Module 1 Chapter 4 Research for design: Shape and pattern study

Observe, record and explore

Observe
I looked through various sketchbooks and items in my collection related to cotton, to find interesting shapes.  These were often those found between sketches with an assymetrical shape.  They sometimes were found alongside another that accompanied it in some way.

Record
I made linear sketches of shapes from several items:

From: 'Cotton processes to thread and fabric'

• Egyptian cotton thread

From: 'Household items'

• Kitchen - teatowel, dishcloths, and Hardanger traycloth (Section 4)
• Bathroom - towels and net curtain (Section 5)
• Lounge - rag rug (Section 6)
• Bedroom - twisted cotton rug (Section 8)
• Laundry - flat iron (Section 9)

Here are just four pages from the sixteen drawn:

 

I would like to use any of these at a later date but for the purposes of this chapter, I chose 6 a i Rag rug Sheet 1.

 

All three shapes were drawn on to tracing paper using a Sharpie permanent marker, then copied using the same marker on to a thin plastic sheet. 

Using a craft knife, cutting mat and taping the plastic sheet to the mat, and abiding by Health and Safety precautions cut out stencils.  The cut out pieces can also be used as templates or masks.

 

 

I wanted to develop use of the central shape, and made a similar plastic sheet with different sizes of the same shape.  Some of the cut out solid shapes are alongside.

 

 

 

I made several print blocks:

Linear outline: To give outlines of the shape:

• shape engraved into polystyrene with a biro
• perle or string placed and glued around the shape, on to piece of cardboard
• intaglio shape where fine parallel lines were engraved using a craft knife on mountboard, then a fine layer of card removed from between the lines

Solid form: To give solid blocks of the shape:

• card attached to mount board
• raised block made from an eraser, cutting away the rubber around the outside of the shape 

 

Making up papers
Coloured several papers to be able to continue with a series of different exercises.

There were three lots of papers

1. Commercial ready made papers from different sources
2. Commercial ready made papers with a blue bias
3. Set of painted papers

The different papers used included:

• Khadi paper
• Wirral based newspapers and magazines
• Yellow photocopy paper
• Hand made crinkled paper (commercial)
• Anaglypta wallpaper
• White plastic sheet
• Brown wrapping paper
• Catalogues e.g. Cotton Traders
• Inside patterned envelopes
• Black paper
• Chocolate box paper

Different techniques were used to colour the papers further:

Using Quink ink and Gesso with sponges and edge of rolled card
The rolled card of gesso on black I particularly liked because of its rag rug, twisted cotton rug effect.

 

Using used tea bags and acrylic paints (ochre and gold) with sponges

 

Using Misty sprays (Walnut and umber) and wiping up towels and plastic

In March, I went on a weekend Embroiderers' Guild course  'Indigo dyeing and weaving' with Kate Whitehead.  Some of the dyed papers (including Anaglypta) I thought I'd add to my collection, especially for the collection of papers in 2. above. 

Maybe I could use some of the dyed fabrics and threads (all cotton based from my collection) at a later date.
Here is a photo of the dyed bits drying on a washing line.

And here are some of the fabric strips selected for weaving

I'm planning to make a piece of weaving for a cushion cover with fringed edges, entitled 'Tea time' or something similar as most of the fabric was from my kitchen stash.  I also included some text using a Japanese permanent fibre tip with snippets linked to having afternoon tea with scones.

I loved Kate's woven work, Japanese inspired - kimonos, belts, and Japanese Boro.
None of Kate's work is shown above (I'd like to include this textile artist in Chapter 12)

 

And now to continue with the main chapter's content:

 

Design exploration using solid shape

 

Firstly I selected a number of the papers and cut them to A5 size for the backgrounds.

Some papers were left A4 or larger in order to cut out solid shapes.

I used my stencil to draw the 4 different sizes of my chosen shape (labelled 1 to 4).

 

 

I chose to cut through the stack of papers using a craft knife, but I also could have put the paper stack through a sewing machine producing a perforated edge using close running stitch and a threadless needle. 

Although lines were used to cut out the shapes, the remaining shapes then become solid.

Here are samples of the different exercises.
The samples were put together in a 'sample book' in the sequence followed.
(Some of the exercises were repeated or altered in some way - see also the last sequence)
The main component on each page was the collaged shape, then designs were added:



Ex 1 Drew a diagonal linear pattern and added colour
Ex 2 Drew a large diamond in the centre of the page and added colour

Ex 3 Used 4 cut/ripped/serrated shapes (cut) arranged in a rotating pattern
Ex 4 Traced the design in Ex 3 and added colour in couterchange

Ex 5 Subdivided the page into overlapping rectangles and added colour
Ex 6 Cut/Ripped a rectangular window (ripped) then replaced it on the same page

Ex 7 Cut a shape the same as the solid shape from the edge of the paper
Ex 8 This shape was then placed on another sheet with a rectangle alongside 

Ex 9 Wrote a large letter (Y) across the page then added colour and pattern
Ex 10 Wrote lots of lines of writing across the page

Ex 11 Drew a figure shape over the collaged shape
Ex 12 Drew an eye (or hand) over or alongside the collaged shape

Ex 13 Folded the side of the paper partially over the collaged shape, then added another
Ex 14 Pleated the page, flattened it then drew stenciled shapes over the surface and coloured in the shapes, then opened it up

Ex 15 Instead of drawing and colouring in the shape of the collaged piece, used a print block adding acrylic colour
Ex 16 Repeated Ex 15 but this time drew stripes within the stencil shapes added over the collaged piece

Ex 17 Cut strips of different papers using special edged scissors and attached vertically, adding colour around the collaged shapes
Ex 18 Added torn rectangles to the background paper then placed the collaged pieces over these

Ex 19 and 20 Added several small marks to the background in a pattern, but echoing the collaged shapes. These highlight the original shapes 

Design Variations
There were a few exercises which I repeated (see the booklet of samples).

These exercises take a long time, but it is worth exploring different techniques to capture even better or worse designs!

To represent this I tried 7 design variations to develop on from Exercise 1 (see the back of the sample booklet).  Here are just a few with accompanying notes:

In the first, I made vertical lines copying the collaged shape using a stencil and adding a contrasting colour around the outline of each shape.
In, the second, using white on black added diagonal lines in both directions across the collaged shape (crossing at right angles) using pastels.  The wavy nature of the lines are due to drawing over an anaglypta relief surface.

In the third, I added four rectangular blocks over the collaged shape on Anaglypta paper, overlapping 2 blocks of each complementary colour, using pastels.
In the fourth, leaving the collaged shape untouched, and following the edges of the shape, made contour lines, using complementary colours and filling in some of the spaces with dots.

In all of the designs, it is fascinating to see how the background paper compliments the collaged shape.  There is such variation whether the lines and added shapes are free drawn, cut, torn or use stencils and print blocks, adding marks, lines or blocks of colour.
The permutations are never ending.