02/11/19
Due to the fact I did not attend the talk on Friday as I was in Glasgow, me and my partner Tian had to do some separate research over the weekend, however we intend on combining our ideas in Mondays session. I visited quite a lot of galleries in Glasgow due to this project and also because the city is renowned for being artistically advanced. I was pleasantly surprised by how they were all free! But also impressed by the level of variety amongst the galleries.
There were two artists/photographers which stood out to me most, Adam Geory and Roody Macnell which I will analyse and potentially use as a starting points to mine and Tian's work. I tried to focus on processes and ways in which artists think and how I could embody this myself, for example, Roody's geometric and grid focus is a way of thinking I like and is something I would like to explore in 'PAIRS'.
I was fond of how this artist used layering, and thought I could use this in this project by layering traits of me and Tian.
'NAM JUNE PAIK' effect of light on projected image:
100 WORDS ON PROJECT
After the first day me and Tian have decided that our main key word is LIGHT. We are focusing on how light differs in both our hometowns: London and Shenzhen and how we can derive a pattern from photographs of each city. These patterns will then be presented in a textiles and 3D form which hypothetically would be turned into a garment. We have some other ideas, like using neon paint on the body (in the pattern that we make) to convey the concept of glowing/light. We also want to explore projecting on the body, potentially creating a moving image of the pattern.
05/11/2019
I went out last night to take some photographs of the prominence of light within Central London. Me and Tian found it interesting to think that Central London is never seen to be completely dark. The presence of light is pretty overwhelming, so it wasn’t difficult to get some powerful shots of lights around the city. I tried to find lights that were visually interesting as I knew I would have to derive pattern work/ mark making from them.
The next morning, me and Tian printed out these photographs and over the day, began to look at both simple/complex pattern that we could derive from the light photos. This process was quite long but we knew that the end product would be effective. We then decided to go our separate ways in the evening and transfer our 2D drawings into more textural, clear and aesthetically exciting samples which we will then tomorrow bring together to create one large pattern.
Tomorrow we will finalise the pattern and begin doing our trials of developing it – firstly, doing a photo shoot with neon paint on the body in the pattern that we have created, to highlight the ‘LIGHT’ undertone of our project. Then looking at how we could transfer this pattern into a weaved sample, and hopefully a small garment if we have time by Thursday. Tian is keen to intertwine draping with the pattern so I would like to listen to her ideas more tomorrow too.
Here are some examples of how I derived pattern from the photographs of light, I wanted to use simplistic mark making so that the overall pattern (when combined together) didn't look too over complicated and chaotic.
NEON PAINT
Me and Tian brought glow in the dark paint from a local party shops as we wanted to paint some of the patterns we had made onto our own skin to represent the cultural aspect to our project. Tian put her own patterns from her work on her skin, and I put that ones I had derived from the London photos:
I then wanted to develop these patterns further, so when me and Tian combined our patterns there was a more textural and generally interesting finish. I made samples, varying in mediums/materials to make the pattern more dynamic, and to highlight the difference in light in London.
Once I made the samples I kept thinking how I could develop the individual patterns, thinking about how I could take elements from them and create a completely new pattern, or seeing how it would look on the body as a garment. I particularly found it interesting to look at the negative space within the patterns and how that in itself can produce mark making which is bold.
TIANS PATTERNS:
Collaging the patterns together to create one larger one: COMBINATION OF LONDON AND HONG KONG LIGHTS
TIAN QUESTIONNARE OUTCOME
07/11/19
Me and Tian combined our patterns to make a larger one which we would then both work from, I took certain elements of the pattern like colour/shape/texture and weaved it with various colours to create a sample which I thought I may be able to intertwine with Tian’s work.
I was happy with my sample, however the tutor made a good point that the colours could link more with the samples instead of being random ribbon colours etc. I think this was good advice and next time I will consider the colour palette as well as the shapes I use.
Tian brought in some work however we struggled to put some stuff together immediately as It was quite unfinished, instead of stressfully putting something together we decided to focus on getting the glow in the dark photo shoot done and developing our samples by ourselves. And if we had time to link it all together. The glow in the dark paint didn’t work in the various colour we wanted, however did work in the green, we took elements of each of our patters from London and Hong Kong and drew parts of this on our hands. I had the London pattern and Tian had the Hong Kong one, some of the shots actually look quite effective, especially when we place our hands together to make a joined pattern. If we had time we would’ve made a short film out of these shots to then project onto the body.
Overall, the primary research that was done I think certainly links to the end outcome of the samples we did, the pattern that we derived is clearly in elements of my weave, but as the tutor said, the colour scheme could’ve made the lilnk a lot more obvious. Tian’s sle
Initial weaving process:
ROODY MACNELL
04/10/19
When me and Tian met we started buy discussing our findings and drawing some similarities and interests within our work. We looked for key themes that crossed over and made various mind maps of initial ideas. Tian visited the 'NAM JUNE PARK' exhibition at Tate Modern and highlighted that the focal point was on the power of light and digital presence. She suggested the use of a projector on the body, and how we could use technology/moving image to mirror our individual heritage but then combining it. I liked these ideas and quickly started to develop from them. The photographer ADAM GEORY also focused on light, so I thought using him and his use of neon could draw in quite nicely with the exhibition Tian visited.
We then started to brainstorm about the qualities of London:
LIGHT became the theme that was reoccurring, so we decided to pick this as our starting point. Light is such a prominent thing in London, I find it interesting to think that London is never dark, it always has bright lights and neon signs etc. I will go and photograph this with Tian, we are hoping to be able to derive pattern work from this and transfer it into clear design. Aswell as using London, we thought it could be interesting to look at the lights from Tian's hometown too, she is from SHEZEN, near hong Kong. She is going to contact some friends and ask if they can supply us with some photos of the lights, by doing so we could combine the pattern work we derive to create collage which is a combination of our heritage.
We both thought it was a good idea to not look too far ahead towards the end result, but instead focus on trialling and seeing what works well. Some of our other ideas for samples include:
-Using Neon paint on the body, but painted in pattern work that we will derive from our primary photographs.
-Using a projector on the body of pattern we make, or projecting moving image/film of photographs/different traits of our personality.
-Seeing how shining different shade of colour on swatches can manipulate them, this is a concept of Tian's which she derived from the exhibition 'NAM JUNE PALK'
ADAM GEORY
Use of neon lights reminds me of elements of London, like Soho, I hope to derive some similar simplistic pattern work like Adam does.
Some of the London light pictures:
I particularly liked this design:
06/11/19
I then wanted to take elements of the pattern, from both mine and Tian's work and weave it into a large sample which could then be intertwined with Tian's garment. I used various techniques, like stitching onto fabric, drawing onto acetate, cutting various shapes from materials etc. to replicate some of the pattern work that me and tian had produced.