Today’s The Day

Today, I have woken up refreshed and rearing to go for my summer project.

I think I have an idea in place – using one of my imaginary spaces which I have created through Google SketchUp about two years ago. Instead of using an existing space, I think using an imaginary one of mine would be a good place to start.

However, I am not quite sure how I am going to sketch this properly on actual paper – I have only done that on my computer and that is quite significantly different from what I am about to start doing.

Similarly, I still don’t quite know how I am going to present this as that area of the project wasn’t stated in the brief. Should I presume that they only want the sketches and model? And not a subsequent book of thoughts behind my approach? I think this is the part of the project which scares me the most.

“Make A Sketch” – A Summer Project

The summer has started, and I am well under way with the various extra shifts I have been able to gain from work. However, a friend was speaking to someone on Twitter the other day about their Summer Project for their Art Foundation Course (to start in September). Suddenly, I had an inkling that I may have a summer project as well.

Sure enough, I check out the MMU (Manchester Metropolitan University – my first choice) website and there it is, a Summer Project, “Make A Sketch”. Not only this, but term dates until next summer, an indroduction letter (which contains blogs, magazines and books which would be worth the subscription/buy etc) and the timing and location of my first session.

There is no question that this has scared me quite a bit, especially as this happens to be one of the only things I have yet had to do for myself and by myself so far in my life. I know I will have many more projects like this throughout my years at University, but this has now started to strain my mind slightly – especially as I haven’t thought as artistically as I need to for this in a while…

The Project:

• Produce at least four A2 sized drawings of an existing or imaginary interior or space – these should also explore the three-dimensional views of this space
• Produce a “3D Sketch” (at the scale of my choice – I don’t think I have ever done that!!!) using materials which illustrate the qualities of the space I have chosen

I am being completely honest when I say I am not entirely sure where to start with this.

I don’t want to think too deeply into the project otherwise I might not fully appreciate the whole reason behind it.

My thoughts for this at the moment are to think about an existing space/interior which I could easily access for photographs and evaluations.

Usually for a project, I would have a series of photographs and then experiment with ideas and the different spaces/interiors which I have as an option and put all of my thought-processes into one small sketchbook and work from there.

Would this be suitable for just a summer project? Should I be that thorough with it, or literally just produce the sketches?

My Developmental Piece – In Progress

I have been so busy recently; the sun has been out, and I have a critical deadline on Friday for all of my art work!

I thought I would give you all an update to my progress on my Final Pieces for both Art and Textiles. However, I will be starting with Textiles in this post.

In order to feel comfortable in finalising my Textiles Exam “Combinations and Alliances”, I have started to work on a developmental piece which will be crucial to develop my techniques and ideas further.

I have decided that I would take a concertina book, use my lino prints to add a starting point and then use my appliqué and machine stitch skills (which I used for my First Significant Piece and my Second Significant Piece).

Here are some photographs of how I have got on:

The above photograph shows the first part of the concertina book – I have printed my lino yellow and then I have added my own materials and stitching to enhance it.

The plain parts of the book (without a lino print) have proven to be difficult already, however, I have made the most of it to show off my machine stitching and carry that on throughout the book.

What I am a little disappointed about with this piece so far, is that the prints aren’t all straight on the page (as shown above – some of them are diagonal to the page). But that is a very small part of the piece, so I am looking forward to finishing it and making sure my stitches are straighter!

The Research Continues …

Recently, I have realised that it would be important for my future to do some research in architect firms (and of course interior firms).

There is one particular website which has grabbed my attention;

Second Significant Piece

My second significant piece is finally finished. After hard work printing, and constantly on the sewing machine, I think it has all paid off.

The start - edge stitching, arranging and planning.

After my first significant piece, I think this is definitely a step up; my skills have improved and you can definitely see them throughout the piece.

The First Stages - Looking at the print.

I am so pleased with how my printing has gone, I was so keen to really get going and work on something larger than my first.

I have used the whole of the orange fabric print and made this into a wall hanging. It contains my appliqué skills (also from my first significant piece) and general machine stitching.

Along the way, there were a few issues with the sewing machine (on a few occasions I really did think I had properly broken it!!!). But the only that was holding me back was that the wodding which I had put behind it was too thick to properly go through the machine. This was – admittedly – quite a stupid mistake but as my first significant piece was so successful I thought it would be okay.

Here is my finished piece!!

My Finished Piece!!

I am very pleased with this piece because I have taken all of my skills and produced something different and more exciting than before.

Detail - Bottom Part

Detail - Top

Detail - Middle Appliqué

And finally, my last photograph for you …

Detail - Middle Left

Yes, some of my machine stitching is a little wonky in places, but I think this is nevertheless and successful piece, and I am very proud of myself for overcoming my difficulties and pursuing it until the end.

Detail, the Beauty

Absolutely stunning photographs. It is always the details which make the piece of work (whatever that might be) more interesting and enlightening.

designchickee

A ‘detail’ is defined as a small part of a picture or work of art reproduced separately for close study.

It was the famous architect, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, that said “God is in the details”. In other words, whatever you do, you should do it thoroughly. All of these images are details of a greater whole. The details are mesmerizing… Don’t you want to see the rest?

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Today’s Objectives

Once again, I have been given a lot of work from my teachers; Spanish homework, dissertations (both fine art and textiles) and of course ploughing away with the exam unit (both practical and in sketcbook/flipfile).

Today, however, I have decided to do the following:

1. Finish going through my teacher’s annotations of my Textiles dissertation, amend where appropriate and FINISH completely (inc. conclusion and bibliography).
2. Amend all annotations from Artist 3, Intentions for Final Piece and Artist 4 – for Textiles and print all.
3. Do as much as possible on my second large outcome – for Textiles.

The list is a bit of a long shot, but everything needs to be done so then I can cross it off my large list on my sketchbook.

My dissertation has now gone from 15 pages to 20, and I’m not even done with it yet!

Things are looking good. REALLY good.

University Update

Before the Easter Holidays, I made the most important decision in my life; university choices.

As you know, I have had offers from Manchester Metropolitan (280 points), Birmingham City (280 points) and De Montfort (260 points). In case you don’t know, an A* is 140, A: 120, B: 100, C: 80, D: 60.

In the worst case scenario, if I got an A* in Textiles, B in Art and a D in Spanish that would still give me a total of 300 points.

On this basis, I have chosen Machester Metropolitan as my Firm Choice (1st) and De Montfort as my Insurance choice (2nd). It looks like every interview I went to has paid off considerably (considering in two out of the three I would receive an offer the next day).

I am very happy with my choices, and I am very glad I have made them. I would be equally happy at either universities, however I think Manchester has the better course and is more suited for what I would like to study; Interior Design but more geared towards architecture.

Ozone at the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

This is yet another amazing post I have found whilst scrolling through “The Blogs I Follow”. The designs are truly stunning!
This is the sort of work which inspires me to do everything I can in order to be where I want to be in life.

seattleinspired

118 floors above the city harbour…

…there’s this new nightspot, Ozone!

On top of the world’s tallest hotel, Masamichi Katayama designed this super cool bar, themed around an “Edenic Experiment” – a man-made environment of nature in an imaginary world.

Found here.

xx

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First Significant Piece

During the Easter break, so far (yes, I know… It’s coming to an end already … But I still have more to do!) I have produced one significant piece for my exam Unit in Textiles. As you know the title is “Combinations and Alliances”, and I have been looking at the links between traditional and modern architecture.

From my second set of photographs (which I shared some of them yesterday), I have now produced this:

I have used the material which I printed on before the holidays, and put some wadding/wodding behind it and stitched through the whole piece (both horizontally and vertically) – I have also added a three blocks of other materials onto the piece to show my appliqué skills.

The following photographs are close ups of the piece: