This looks good as you can see the material coming through, as when I display the piece its on a bend, so you can see the layers. However you can't really see the material on the side of the stitching, it doesn't come through very well, due to the thick fabric on top. This is something I would change if I where to do it again. Then the third layer is a thick foam, which I chose to work with because it has a good bend, and can show of the cuts that I made really well. With this material you can see the stitching I did because of the thin fabric I put on top. The fourth and final fabric I used was a lens tissue fabric, this is tricky to work with due to its floppy character, which is why I put  a thick fabric underneath to make the lens tissue work well. I made the stitching really loopy here, which I think looks really good. This piece I like, however I think I have over complicated things, with too many fabrics and stitching. However I'm pleased with the concept of layering that I have created.

This is the photocopy which all my ideas have come from. I have taken the most from this photocopy and I'm really pleased with what I've created because 'less is more' and I feel I have created that with this piece of work!

Below are the first samples in different materials that I created, from the photocopy idea above. I really like them!!!

This fabric is a thin tracing paper material, unfortunately I used a yellow cotton which you can't really see.

Above is a graph paper version I made which I think looks really good! I have also put a clear plastic on top, for the idea of layering, however you cant see this.

This is the view you get from the left hand side with the materials coming through here, being layered.

Again above is another sample I made of the circle idea, this one is made from the stiffened PVA glue fabric.

This sample above I made out of the thinner foam, which I really like.

All these samples I really like, and they helped me created my final pieces which are at the very top!

One more different type of sample I created was to have the layering effect. I made folds in the fabric, which then allowed a layered effect for the papers I used. This I really liked!

So these are all the photos I have taken of my best pieces I created in Fashion and Textiles. I'm really pleased with all the work I have created. I'm sorry that there are lots of photos, I may have gone over board a tad, but oh well! I hope you like them all.

Inspiration I got for these pieces of work where from Ernesto Neto. I went to his exhibition and there where lots of circles, his main piece of work had holes or tunnels which you could see through which is like my work but I've got layering fabric coming through my holes. Thank you for the inspiration!

My First Two Weeks on my Foundation Course

My  foundation course has finally started and is very different to what I was expecting. I'm starting off in Fashion and Textiles and I thought we would be going on sewing machines and playing with fabric, but I was completely wrong!
Week One.
Day One. First of all we got into groups of three and had to compose an installation with objects we brought in that either 'expanded' or 'compressed'. It was good fun. Then we had to draw the objects in many different ways, like holding the pen in a dagger fashion, draw with our eyes closed or with other people guiding us. It was a great way of loosening up. By the end of the day I had produced so many drawings, quite a few I'm not sure about, but others I really like. A very busy first day but I really enjoyed myself!
Day Two. Today’s our independent study day, in which I created my own installation in my flat with random things I found. I ended up with a pile of drawings in the same ways we drew in on Monday and I like them! I also took lots of photos of objects that 'compress' and 'expand'. However I can't find my cable to upload the photos yet, up they will arrive soon!
Day Three. Fresher’s day today titled 'Cheap Date'! Wasn’t sure what to expect for today’s outing, however it was again fun! Got in a pair with a guy called Sam, and went walking around our area finding local shops which I'm sure will come in handy some day! We also had to buy a present for our 'date' with a pound which related to them. I bought a packet of porridge oats, as he cycles to school so it will give him more energy! Really enjoyed today!
Day Four. More drawing today, but based on our own objects we brought in! Each time we did a different drawing of the same object, we had to 'compress' the object more or 'expand' it, to create a slightly different drawing which is different to the eye. I had a fan, which I kept bringing in more each time, then wrapped string round it. Also I had paper sticking out of the folds in the fan. It created a really interesting effect each time!
Day Five. Today we started manipulating the photographs we had taken of something 'compressing' or 'expanded'. My photos were of my sister expanding an elastic band. We had to cut the photos in ways which made them 3D, with folds and creases. By the end they all had a really good effect, I was very pleased. In the afternoon we had to turn over the photos and concentrate on the effects the folds had created. With this we had to create paper companions which related to the photo back of our choice. This I found difficult, somehow I couldn’t get my head around the idea of the folding aspect. However by the end of the day I had photos and paper forms which all had really good effects. 
Weekend! We had to get photocopies of our favourite photo manipulations, and have them blown up into A3 size and A4. Also I had to collect fabrics and papers with a stiffened quality.
Week Two.
Day Six. Today in the morning we focused on shaping our photocopies into 3D pieces of work. For this we worked with the words, twist, score, slice and sculpt. Which really worked for me I thought. Then we had to pick our best piece and add some stitching, piecing or cutting. I really liked this, so in the afternoon I created smaller versions of this work in different materials like graph paper, lens tissue and acetate. This was to see what different materials did when put in different shapes, what happened when I made them fold or twist. This I really liked!
Day Seven. Library and Blackboard induction today! Then in the afternoon I did some more drawings in my book with the ideas of circles and layering fabric, as this is what my work is heading towards.
Day Eight. Contextual Studies Lecture. Was really good, we watched some interesting videos on the idea of art, which I quite enjoyed!
Day Nine. Today we had to expand on our ideas we have created so far, seeing what different fabrics can create together. Different fabrics’ create different things, I was able to use stiff fabrics which hold themselves which allowed me to layer the fabrics. I created two large pieces, which the fabrics I chose allowed me to do. I was very happy with the pieces of work I created today, and with the effects I received. YAY!!!!
Day Ten. Critique day today of all the work I have created these past two weeks! We had to pin all our best work on the wall, then we had to present our work to our peers in the group. This was interesting as they also informed me on their ideas on how they took on the ideas of 'compress' and 'expand'. I'm very pleased with the work I have created in Fashion and Textiles. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all, but its been very enjoyable! YAY!!!!!!!!
Weekend. I visited the Eadweard Muybridge exhibition on Saturday which I really enjoyed! His work was very inspirational, the things he was able to capture on his camera was and still are amazing. I thought all his photos of things in motion were incredible. I liked the one of the man walking a pig. I think I will go and visit it again with my Mum as it was great!!!!!