Chapter 4 Shape & Pattern Study (part 2)

Looking for detail

Out with the tracing paper…From my heap of photos, may first attempt is a simple outline of part of the crown with some stippling to provide some detail.  However, I think this would be more appropriate for the texture.  My second attempt took a tracing from one other manipulated photos and overlaid it three times.  At first I rejected it, but after a while of thinking (and working on some of the other exercises in Ch 4, I might revisit this shape. 

Simple linear outline of crown	Triple overlaid outline

There were two other photos that I was particularly drawn to.  These have close up details of the area where the crown meets the capsule; there is dark shading where the flaps covering the seed ejection points fold down, with a view into the cavity, and there is an interesting crack in one place.

Close up detail of seed ejection point	Even closer detail…	Detail with interesting crack

Using different tracing techniques helped me find some interesting shapes.

Cross hatching to find shape	Stippling to find shape	Shading to find shape

The enhancement of the photos at this angle and lighting effects bring our some interesting shapes to explore. The sketch facility in Microsoft Word, helped to highlight the shape:

Sketch effect from MS Word	Tracing of the shape

At first I wasn’t sure about this image as I thought it would be too difficult to work with.  I simplified it and worked through some of the exercises, but as I write my notes, I think it will be worth revisiting this shape as it has more interest.

Below is the simplified shape cut as a string outline then filled to make a solid shape.  Both templates sealed with French Polish for later printing.  The shape was cut from stiff card for using as a template for further exercises. 

Simple string outline of simplified shape (coated with French Polish); filled string shape; first attempt at printing with the template using Koh-I-Noor paints)	Simplified shape, cut in card, on layered papers readying for exercises

I wasn’t really sure about where I was going with the design exploration of this shape.  I started playing with different papers.  First with some waxed papers from a magazine folded to make multiple copies, and three shapes placed at different angles to create different shapes.  The negative space shows the layout below, then five variations of the patterns laid out in my sketch book pages.  I was beginning to lose confidence with my progress, what had seemed like a good idea, suddenly seemed very boring!

I persevered with the simple shapes attempting Exercises 1, 2, and 3 from Chapter 4.  In Ex 01 and 02  I used Koh I Noor paints, but I am not sure if I have the right idea.  I was very confused with Ex 03,  it took several attempts for me to realise I didn’t have glue the shapes into my book before rotating them (Doh!!).

Ex. 01	Ex 02	Ex 03	Ex 03 tracing

By now I thought my shape was too simple; the rotated tracing does not look very exciting in terms of my expected outcome.  However, I am not totally disheartened, this is a learning process, if the first idea doesn’t work, try another.  Next step is to look at the shapes I previously rejected to see what they can offer for these exercises.

Despite the setback, I have enjoyed looking for shape in my photos, However there is still much more to do!

I have worked for approximately 20 hours on this section (including writing the blog and preparing the images), and working out why the blog wouldn't upload….