Module 2: Head & Face Designs; Resolved Sample; Study of Artists; Overall Evaluation

The last few weeks have seen a frenetic bout of activity as I made the last push for finishing Module 2 before the end of 2020.   This list below has the links for each of the four pdf reports of my work on: 

• Ch 12 Head & Face Designs - click here to read the Ch12 pdf report
• Ch 13 The Resolved Sample - click here to read the Ch 13 pdf report
• Ch 15 Study of Artists - click here to read the Ch 15 pdf report
• The overall evaluation - click here to read the pdf Overall Evaluation

Having finished Ch12 I can now say I very much enjoyed working through the design exercises, but there were times I thought, where am I going to start? what I am going to do now?  Eventually,  I was more adventurous with drawing in my sketchbook, but also had a lot of fun working with digital images, then cutting out and sticking things together to make 3D models.

I got into a bit of a tizzy  with later parts of Ch12, design development from face lines and had to rely very much on my computer and digital image manipulation to see where I was going with this...

The resolved sample of Ch13 had me worried for a while, as I thought I was not following the brief correctly...

I have enjoyed working through Module two very much.  Fortunately my enormous and varied stash of threads and reference books helped me get started and the internet came to my rescue for further research on many occasions.   I felt very challenged at different times, frustrated during lockdown when it was difficult to obtain materials, disappointed that summer school had to be cancelled, elated when I eventually got the hang of FME with metallic threads, and pleased as punch with the new techniques learned for working with unusual objects.  I am delighted I have completed my first assessment piece in Metallics. 

I am looking forward to a calmer 2021 and working on Module 3.

Module 2: Metallic Magic - Experimental Samples

In section 10 of this module, the aim is to create a series of experimental contemporary stitched samples inspired by the metallic effects created on painted and decorated papers in previous sections.  Working with these materials has been a challenge at times and very frustrating.  However, I feel am making real progress with the development of my skills in this course.

I have enjoyed developing my skills with FME using metallic threads and incorporating other metallic media in the small pieces of work.  Although some of my  samples were less successful than others, I have earned much from them for further development in due course.

Full description of all my samples can be seen in the attached pdf 

Ch 10 Experimental Samples

I am now looking forward to working on the Head and Face designs for section 12 and then completing a resolved sample.

Assessment 1: Using Metallic Materials - Updated with revisions to final piece

During the last week I have been working on my 3D models described in pervious blog entries.  

Following feedback from Sian on my September report I have been practising my Free Machine Embroidery (FME) and working more with metallic threads for creating interesting stitched surfaces. 

Now working towards my first piece of assessed work for the diploma, I have decided to create a series of small works that follow a stylised sequence of the development of a Californian poppy that will meet the criteria for Using Metallic Materials.

The image below shows a temporary arrangement of my five pieces.  All the exterior surfaces have been created with metallic threads on soluble fabric using FME.  From left to right: 

• The drooping immature poppy bud.  
• The petals being to show through the sepals.  
• The poppy in full flower.  
• The capsule seed head beginning to develop.  
• The seed head has spilled it seeds and is beginning to decay.

The full description of my research and project development can be read in the attached PDF by clicking on this link Assessment 1: "Using Metallic Materials" 
 

Updated section:

Following discussion with Sian on my work in progress,  I made additions to my previous piece of work to make a base to enable the piece to be free standing and enhanced it with hand stitch to create more interest.  This video of the final piece  (see link below) shows the changes:

The five stems of the poppies stages were bound together to help with mounting in the box.

In summary the changes include:

•        The existing FME leaves enhanced with handstitched veins.

•        Needlelace ladybird attached to a leaf on the second poppy.

•        Stumpwork bumblebee attached to the poopy in full flower.

•        Fourth stage poppy replaced with a different version – the metallic threads are on the inside of the seedhead, with tiny bead shapes of glue painted silver to represent dew sitting on the objects

•        New leaf created for fourth stage – needlelace on wire frame with variegated (pale greens and brown) hand painted silk thread to represent early stages of leaf decay

•        New leaf created in double Brussels stich on wire frame with hand painted browns variegated silk thread.

•        The base created from a stiff cardboard box to provide stability to the arrangement, represents a section of garden where the poppies are growing.  The sides are hand painted cotton, handstitched with French knots in variegated threads to represent a stone wall and part of a garden with soils and low vegetation.

I have called the piece ‘My Weedy Garden’, as it reminds me of the clumps of Welsh Poppies  (Papaver cambricum) in my garden that  have continued to bloom throughout 2020.

This additional work took an extra 30 hours of development, but there was no additional cost. 

Click here for the link to the video of 'My Weedy Garden'

I am chuffed to bits to include this final pdf summary with close up details and feedback of my first diploma assessment piece using metallics.

This has been a very enjoyable part of the course, I have become much more confident with design development, FME and using metallic threads.

I am looking forward to finishing the last few sections of Module 2 before the end of 2020.  😀

Three Dimensional models - a diversion

This posting, has been a long time coming.  It should have been completed in 2019, but distractions and procrastination got in the way.  As part of lockdown creative activities in 2020, I decided to revisit making 3D models of my poppy seed head and other structures.  The image below is an early version of modelling.  

My pdf report has a fuller description and photographs of most of the models I created.  (click here to read my report) .

This was a very enjoyable diversion, I feel I have come a long way in the design to creation process.

Module 2: Metallic Magic : Alchemy

 Chapter 9 

part 1 - Turn plain fabrics into metallic surfaces & 

part 2 - How to modify real metal surfaces

The section has been very useful as I have not worked with such a range of metallic materials before.

I particularly enjoyed working with the pigment powders and hope I can include these in the contemporary stitched samplers for the next section.  Likewise using the transfer foils with bondaweb, and the painted Tyvek.

I enjoyed piercing patterns into the puree tube, this techniques should prove to be a very useful addition – we’ll have to use a lot more tomato puree to get more of the resource!

Read the pdf of my exploration of different metallic media in Ch 9 Alchemy  here.

Module 2: Metallic Magic

Ch 8 Purls and Bullion

This was a very quick section to complete as I already had materials to hand.  I have included recycled metals as well as florists wire, and wires used in jewellery and crafting.  My report shows the samples I made and how I used some of them in the samplers for chapter 2, uploaded previously.

Read the pdf of  Ch 8 Purls and Bullion here.

.

Module 2: Metallic Magic - Metallic and Shi-Sha (part 3)

Ch 7 Contemporary Shi-Sha

In this section of the course I have explored using a variety of objects that can be applied to fabric using traditional patterns of shi-sha embroidery by hand and with sewing machine  stitches.  The outcome is four samples that are hand embroidered, machine embroidered, and a combination of both.

There have been some ups and downs with the machine embroidery, and in using some of the metallic threads for hand embroidery.  I enjoyed exploring the use of bleach marks to enhance the design and some different stitches to attach objects to the fabric.  

I set myself a target to complete this section within two full days.  I have achieved that goal with some pleasing results.  As always there are some ideas that didn't work as well as I thought, but they have been part of the learning curve.    

For the detail of my samples please look at the  pdf of Ch7  here.

Module 2: Metallic Magic - Metallic and Shi-Sha (part 2)

Ch 6: Decorative details from a shi-sha textile

The aim of this section is to create connections between the fine detail from the textile studied in the previous section and relief surfaces.  Printing blocks and rubbing plates are created and used to explore a range of textures and designs. 

As usual I found some techniques  to be mere successful than others.  I am still finding Markal sticks difficult to work with, but enjoyed the effects from using Treasure Gold and Treasure Pewter wax as well as embossing powder.  To see my samples   Read a copy of my report here

Module 2: Metallic Magic - Metallic and Shi-Sha (part 1)

Ch 5:  Decorative features of an Indian stitched textile

July 2020:  In this section of the course I was not able to study an Indian textile first hand instead I have used a photograph taken from the V&A museum site of a traditional highly decorated kediyun.  To compensate for lack of an original textile, I have created two pieces of stitched work.  One a stylised sample of the cuff design (in my report) and the other a selection of different ways of attaching shi-sha mirrors to fabric, an examaple below.

My work is now in a sketch book and all notes and photographs recorded in the attached pdf.

Click on this link to  read my report  in a pdf version.

 

Module 2: Metallic Magic - Relief Surface with Starch Paste

The aim of this section is to decorate a series of papers with a coloured starch paste.    I started this section in late April 2020, but for some reason all my samples were put to one side and I didn't get around to photographing them or mounting them in my sketch book.  So here we are in early July and I have managed to motivate myself to finish this section...

I made up the paste mixture as instructed and coloured about half of it with a gold coloured metallic fabric paint and the other half with a small amount of liquid Ultramarine silk paint.

Using a variety of different tools I created patterns and shapes into the paste.  The patterns were influenced by those seen in the Opus Anglicanum embroideries researched in section 1.

The attached pdf illustrate my samples.  Click here to read my report

I revisited this section in late July as I had not included the section on adding metallic effects to relief papers.

Having completed this final section, my favourite piece is a page painted with ultramarine spent dye, sprinkled with salt to create an interesting surface. A layer  of paste was marked with a pastry cutter in a circular motion to represent the swirls on medieval cloth. When that was almost dry, I sprinkled gold embossing powder on the relief, then heated it to create the shiny surface.

The attached pdf describes my additional samples.  Click here to open my revised report

I found this section interesting to complete, albeit very messy.  Some samples were more successful than others.  For intricate freehand patterns a very steady hand is needed, but more success can be achieved with the use of stencils and block stamps (both hand made and commercial products).  

 

Module 2: Metallic Magic

Part 1 - Opus Anglicanum: 

Attached:  pdf of my report on Opus Anglicanum.  A  late addition to my report... A sketch of King David from the Jesse Cope (front cover of the V&A book on English Medieaval Embroidery) to show split stitching pattern for creating features in medieval embroidery. 

Click on link to open the pdf document.

Study of Opus Anglicanum (with revisions)

Part 2 - Couching with metallic threads:  Descriptions and photographs of my metallic threads samplers.  Click on link to open the pdf document.

Examples of Hand and Machine Couching


Part 3 - Underside Couching:  I tried underside couching with Passing Gold Thread and waxed cotton floss by hand with a silk top fabric and light weight calico backing.  It was extremely fiddly to ensure the couching thread comes up and goes down in exactly the same place to allow the metallic thread to pull through to the underside.   Have spent about an hour on one small line on my letter P sample (see below) I decided not to spend more time on this section.   I tried a second sample with a piece of canvas on the rear of the silk, but this was no easier.

For the machine stitching samples I used a Lurex yarn in the bobbin and machine thread on top. Working with wrong side of fabric upwards, this was more successful.  Straight stitch was easily achieved so I could draw some patterns onto the wrong side of the cloth to stitch around.  See below for the grid pattern and the spiral I was able to use some of the pre-set decorative stitches on my machine.

Synthetic metallic threads of today are much more flexible than the pulled gold threads of the medieval period, and there is a greater variety of types, thus we don't have such a need for underside couching and can use surface couching to great effect with hand and machine stitching.