Friday 26 February 2016
Q&A Saturday: Jessie Broad
- What inspires your work?
- When do you feel most productive?
- Does being in the army (thing?) affect your art?
- How easy was it moving from your farm to uni in Leeds?
- How has growing up in Scotland affected how you see the world/create art?
- Who are your favourite illustrators?
- Whats your final project about?
- Whats next for you/ dream job?
- What has been your favourite project so far?
- Where can we find your art? (social media)
Even though I did this long in advance I still haven't received the answers yet but I am expecting them tonight.
Tuesday 23 February 2016
Artist Research: Natives Journal - Nicolas Burrows
Featured in It's Nice That article
'Nicolas Burrows (who is one third of brilliant collective Nous Vous)... has just founded Natives, an “ongoing, itinerant residency project,” as he explains to us, for “gathering together practitioners who share a sensitivity towards landscape, wilderness and walking, opening up collaborative possibilities, allowing for a closer connection with the landscape and exploring alternative ways of living and making.”
In its first iteration the group of practitioners consists of Marcus Oakley, Sister Arrow, Supermundane, William Edmonds and Nic himself, and it culminates in the first edition of Natives Journal, the paper rendition of all that they made and did together while in Cumbria.
The first issue of the journal is a beauty to hold. It contains a perfect amalgamation of creative materials by diverse artists which are strung together by a thread of common experience rather than repeated ideas. With a number of postcards, prints and an audio soundtrack contained within its pages, the notion of it having been made by a collective is very strong.
“I’m pleased with the result,” Nic continues. “Elliot at Victory Press who printed it did a great job. We also collated and bound it by hand, so it’s nice that it has that element to it as well. To me it’s a good reminder of the time spent there – for other readers I hope that the bits of sound, the texts and the images all contribute towards building up a picture of the place we were in, through the eyes of five different artists.”
Source: www.itsnicethat.com/articles/nicolas-burrows
Natives Blog
https://nativesresidency.wordpress.com
My Notes
I really wanted to do something like that for my India Brief. I had this in my head, a collection of different media and formats all depicting my experience and time spent in India because it was such as visually interesting and amazing place. Seeing these artists collaborate on a similar project really helps me to realise the potential of my project.
The idea of collaboration might be something that I can actually draw upon because I have connections to people travelling round India at the moment. Perhaps I can use some of their writing, or photographs to add to my exhibition piece - or illustrate some of their experiences. For this I will need to contact them to see what is possible for them to get involved in - because obviously communication is not very reliable with someone travelling around India! One girl I know, who's dad is a famous Indian writer, is currently travelling round India and is keeping a blog diary. Extracts or illustrations based on these could be really cool to include in a book? I could have a range of things like the above project. Poetry - old and new, my art, photographs, exerts of books, or blogging diaries etc.
Tutorial with Jamie Mills: India Brief
This tutorial was very helpful for me concerning my India Brief! I have been in complete clarity about the content of my work - My trip to India - the people, colours, scenery and patterns. The stories found in my visit there - such as the election, Diwali etc. But I have been totally confused about my end result/product. This tutorial was crucial in giving me direction and great examples of where I can take this project and aim for as final work.
Notes
Notes
- Lino Prints- Landscapes, environments. - reduction cuts (layers of colour - print then cut into the lino more and print again).
- Focus on colour!
- Narrative - Journey. Journalistic approach - investigate documentary photography.
- A collection of drawings/prints that tell the experience of my trip.
- Lino prints, photos, drawings… screen printing.
- People places and events.
- Go back to original sketchbooks and work from that.
- Scale up (large scale) tests of flora - palm trees. (Bring in portfolio to carry large paper etc - perhaps thurs/fri/sat?) ***
- Installations - large scale - conveying how it felt like to be emerged in India/palm trees etc.
- GIFs/ stop frame animations -these could be playing as part of the installation.
- I need to scan in current India sketchbooks/work on work etc.
Artists with similar work - to keep in mind!!
- William Eggleston
- William Grill
- Natives Journal - Nicolas Burrows
- Lizzy Stewart
After speaking with Jamie Mills my end point and direction of my India Brief is to produce…
A collection of artefacts/objects that tell a story. (About my time in India)
*** Scale up images like these from my sketchbook - big paint brush strokes/giant lino cuts etc.
Sunday 21 February 2016
Q&A Saturday: Today We Wore - Feedback
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| The tags and shares on instagram really help to enhance my audience - here is one example of an account which followed me after my TWW post - she has 12.6K followers which means that my audience can extend to these followers if she chooses to 'like' any of my work. |
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| TWW put my link in their bio which is great as it gives my work a much larger audience - while appealing to their personal interests! |
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| TWW also posted my illustration on their own Instagram which really helped to engage a wider audience in my work because they have a much larger audience than mine at over 800 (where is mine is about 150). |
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| So far 971 people had viewed it which is all because of people sharing the posts. This is a prime example of why it is so helpful to have a brief that also appeals to other peoples personal interest - sharing gives more professionalism and publicity to their own work - as well as mine! |
Q&A Saturday: Today We Wore - Making the Illustration
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| My initial pencil sketch for the illustration. This was my first attempt and I was happy with the likeness and proportions in this image so I just kept with this first attempt for my final. This is because it takes me a lot of time and care to do so once I have a look I like I will just stick with it, likeness in an illustration, that is based on portraits of individuals, is key. |
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| Here is a progress shot of once I had started adding watercolour to the work. I focused on the key elements first - the skin tones and hair, as well as the stand out parts in the garments - the fur. I used a fan brush for these strokes and I could have done with a smaller one, but it was helpful to render the effect of fluffy fur. |
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| In this pic I have worked into the illustration more using layers of watercolour. At this point I didn't want to over do it, I wanted to keep it clean cut and simple with negative space like the blogging style of TWW. |
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| Here is my analogue illustration. I have worked into the watercolour painting with a black fine liner pen, I use this media because I have a lot of control with it and its really fine so I can accurately draw on the details within the image. I also gave the illustration a bit of a border, I did this to make the characters look more bold and intimidating, to stand out and juxtapose the white of the page. |
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| This is my final illustration. I adjusted Levels and Colour on Photoshop, I also added some black paintbrush strokes to areas on the top of the trousers and around the coats/jumpers. I think this just helped to make the illustration look bolder and more vibrant. Overall I am really happy with this illustration because I think it has synthesis to the Today We Wore blog and also depicts the two bloggers professionalism well. However if I were to do it again I would probably choose a more colourful illustration to do because they have some really fun shoots that would be really exciting to draw. Such as the photoshoot in their instagram below! |
Q&A Saturday: Today We Wore - Sarah's Answers
1. Tell us about TWW
Today We Wore is a way for Abbie and I to show the latest styles and trends we love, and how we spend our free time to our Instagram and blog followers. It came about when we both decided we should join forces, as we both have differing styles yet have an overall love of fashion and wanted to share this with others.
2. How did your degrees influence and inspire you to create TWW?
My Fashion Communications degree has influenced TWW as I feel more informed on aspects of the best way to explore and photograph our outfits (and copious cups of coffee) whether this be on location or in the studio at LCA.
3. Was creating a fashion and lifestyle blog harder or easier than you expected?
The blog has been harder than I initially expected. Accumulating followers and building up a regular following base is the hardest factor I think. Regular blog posts come fairly easy as the two of us are never short of a new outfit or latest lunch venture.
4. Who are your favourite designers and fashion icons?
My favourite designer brands have to be Saint Laurent and Tom Ford, the elegance yet masculinity from both brands are something I love. A fashion icon for me ranges from Rosie Huntington-Whitely, her style is effortless and always looks chic, to Kendall Jenner and Victoria Beckham.
5. What bloggers inspire you the most?
Bloggers such as Task Oakley, of A Bikini a Day and RosieLondoner inspire me to create more exciting content for the blog, and of course to travel more!
6. How do you think the internet in particular the emergence of bloggers/ vloggers and apps have changed the fashion industry?
The emergence of bloggers and apps, such as Instagram, has made the industry more much accessible to most, whether this be viewing the latest happenings at London fashion Week to being recognised for the content on your blog/ Instagram and creating a career from this, which is so exciting and recognition from brands you wear or bloggers you follow is rewarding.
7. What does your perfect day in Leeds entail?
A perfect day in Leeds for me starts with breakfast at Angelica, followed by a quick stop along Briggate, visiting Harvey Nichols, The Kooples and Zara. Spending the afternoon at the Harvey Nichol’s terrace photographing everything along the way. A shoot in the studio late afternoon, and ending the day with dinner at Crafthouse. A lot of eating and drinking I have to admit!
8. How does working together work? Ever disagree?
The fact that Abbie and I have such differing styles of dress tends to mean we don’t disagree too much, as we know what we both like and respect that. Abbie tends to sway toward a more serious tone to a photograph, which I like too, however I also enjoy shooting and modelling in shots with more energy too.
9. What was your most popular blog/ insta post and why do you think this was the case?
Possibly the photo of Abbie and I on our trip in Paris. Flat lays do well, as do photos of food/ coffee. People want to aspire to eat nice foods and dress well, and so this may be the case for the likes, and of course not the mention the well taken photographs and choice of filter..!
10. Whats next for TWW and both of you individually?
I want to shoot more content for TWW and step out of our comfort zone – I think this will be exciting and could possible generate new followers. Personally, after uni is complete I want to travel to places I haven’t been to yet, I think this will be refreshing and exciting. After travels I want to look for internships possibly in Manchester or London.
Friday 19 February 2016
Q&A Saturday: 'Today We Wore'
Today We Wore is a fashion and lifestyle blog created by Abbie Treadwell and Sarah Woolley.
Their website: www.todaywewore.com/
Their instagram: www.instagram.com/todaywewore/
Email: todaywewore@gmail.com
About TWW
"FASHION AND LIFESTYLE BY SARAH WOOLLEY AND ABBIE TREADWELL.
WE ARE TWO FASHION COMMUNICATION STUDENTS WHO SHARE LOVE FOR ALL THINGS FASHION, GOOD FOOD AND LUXURY TRAVEL RELATED.
WE STARTED THIS BLOG BECAUSE WE LOVE TO GO OUT AND EXPLORE NEW PLACES, TAKING PHOTOS ALONG THE WAY. WE BOTH HAVE SIMILAR INTEREST IN FASHION YET OUR STYLES ARE QUITE DIFFERENT AND WE THINK THIS WORKS WELL IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA.
BLOGGING SEEMED LIKE THE PERFECT WAY TO SHARE OUR LIVES WITH ANYONE WITH SIMILAR INTERESTS AND WHO MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR STYLE INSPIRATION OR SEARCHING FOR THAT ONE DESTINATION TO PLAN A TRIP TO.
WE SHARE EVERYTHING FROM OUR CURRENT 'WARDROBE WANTS' AND PERSONAL STYLE, TO DINING EXPERIENCES AND TRAVEL DIARIES. "
QUESTIONS
- Tell us about Today We Wore?
- How did your degrees influence and inspire you to create TWW?
- Was creating a fashion and lifestyle blog harder or easier than you expected?
- Who are your favourite designers and 'fashion icons'?
- What bloggers most inspire you?
- How do you think the internet, in particular the emergence of bloggers/vloggers and apps such as Instagram have changed the fashion industry?
- What does your perfect day in Leeds entail?
- Both of you work together on TWW, how does it work? Do you ever disagree on a post or photoshoot etc?
- What was your most popular blog/instagram post and why do you think this was the case?
- Whats next for TWW and for you both individually?
Articles like the one below show a really simple and short insight into the interviewee's world, this is what my Q&As aim to do but I try to ask open-answered questions that can allow for larger and complex answers because I do want the content to be substantial.
http://i-d.vice.com/en_gb/straightup/liv-little
Q&A Saturdays: Jen and Emma FB Feedback
The really good thing about this brief is that it gets others involved which then share the illustration and Q&A for their own personal interest and to share information/Q&A about themselves. This gives my work a wider audience and more attention than if it was just me!
This was the case in the interview with Jen and Emma, as Jen shared it and the post reached a much larger audience of FB users than it would usually!
This was the case in the interview with Jen and Emma, as Jen shared it and the post reached a much larger audience of FB users than it would usually!
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| 1,518 people reached compared to my last Q&A Saturday post which reached 302. (Which is still good considering I am at just 157 likes on Facebook for my A Wasp in a Wig page.) |
Thursday 18 February 2016
Q&A Saturdays: Jen and Emma
Making the Illustration
It took me a few attempts to get happy with a media, method and likeness for the portraits...
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| Refence Image: Photograph of Emma and Jen in their working studio environment at LCA infront of their artwork and project plans. |
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| This was my first attempt at drawing Emma. I did this detailed pencil observation really carefully but I just couldn't get the proportions and features right so the likeness was off. |
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| I thought a pen line illustration might look good but because I hadn't drawn it in pencil first I worried that the likeness wasn't strong enough. Also it smudged and would have been hard to add colour to after because of the ink running. Colour is such a big part and a big difference in Emma and Jen's work that this was an essential part to my illustration. |
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| Big no. |
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| This smudged, and it was not accurate anyway. |
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| This was my final pencil observation! I was finally happy with it - apart from a few adjustments around the hands etc. It isn't a completely perfect representation but it has a likeness and you would definitely be able to recognise them while still keeping that drawn freedom. |
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| My final illustration. I am really happy with this as I think the likeness is good and I was very careful with the line work so I am not unhappy with any part of the depiction! This was definitely due to drawing it in pencil first which is the process I will take with me in future illustrations. I also think it depicts both their styles well with the layout because you can see both of their individual work behind them. |
Wednesday 17 February 2016
Peer Review Session: All Briefs
Extending Briefs
Another couple of days working on it can transform the work to something much more professional, finished, contextual and presentable. Think about how you present the work digitally and in person. For both online and physical portfolios.
SUND.I.Y
Turn into list aka '10 Things to do on a rainy sundiy'
Childrens pack etc
Design cover like a graze box.
Guardian Editorial
Little note/work book 'printing notes'
Use the crayola illustrations
Uganda Healthcare
Colour Palette African Art
Red Sky, Yellow Sun etc.
Media
Another couple of days working on it can transform the work to something much more professional, finished, contextual and presentable. Think about how you present the work digitally and in person. For both online and physical portfolios.
SUND.I.Y
Turn into list aka '10 Things to do on a rainy sundiy'
Childrens pack etc
Design cover like a graze box.
Guardian Editorial
Little note/work book 'printing notes'
Use the crayola illustrations
Uganda Healthcare
Colour Palette African Art
Red Sky, Yellow Sun etc.
Media
- Foil
- Lazer Cutting.
- Screen Print/Lino Print.
- Painting.
- Paint then collage.
- Paper cut.
- Paper/Tissue paper craft.
- Different formats - letterbox, isolated images, oval/circle/square etc.
- Sewing and material.
Spirit of Soho Brief
Dans Run the World
Sarah Illustration
Crispin Orthotics
Vanguart Brief
PPP drawings to send- 20th Anthropologie, Grace Coddington retiring.
Uganda Healthcare finish.
Sundiy
Q&A saturday.
INDIA BRIEF
You are not getting this chance again so make the most of this independent project!
GO FOR IT.
Throw caution to the wind!
Notes
Narrative? Storyline?
Juxtaposition
Bird/cow - linking the pages
Indian Poetry
Indian Pose
Quotes
Old Indian Art
Religion
Yoga
Political Issues
Newspaper Headlines
-This could then go in to the Vanguart Brief - reportage style, watercolour and pens-
History of the Saari
Indian Textiles
Women
Work
The divide
The Kerala Backwaters
Book???
Homewear
Cushions
Postcards
Colour/Pattern/India
Finish the elephant - beads.
Organise Photographs.
Lino Print designs
Gods/yoga poses
Become an expert! & show people that you are.
Homeware List
Crockery
Throws
Cushions
Yoga Bolsters etc
Hanging Decor
Purses/bags/makeup/washbags
Scarves
Notebook/Book covers.
India Brief: Group Tutorial with Patrick
Notes
- Doesn't end in June.
- Potentially contact Tir - currently travelling in India, mum Indian Garden Company, dad Indian writer/author.
- Publishers.
- Agents.
- Printed Textiles - students, practitioners and tutors?
- Vogue, Elle, Homewear.
- Colour palettes etc. Future forecasting.
- Market.
- Textile - can get digital print swatches made.
- Ranges that can come from this work.
- Email Patrick!
Progress Shots!
I have finally finished my VD illustrations. As I went along I saved JPEGS of some key steps, both for my own reference and to keep the client up dated with the direction and progress of the work.
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| I used this image as a faint layer on Photoshop to apply it to my images to add a visible link to the sci-fi space theme. Once it was added as a layer I also changed colour and levels in the adjustment effects tab. Follow the link below to the ISSUU document of these progress shots: |
Thursday 11 February 2016
Q&A Saturday: Emma's Answers
1. After doing my foundation course at Vernon Street I realised that it was Printed Textiles that I wanted to do and not Interior design. Sounds silly but I'd never actually considered or thought about doing textiles until we went for a talk about all the courses at Blenheim Walk, which is when I realised! I love colour and pattern so it was perfect!
2. For my current project my biggest inspiration is designers Kitty McCall and Hannah Waldron who both use bright colour and a mixture of patterns which greatly inspire my practice.
3. My favourite project so far was COP3 as it gave context to my practice, making me realise that culture is an underlying concept to my design and greatly inspires me. I was exploring how it is possible to innovatively appropriate African design to create my own authenticity which is what I want to expand on in my final project.
4. My favourite pieces of Jens were in her latest project, specifically the pieces where she lay velvet with parts laser cut out, and lay them at the bottom of a plaster tile so that the tile has contrasting surfaces from the fabric and plaster!! They was really different and innovative!
5. Our major difference is our use of colour as Jen mentioned, I tend to be drawn to bold colour, the brighter the better and Jen uses more natural tones which compliment the surfaces she explores.
6. The most annoying part of a studying a creative subject is the amount of hours that you have to contribute to your practice, yet may come out with the same grade as a student who as only been in 7 hours a week at a different university! At least we get our £9,000 worth though!
7. No I never feel like we're competitive, our work is so diverse there's no way we could get competitive as our work is so different, there's no comparison between us!
8. I love working in our studio! There is a buzz and creative atmosphere in the studio which pushes you to get on with your own work and get inspired. The fact we're all together surrounded by our work is such an important thing to be apart of as its like this in the creative industry.
9. That's the dreaded question! I currently have no idea what it is that I want to do, but my dream job would to be on the design or styling team of urban outfitters or anthropologie! I am hoping that from my degree show it will hopefully help me to make contacts and be a good platform to push me out into industry!
10. My instagram is emmaburton_designs, website...
http://emmaburtondesign.wix.com/emmaburtondesign https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-burton-719691b4?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile_pic
2. For my current project my biggest inspiration is designers Kitty McCall and Hannah Waldron who both use bright colour and a mixture of patterns which greatly inspire my practice.
3. My favourite project so far was COP3 as it gave context to my practice, making me realise that culture is an underlying concept to my design and greatly inspires me. I was exploring how it is possible to innovatively appropriate African design to create my own authenticity which is what I want to expand on in my final project.
4. My favourite pieces of Jens were in her latest project, specifically the pieces where she lay velvet with parts laser cut out, and lay them at the bottom of a plaster tile so that the tile has contrasting surfaces from the fabric and plaster!! They was really different and innovative!
5. Our major difference is our use of colour as Jen mentioned, I tend to be drawn to bold colour, the brighter the better and Jen uses more natural tones which compliment the surfaces she explores.
6. The most annoying part of a studying a creative subject is the amount of hours that you have to contribute to your practice, yet may come out with the same grade as a student who as only been in 7 hours a week at a different university! At least we get our £9,000 worth though!
7. No I never feel like we're competitive, our work is so diverse there's no way we could get competitive as our work is so different, there's no comparison between us!
8. I love working in our studio! There is a buzz and creative atmosphere in the studio which pushes you to get on with your own work and get inspired. The fact we're all together surrounded by our work is such an important thing to be apart of as its like this in the creative industry.
9. That's the dreaded question! I currently have no idea what it is that I want to do, but my dream job would to be on the design or styling team of urban outfitters or anthropologie! I am hoping that from my degree show it will hopefully help me to make contacts and be a good platform to push me out into industry!
10. My instagram is emmaburton_designs, website...
http://emmaburtondesign.wix.com/emmaburtondesign https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-burton-719691b4?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile_pic
Monday 8 February 2016
Q&A Saturday: Jens Answers
1. I chose Printed Textiles as my degree because after researching the course here at LCA it looked like a really fun way to be creative and to experiment with various processes and techniques that I had never tried before. It also allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and to work in a way which I had never previously done at foundation level.
2. My biggest inspirations are homeware design magazines such as Elle Decoration and trend websites such as WGSN. I try not to follow them religiously and mimic everything they feature, but I like to adapt my own ideas to what they forecast and add my own spin on trends.
3. My favourite project so far, surprisingly, was the Context of Practice module we have just completed which included writing my dissertation (which wasn't so fun), but the practical side for me was the most enjoyable and interesting, as it really let me see my own style develop for the interiors market which I was designing for. I loved how my collection of tiles complimented each other when looking at the pattern, colour and surface.
4. My favourite pieces of Emma's have definitely been the fabrics she designed from her most recent project where she was designing based on West African print. She made some samples which she embellished with little beads and pom poms which really brought them to life and they looked amazing. The colours she used as well were really vivid and playful which is something I'm always jealous of her work for, as I am no where near brave enough to use colour so well!
5. I would say that Emma loves using very bright vivid colour palettes for her work whereas I am more prone to sticking to neutral tones with the odd bright colour used as an accent. Also I enjoy mark making and using abstract shapes when designing patterns, as I focus on natural pattern, but on the other hand Emma is more geometric looking at African tribal prints, meaning that she uses rigid shapes in regimented formats. So you could say they are totally opposite!
6. The main thing I find difficult about studying a creative subject is that it's exhausting sometimes to think creatively 24/7. There are days that I will come into uni with a complete mind block and won't be able to envisage the work I want to make, but then other days I will be really productive and produce a lot of work, which is annoying at times but I guess that's what you have to expect doing the course we do.
7. I would honestly say I never feel any competition with Emma when it comes to our uni work, purely because our design styles are so aesthetically different. I feel we're more supportive and helpful towards each other's work and we're always willing to give our honest opinion if we are asked for advice in regards to compositions, colour or materials. If our work was similar to each other then I think we would be bound to feel an element of competition!
8. The biggest advantage of working in our studio is that we get our own individual space to work where we can display our own concept boards, designs and inspiration images, but also that you are surrounded by everyone else's work and so you are constantly inspired by other peoples projects and it's just a really fun environment to be in! Our studio is really spacious and light as well which makes it a really relaxing and comfortable environment to be in.
9. I am currently looking for an internship in the commercial interiors industry for over Easter/ Summer, as that is the area I would one day love to get into. The dream would be to be an interior stylist/ merchandiser for commercial projects, including hotels, restaurants and bars as I feel that there is more interest taken in interiors today and so I want to create an environment that people thrive in in social situations. My final degree show is going to focus again on natural pattern and to what extent natural materials such as marble and stone have been industrialised to be suitable for an interiors market, which I cannot wait to get stuck into!
10. My instagram is @jenlees_design
2. My biggest inspirations are homeware design magazines such as Elle Decoration and trend websites such as WGSN. I try not to follow them religiously and mimic everything they feature, but I like to adapt my own ideas to what they forecast and add my own spin on trends.
3. My favourite project so far, surprisingly, was the Context of Practice module we have just completed which included writing my dissertation (which wasn't so fun), but the practical side for me was the most enjoyable and interesting, as it really let me see my own style develop for the interiors market which I was designing for. I loved how my collection of tiles complimented each other when looking at the pattern, colour and surface.
4. My favourite pieces of Emma's have definitely been the fabrics she designed from her most recent project where she was designing based on West African print. She made some samples which she embellished with little beads and pom poms which really brought them to life and they looked amazing. The colours she used as well were really vivid and playful which is something I'm always jealous of her work for, as I am no where near brave enough to use colour so well!
5. I would say that Emma loves using very bright vivid colour palettes for her work whereas I am more prone to sticking to neutral tones with the odd bright colour used as an accent. Also I enjoy mark making and using abstract shapes when designing patterns, as I focus on natural pattern, but on the other hand Emma is more geometric looking at African tribal prints, meaning that she uses rigid shapes in regimented formats. So you could say they are totally opposite!
6. The main thing I find difficult about studying a creative subject is that it's exhausting sometimes to think creatively 24/7. There are days that I will come into uni with a complete mind block and won't be able to envisage the work I want to make, but then other days I will be really productive and produce a lot of work, which is annoying at times but I guess that's what you have to expect doing the course we do.
7. I would honestly say I never feel any competition with Emma when it comes to our uni work, purely because our design styles are so aesthetically different. I feel we're more supportive and helpful towards each other's work and we're always willing to give our honest opinion if we are asked for advice in regards to compositions, colour or materials. If our work was similar to each other then I think we would be bound to feel an element of competition!
8. The biggest advantage of working in our studio is that we get our own individual space to work where we can display our own concept boards, designs and inspiration images, but also that you are surrounded by everyone else's work and so you are constantly inspired by other peoples projects and it's just a really fun environment to be in! Our studio is really spacious and light as well which makes it a really relaxing and comfortable environment to be in.
9. I am currently looking for an internship in the commercial interiors industry for over Easter/ Summer, as that is the area I would one day love to get into. The dream would be to be an interior stylist/ merchandiser for commercial projects, including hotels, restaurants and bars as I feel that there is more interest taken in interiors today and so I want to create an environment that people thrive in in social situations. My final degree show is going to focus again on natural pattern and to what extent natural materials such as marble and stone have been industrialised to be suitable for an interiors market, which I cannot wait to get stuck into!
10. My instagram is @jenlees_design
Saturday 6 February 2016
Q&A Saturday: Printed Textile Students Jen Lees and Emma Burton.
- Why did you choose to apply for Printed Textiles as a degree?
- Who or what, are the biggest inspirations for your work?
- What have your own favourite projects been so far?
- What has your favourite piece of work been of the other person?
- What do you think the main differences in your work are?
- What do you find most annoying about studying a creative subject?
- Do you find yourself getting competitive with each other?
- What is the best part of working in a studio environment?
- Whats next? (dream job/internship/final degree show project etc)
- How can we find you aka social media/linkedin/instagram/www. etc?
I have asked two third year Printed Textile students at Leeds College of Art these questions for my Q&A Saturday this week. I thought it would be cool to mix things up with a double interview, particularly because they both live and work together so they know each others work inside out, yet produce very individual pieces. I love printed textiles but I don't know that much about the subject itself in particular so it will be interesting to see their answers and the differences and similarities between each artist!
Friday 5 February 2016
Paper Flowers!
I made some paper flowers to practice using 3D media for my India brief. I really want to make a visually interesting and varied range of work.
Final:
Process:
Thursday 4 February 2016
List of Indian Illustrators
http://www.polkacafe.com/top-women-illustrators-in-india-1637.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Indian_illustrators
http://miehana.blogspot.co.uk/2008_11_01_archive.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Indian_illustrators
http://miehana.blogspot.co.uk/2008_11_01_archive.html
Designer Research: Chennai Silk
http://www.thechennaisilks.com/women/fancy-sarees.html#/page/2
These designs are such great inspiration for patterns, imagery and colour schemes for my India Brief!
Very un-English clashing colours are used which livens up everyday life in India and was something that personally amazed and visually shocked me when I visited there.
These designs are such great inspiration for patterns, imagery and colour schemes for my India Brief!
Very un-English clashing colours are used which livens up everyday life in India and was something that personally amazed and visually shocked me when I visited there.
Worlds Most Expensive Saree
Did you know: the Ravi Verma painting saree by Chennai Silk is the world’s most expensive saree priced at Rs. 39,31,627?
Acknowledged by Guinness Book of World Record as ‘the world’s most expensive sari’, it has been designed by the handloom weavers of city-based textile house ‘The Chennai Silks’.
This is what mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s most costliest saree:
The most expensive silk saree was sold for Rs. 3,931,627 ($100,021; £50,679) on 5 January 2008. It was made by Chennai Silks, India and features reproductions of 11 paintings by the celebrated Indian artist Raja Ravi Varma.
The main image is a reproduction of Varma’s famous ‘Galaxy of Musicians’ Took a total of 4760 man-hours to produce List of ingredients:
1. Gold 59 gms 700 milli grams, Diamond 3 carats 913 cents, Platinum 120 milli grams, Silver – 5grams, Ruby 2 carat 985 cent, Emerald 55 cent, Yellow sapphire – 3 cent, Sapphire – 5 carat, Cat eye-14 cent, Topaz -10 cent, Pearl-2 gms, Coral-400 milligrams.
Weighing around 8 kgs, the ‘Vivah Patu‘, worlds most expensive saree is flanked by 11 paintingsby celebrated Indian painter Raja Ravi Varma and is designed by the director of Chennai Silks, Sivalingam.
As per Ramesh Raja, floor head, silk section, Chennai Silks, “The silk sari is made up of Navratna stones like diamond, emerald, ruby, yellow sapphire, sapphire, topaz, pearl, cat’s eye and coral. It also has embroidered in metals such as gold, platinum and silver. It entered Guinness World Records.”
This worlds most expensive saree was produced using 7,440 jacquard hooks used for interlacing design and 66,700 cards used for punching design with the help of CAD software.
It makes us feel so proud that the timeless Indian traditional women’s attire, sari has bagged a place in the Guinness Book not because of its encrusted precious stones, but for the celebrated paintings by Ravi Varma featured on its bodice and pallu. The pallu features the exquisite Raja Ravi Varma painting ‘Lady Musicians’, featuring women choir with an extensive color palette of 16 colors and 64 shades.
Weaving the saree was not an easy task. It took 36 skilled weavers and almost a year and half to complete it. The brocade features 10 different designs conceived from 64 combinations of colors. The border is flanked by precious nagasu ornaments.
The unstitched piece of 6 yards has still retained its aesthetic values, even though it’s undergoing rejuvenation these days. The world’s most expensive saree sold at 40 lakhs is a proof that the timeless traditional handloom sarees are still in demand.
The best part about this Ravi Varma painting saree is that it is wearable just like any other regular pattu sari. This is not their first ever innovation. In the past they had come up with perfumed sarees. “Bublee – 2500 in 1” was another creative sari priced between Rs. 2 lakhs and 5 lakhs without any ornamentation.
In a bid to become the manufacturer of the most innovative sarees in the world, the Chennai Silk came up with this 8 kg weighing Vivah Pattu saree which eventually got an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records.
Artist Research: Vasudeo S. Gaitonde
- Born 1924; died 2001
- Collected by Museum of Modern Art (New York), National Gallery of Modern Art (New Delhi), Glenbarra Art Museum (Himeji, Japan)
- Related artists Mark Rothko, Wassily Kandinsky, Barnett Newman, Adolph Gottlieb, Zao Wu-ki
“Gaitonde has stood like a rock in the sea of fashion. His achievement is as real as it is historical.”
Dnyaneshwar Nadkarni, art critic
The influence of Vasudeo S. Gaitonde’s abstract paintings on modern and contemporary Indian art is hard to overestimate. His minimalist landscapes, reminiscent in turns of Kandinski, Rothko and Malevich, were a bold departure in the history of Indian art, given what critic Geeta Kapur has described as his contemporaries’ “commit[ment] to augmenting its iconographic resources.” But he also exerted a direct influence as a teacher on many artists who would become important in their own right—artists like Nasreen Mohamedi, who refined Gaitonde’s minimalism to the sparest, cleanest gestures.
Gaitonde was famously private. He gave few interviews, wrote next to nothing about his art, and only produced five or six paintings a year. Very little is known about his personal life. As the late art critic Dnyaneshwar Nadkarni explained in 1983, “Gaitonde isolated himself very early in his career from everything in his environment which he considered irrelevant to [his] intensity as a painter."
A few details emerge: He received a diploma from the Sir J.J. School of Art in 1948, and was awarded first prize at the Young Asian Artits’ Exhibition in Tokyo in 1957, where he may also have traveled (experts are still unsure). What’s clear is that the American Abstract Expressionists made a significant impact on his artistic vision: In 1964 he was awarded a Rockefeller Foundation grant and spent several years in New York, where he was profoundly influenced by painters like Mark Rothko. In 1971, he was given the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian awards.
Gaitonde was born in Maharashtra, India, in 1924, and passed away in New Delhi in 2001. While he lived, his work appeared in solo shows in New Delhi, Mumbai and New York; posthumously, his work has appeared in dozens of group shows around the world, and, in November, 2014 a solo retrospective was held at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, which travelled to the Peggy Guggenheim museum, Venice in 2015.
Gaitonde was famously private. He gave few interviews, wrote next to nothing about his art, and only produced five or six paintings a year. Very little is known about his personal life. As the late art critic Dnyaneshwar Nadkarni explained in 1983, “Gaitonde isolated himself very early in his career from everything in his environment which he considered irrelevant to [his] intensity as a painter."
A few details emerge: He received a diploma from the Sir J.J. School of Art in 1948, and was awarded first prize at the Young Asian Artits’ Exhibition in Tokyo in 1957, where he may also have traveled (experts are still unsure). What’s clear is that the American Abstract Expressionists made a significant impact on his artistic vision: In 1964 he was awarded a Rockefeller Foundation grant and spent several years in New York, where he was profoundly influenced by painters like Mark Rothko. In 1971, he was given the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian awards.
Gaitonde was born in Maharashtra, India, in 1924, and passed away in New Delhi in 2001. While he lived, his work appeared in solo shows in New Delhi, Mumbai and New York; posthumously, his work has appeared in dozens of group shows around the world, and, in November, 2014 a solo retrospective was held at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, which travelled to the Peggy Guggenheim museum, Venice in 2015.
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