Textile Print

In the print workshop we were shown a variety of different methods and effects that could be achieved using a silk screen. The effects we could achieve by applying different chemicals and paints to the surface of a material were really interesting and varied. Before we started trying out techniques such as devoré and flocking, we were given an introduction into paint silk screening using pre-prepared screens to get used to the method and to test out colours and layering. Most of the pigments we used were water based as this prevents the screen from becoming blocked, the pigment doesn't actually dye the material but sit on the surface and need to be heat fixed to stop them from washing off.
We were also shown heat transfer when dye is painted onto paper and when heated becomes fixed to a fabric surface, however the colours were difficult to judge as they became a lot more vivid after heat was applied and the effects were quite rough and unsophisticated.
Devoré is a technique which destroys part of a mixed fibre fabric to leave a slightly see-through material. The paste formula is screen printed onto the fabric, left to dry and then heated till it is slightly burnt and brown coloured, this is then washed off to leave the finished piece. The paste burns away all the natural fibres in the fabric so if the material was 100% natural then it would either fall apart, depending on how close and detailed the pattern, or would leave holes in the material. I liked this method though I doubt I could apply it to anything in this project, but it could prove useful in another.
I particularly liked the effect of the flock printing which gives a velour texture. A water based adhesive resin is painted onto the surface, once dry the area is covered with paper backed viscose velvet and fixed through heat. I liked the raised textured finish the flock gave to the cardboard sample in the top image. I also tried applying it to acetate and although it went slightly translucent it did stick to the surface though if it was rubbed it would come off.
We were also shown foil printing. The whole process is very similar to flocking but instead of using a sheet of flock, a piece of foil is adhered using heat. I liked the effect I got from the foiling when using my own screen, I think the leaves look really successful in gold and I also like the negative that I was left with.
The final technique we were shown was puff binder, this is screen printed onto a surface and when heat is applied to it the puff binder expands for a 3D effect. I found that with all the techniques I preferred them when applied to a non fabric surface, although they're designed to be used with fabric so that they adhere to the surface, I found the finished effect far more interesting. I really want to test out some more designs and make some more of my own screens, it might not be applicable to this project but the I found the whole workshop really useful.

Workshop: Casting

The casting workshop was definitely one of the most interesting and useful workshops. In this workshop we learnt how the object should be cast so that the original could still be removed from the cast, how to mix the plaster and then how to cast the finished mould. I took in a small ceramic duck to cast, it's shape was quite simple so I only needed to make two halves for the mould. I found that at the end of the process I preferred the mould to the wax duck I got from it, I liked how the mould was a flawless copy of the duck and also the smoothness of it, whereas the wax ducks were rougher and needed trimming to shape due to lost wax. 

I'd like to use this method to create some more objects, perhaps making the cast into the finished product and making it from different materials to see what different effects I could achieve. If the cast were to be the finished item I would want to line it with a contrasting material, such as velvet or silk, to cushion the object the mould had been made from. I'd also like to try out ways of making an object out of a delicate material, such as porcelain though this may prove difficult to remove from the mould.

I'd like to see if I could make a mould that could potentially be a useful object, some kind of storage or protective carrying device. I think the technique is interesting and there are a lot of different avenues I could explore using it.

Poppy Pitt

Eggs drawing

Workshop: Knit

Knit became the main theme for my last project but I'm still interested in the technique and as I only used knitting needles before, it was interesting learning to use a machine. Above are some of the samples which I made during the workshop, the one on the far left was created using a Fair Isle knitting pattern punch card native to the north of Scotland, the second was created by moving stitches about to make holes and give a lace pattern, the final sample was made with a variety of techniques such as changing the tightness of the stitch for the row and at the top by hooking lower stitches into new rows.

I enjoyed learning a new technique for knitting but the amount of problems I had during the process rather put me off the machines, I can see the benefit of being able to quickly make lots of rows but I feel that it takes some of the personality out of the piece, especially since my grandma taught me and I closely relate it to her.

A good method for making large pieces of knit, though there are more techniques that can be applied whilst knitting if done by hand.

Workshop: Poppy Pitt

A day project with Poppy, a postgraduate from Goldsmiths, who came and spoke to us about her work and gave us advice and techniques to use in our projects. When I spoke to Poppy I realised that I was especially interested in the act of hiding and camouflage, I started to look into the way people attempt to blend into a crowd, whether by social group or by dressing in a certain way and also into spaces that can emphasise this visual deceit.

I spent the day looking at places where people can hide, then using line to capture the space. I found that the most interesting way to draw the space was by using different thickness's of pen and parallel lines, a combination of the two helped to define the space and show the depth in the image. My favourite hiding corner was behind a curtain, tucked behind a bin and a sofa, it was the most enclosed space I found when wandering around my campus and completely hid anyone from view.

Poppy later got us to to 'draw' one of our images in 3D, the image above is of my finished piece. I wanted to capture the essence of the hiding place and did this by hanging strings. I liked the idea but the finished piece wasn't quite how I'd envisaged it due to a lack of resources and was slightly disappointing. It could've been improved by hanging more strings of different thickness's and lengths, also if they'd been ironed flat the image would've been less distorted and all the bottom edges would've been clearer.

I now want to look into different hiding places and the connections to children's games. Camouflage could become an interesting point to research from, perhaps for objects rather than just people.

Workshop: Eggs

A day workshop in which we were given the task to design an alternative to the conventional egg box. I wanted to design a device which would be completely different in shape and aesthetic. The end result resembled a roll of newspaper (partly from the papier mâché but also the tube shape) I like the connotations of breakfast which come from this.

The tube also worked really effectively in protecting the eggs, the papier mâché helped reinforce the structure and I liked the way which the eggs had to be wrapped before being put through the holes.

This act of wrapping and then hiding an object has connotations of the game pass-the-parcel and follows on from some initial ideas I had from the brief. I quite like the childhood memories this game conjures though it is also connected with how a product which you buy from a shop is packaged, Apple are a good example of how packaging can become part of the experience of buying and unwrapping something, even going as far as having a team whose sole job is to create this experience.

The idea of protecting a delicate object has influenced my Armour project, after this workshop I have become really interested in the act of wrapping, protecting and hiding. I'd like to look into unconventional means of protection and will follow it up with a casting workshop as I feel this could provide a good base for my project.