Final material

More Problems

 After I had created my own flat pattern of the jacket then selected the canvas fabric .Then to my dismay I realised that all the canvas had been selected by my peers so I had to think about what other fabrics  could  I use to give the same effect the canvas given my jacket sample. With having to fix this problem I picked a stronger canvas which was heavier than the last one. The new canvas fabric created a more of a structure shape in my jacket so by having this problem I benefited from this learning experience. 

Having to design and create a pattern from scratch was a huge learning curve for me. Thus acquiring lots of new skills with this newly acquired knowledge I can use this strategy and resource in my future practice. 

Fixing Problems

Further Development

I choose to create a jacket because of the research I did. I designed this jacket with immense wide sleeves and cuffs that were larger than normal. The reasons why I choose to work with this design and develop it further were because it had everything I desired to show in my work, which was a large increase in shape and form. The sleeves were created larger and the cuffs were also large. All these tiny details formed together to create my design and to make it work. I needed to develop it further as I wasn’t certain on the side or the back view. So to fix this problem I then started to sketch in dissimilar ways altering the look many times. But I still wasn’t convinced, so the only other reason I could expand and fix this problem was to start manipulating all the pieces of fabric such as canvas and calico to see how I could create this jacket. I didn’t follow a set flat pattern because I was advised to work on the manikin to get the shape I desired and manipulate the pieces in the way I preconceived in my mind. The other various problems I had with this idea, is that I hadn’t worked on the stand before. Finally deciding on the shape I desired especially with the sleeves and cuffs. I selected a canvas material because it was structurally stronger as I found the calico too light for the design I wished to create. Using a flat pattern first of all then proceeding on to the manikin.

Designs

In my illustrations I focused more about how I could show off my drawings in an unusual way and still be able to see what the objects/patterns were. The idea of increasing and decreasing shapes then manipulating them in different ways fascinates me. Each illustration gave me another idea for another idea then another one so I just kept on developing these ideas to make more unique and unusual designs. The artists I researched were a great inspiration to me because I like the unusual, obscure designs.  The simple techniques gave a completely misshapen finished product.

Development

When I was developing my ideas I took all my drawings and highlighted the bits I found the most interesting and started to manipulate them. The elements I found the most intriguing were the sleeves and cuffs of the jacket. There were many various ways to which I could experiment with these drawings. So I started simply, just by increasing and decreasing the scale of them. Then I kept repeating the shapes of the sleeves and cuffs, then inserting them in different unusual ways. I found this method of development different because I had fun manipulating the objects in any shape or form. The more obscure the better. I have benefited from this experience of manipulation because I learnt many more techniques. It’s also taught me new strategies within photoshop that I didn’t know were available. So I can further my development using these in any of my future art work. Photography is something that I enjoy especially the editing part. 

Installations and Sculptures

I took another look at this idea of distortion, and then looked at how artists used various techniques to bend, twist these materials to construct their finished sculpture and the place or setting to which it could be viewed. Artists that did this were more installation and sculpture based. I was aware that there would be many of these artists because I looked at some installation art in my past work and found it very helpful and fascinating. These artworks were amazing to look at, as they transform the whole space they are set in. I find it very intriguing how various simple shapes can be manipulated into such distorted shapes in a variety of different spaces and environments. An artist that uses this idea in their artwork is Petros Chrisostomou a photographer. He takes some basic shapes and objects from everyday life then creates these sculptures and installations, which are small; however they are altered and edited to look massive in the photographs. I was very surprised by the many forms these sculptures had taken as if they had a life of their own. It put a completely different prospectus on the objects chosen from their starting point to the completed work. However these diverse artists have taught me other techniques, thus giving me my own numerous ideas. I would like to explore other ways of distortion by using the photographic and silicone processes I found.

Wrapping of the body

My own distored images

Artists

How I started my artist’s research was by looking at how other artists distort the human body in many different ways other then what I was trying to create. I came across a lot of artists that link to the distorted theme. My favourite artist that I found, that answers my questions of distortion is Julien Palast and his shrink-wrapped bodies. Julien is a photographer and the way in which he snapped each one of these images is very unique. The bodies seem much deformed as well as oddly shaped. However with the material they have used you can still highlight and see what the actual shape is. These images are very fascinating with the selection of materials used. How Julien has captured the out of kilter look of the human body.

Another artist that makes the human body out of line is Anders Krisar. Where he has taken a form of human skin as a material then used it in a textile process to create a misshaped sculpture of the human male torso. This also very disturbing to look at as the skin looks very realistic however it’s made from a type of silicone. Anders Krisar gave me the idea of manipulating fabrics and materials themselves to look obscured.   

With artists using distortions I have found that they use many different techniques and processes, taking everyday objects and materials then changing them. So that the audiences and the viewers can question their ideas as well as the techniques used.

The simplest process of changing a shape is by increasing or decreasing the size which makes the shape more twisted. An artist who uses this idea is Jeff Koons with his massive sculptures. One sculpture that stood out for me was the woman he made out of pink aluminium. The woman was misshaped as some of her body parts had been deformed and increased.    

Piece by piece

With the unpicking of the jacket pieces, I started to place them in various ways to create different shapes on the manikin. I wanted to produce my own version of dissimilar shapes. I enjoyed manipulating these in many different ways. I used the sleeves and the sleeve linings, then the shoulder pads to assemble all types of diverse shapes. I found using this process fascinating because I got to design my own distorted shapes out of jacket pieces. This turned out to be a piece of sculpture taken from an item that we wear and that we use every day. What’s more with this process we don’t even think about how these shapes could craft other unusual shapes. The dissimilar shapes are out of the ordinary because they get the audience to question what they are as well as how they are put together, especially from that particular item of clothing. This is what I would like to investigate further. 

Inside Outside

I wanted to investigate more in to how sleeves and jackets create different forms. Instead of just drawing them on a model or manikin, I wanted something more unusual. Then I started turning the jackets inside out to have a different insight in to the construction of the many pieces. When the jackets were the wrong way round, they looked more distorted, as they created more lines and various shapes. Also with the inside on the outside you could see the lining and seams which gave the jacket more interesting details. The misshaped forms that stood out the most for me were the arm holes and cuffs. These were the most out of shape because we normally see them round or flat like how they should be on a jacket, however finding these shapes appearing not always the same in the jacket made me think of how I could apply these shapes. They are simple shapes just twisted in dissimilar ways rather than their normal shape.

Jacket

Unpicking of the Jacket

The idea of the hall of mirrors came from the fairground. At the fairgrounds there are these obscure mirrors that change your shape when you look at your reflection in them. They make your proportions out of line with your head being big or small as well as your hips appearing massive or tiny. The images look all strange and distorted not like a human being. With this idea of distorted images of the body I unpicked a jacket from all its seams and took the whole garment apart. When I was unpicking the stitches from my jacket, all my pieces were different shades of black. I found this is very unusual to see, and then I thought some designers must be using different shades of colour in the construction of their jackets, allowing the seamstress to see where the various seams matched and how to attach them all together to make one piece. There are so many different pieces in a jacket. Each one is different; there are many layers within one section. What I found the most interesting was when I unpicked the jacket I kept some stitches together .For example, I unpicked the lining from the sleeve, but at the cuff I kept them attached. When I lay the sleeve out it gave the garment a whole different look. It made it seem more stretched out and looked opposite in a way the hall of mirrors would change it.By taking apart the jacket I have learnt that many different 2 D shapes can be assembled into something 3D as a piece of sculpture. Then used as a base for individuals to put their own unique style on these garments. This was a learning curve, for which I will take away the knowledge and use in other areas of my work.  

Blackpool

RESEARCH

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

The ideas of fairgrounds took our class to Blackpool pleasure beach, where we all got to look around the fairground. Learning about the history and the surroundings on which it erected. At fairgrounds there are many different activities going on like rides, games, shows, including fantastic water shows. However there are a variety of things going on behind the shows, like the planning and creating of the costumes. Seeing various aspects of the fairground interested me, then in how I would respond. Mainly to the hall of mirrors. Which I found intriguing when looking at my own and others reflections. I liked the scale of the roller coasters, then the shapes the water made in the air from the fountains. I liked the use of different coloured hair in the costumes. Adding a different prospective to them.
Fairgrounds like the pleasure beach have many different ways of interacting with the body and mind. People use all their senses in fairgrounds because in some cases they become part of the ride themselves. Then in other cases some people are scared of rides and water because they might of had a past experience that scared them off. I found these facts interesting about fairgrounds as people think of rides and shows as places of pleasure. Then on the other hand people are afraid of fairgrounds because of their own personal reasons. 

The idea of the hall of mirrors came from the fairground. At the fairgrounds there are these obscure mirrors that change your shape when you look at your reflection in them. They make your proportions out of line with your head being big or small as well as your hips appearing massive or tiny. The images look all strange and distorted not like a human being. 

PE Task

The way Dale Chihuly works is by creating sculptures outside. This gave me ideas about where I could picture my work in the future. He creates beautiful sculptures on such a big scale; this is what I want to do. All his sculptures are made from glass. I have done glass blowing before, and I enjoyed the colours you can create. However I wanted to create plastic pieces of artwork on a much bigger scale. I can see some of my work in museums or parks were everyone can view it. The use of materials and the way they work together is important to me. When reading about other artists work, it makes me think about the way I work and the things which are inspiring to me. I become inspired quite often and with ease. This is mainly with materials and the ways in which create sculptures and reliefs with them.

Christo is another artist that has an influence on me, to a great extent, with his use of materials and the way he shocks his audience. I want to receive the same reaction when viewers see my work. Thinking more about my work and seeing other artists show off their work in different ways has encouraged me to think about how I would present my work. I am aware that my work has more 3 D elements which gives it sculpture qualities. I want viewers to be able to interact with my work. I could do this by creating more installations outside, in the environment, where everyone one can see it. Christo believes that everyone should have intents and memorable experiences of art outside comfort of museums, and this is how I could see my work in the future. He momentarily intervenes in to the local populations of daily routines in order of him to create ‘gentle disturbances’. Other things I have in common with the artist Christo is the use of materials and the ways of manipulating them.   

Another artist I enjoy researching is Ernesto Neto who is known for his crazy sculptures and installations. Ernesto Neto sculptures themselves are known as biomorphic environments. Seeing the images of his work has inspired me, as I would like to see my work on a similar scale to him. I would also like to create something just as beautiful and interesting, so that people interact with my work. Ernesto Neto wants his viewers to interact with his work, so that they are encouraged to poke, touch, and in some case – even walking through his plush organic forms. After looking at some of the ways Ernesto Neto present his work, it made me think about how I present my own work and I how I could enable to interact with my work. Whiles researching Ernesto Neto work, I found out about his critical context including why he creates his pieces of art. I also found that he mixes the highbrow formalism and minimalism with sociability and fun of relational aesthetics, which I found interesting. I want to develop this idea in my future art work.  

New techniques

Keeping to the idea of different materials I finding the artist Suzan Drummen, made me think about the use of backgrounds. I found the tailor taker foot hard to use because the thread keep snapping, however I did use multiplies plastics and woods. I thought my most successful sample was the chiffon ribbon around the hair pin and it created a thread on it. Also, another aspect of this sample I thought was interesting was the shadow effect. The sample I want to improve was the seam sample by creating layers by cutting through the plastic. The unsuccessful samples were the ones using the hairs pin and rubber thread because the thread did stitch as well as other materials. This made it less interesting. The process of the hair pin and zipper foot was really experimental to use on different materials and fabrics as it manipulated them in different ways. I want to create these pieces on a bigger scale.