From my OCA Tutor feedback I wished to continue to develop my use of the original source material. I felt there was further patterns to explore through overlapping shapes with colour and texture to create impactful line. From previous research cotton velvet suited this screen printing process. I liked the way the fabric accepted the colour and printing process. Specific colour combinations were further experimented with and extended.
While I could have deviated further from such use of forms-shapes and colour schemes I wanted to continue with specific themes to highlight my creative process to aid my approach to textile design. I wanted to really explore specific shapes and texture with line and colour schemes. I wanted to develop a way of working which slowed me down and enabled me to be increasingly immersed within my design process.
I increasingly experimented with colour contrasts using coral and olive with the mixed shapes screen. I would have increased my scale further but I could not access and use larger screens within the available studio space. That said I plan to digitally print sections of the printed textile in very large scale. Blocks of colour in dirty yellow was used to further play with line and overlapping colours with negative/positive space. I liked exploring the building up of layers, of examining the shapes and line created with colour the screen printing process.
The interaction of the colours overlapping created new ways of seeing the shapes as more areas of interest were created. As the increasingly altered and adapted shapes were realised within the layering process new perspectives with my textile work developed
On reflecting upon this process I realised how much I enjoyed discovering new spaces like the coral-coloured shape realised above through the use of the mixed shapes screen in olive and the rectangular blocks of dirty yellow. With each printing process I related differently with the textiles.
Textural elements were used from my sketch book through Photoshop. I wished to explore more large scale texture within this printing process however this was achieved with mixed results. That said this process has helped me to see different ways to use texture through increased scale.
The continuing use of the mixed shapes screen was necessary due to it's ongoing potential using dyed cotton velvet. Once fully explored I planned to introduce further themes related to the Romans.
I enjoyed researching the use of mark making with crayons, pastels and watercolours. The range of textures realised were explored within these printing processes.
I adopted an altogether more scientist-practitioner perspective to these printing processes to examine and analyse every aspect of the shapes, line, colour and texture used. I wanted to complete a series of textile design processes which were more considered and thoroughly worked out.
As stated I tried to use charcoal with limited success when printing texture. While I liked some of the interactions with straight and circular line the textural elements seemed unresolved.
The use of texture over the dirty yellow base colour seemed to contrast well with the coral base.
There was much consideration throughout of the use of screens with colour and masking. I liked the interplay of line which was off set by different colours.
Another dyed light grey cotton velvet sample piece was used with pink-red to good effect. Blocks of colour was printed over smeared areas of grey dye. I liked the contrasts created and sharp use of line.
I really enjoyed working with the grey and red-pink colour combinations as now so distinct from the original source material. I became progressively more interested in line as the projects developed.
I continued to focus on the placement and arrangement of shapes-forms with line which continued to echo my personal archive including my sense of place. Such ongoing themes maintained and amplified meaning from the original Roman sites and found objects on such sites.
From looking down on the fabric I could still envisage the rectangular mounds from the Roman sites visited and seen. Such experiencing was re-explored and reinterpreted through the screen printing processes. The focus on placement and arrangement was evoked through the original research process and the importance of layout, structure and organisation for the Romans.
The mixed shapes screen was my attempt to represent form and structure, of a micro-analysis of one of the Roman sites through multiple adaptations as if an aerial view of what was hidden and yet to be discovered with broad swaths of activity with space.
On reviewing the use of red-pink with grey I could increasingly see the Roman sites albeit within abstracted forms...the meaning of placement and arrangement still valid through the printing process.
Throughout the screen printing I never lost sight of what I saw and experienced within the original research process.
Through breaking down the design process into a series of sequential parts I feel it has become more manageable...I have increasingly made sense of what I do and why I do it at each stage.
Through a more thorough research process I feel there is more substance and depth to my textile design work which has meaning for me...it is therefore easier to generate ideas and to keep motivated in the longer term with the flow of new ideas.
With each added layer of printing new understandings were forged with colour, form-shape and line with texture. I enjoyed the process of using olive with masked off screens and fabric to create new shapes with new negative space.
When masking off areas I was as interested with what was added to what new spaces and areas of interest were created. I enjoyed examining the interplay of line with shape.
As the screen printing process developed I started to increasingly look at smaller sections of my textile work through a view finder. From there I became more interested in specific sections across the printed textiles. I used discharge on some of these areas for added interest.
On sectioning off areas of the printed textiles I became more interested in developing such segments further using increased scale within collage work. Through developing a closer relationship with my textile work I get so much more from such engagement.
Through such sections I can start to see where I can take my work, how I can develop this series of printed textiles through reconfiguring elements of the screen printing with increased scale.
Additional textural effects were realised using discharge with the texture screen repeatedly used, which added an additional area of interest.
Within the dyed coral cotton velvet the printing process was carefully thought out with the use of acetates from the design stage to aid with the themes of placement and arrangement.
Such use of acetates helped me to plan more effectively the screen printing process, to explore the use of positive and negative space before committing to print.
| The screen printing process was managed more in accordance my preferred design aesthetic. |
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From using strong discharge to make a bolder statement the mixed shapes acetate was used to coordinate the next stage with masking directly onto fabric.
The mixed shapes acetate was used at contrasting angles from the previous print to create further shapes and line. Then the newspaper masking was taped straight onto the cotton velvet.
Once the masked areas were secured the mixed shapes screen was used with turquoise to experiment with strong contrasts...despite being initially reticent to use such a bold colour it worked out really well. I was pleased with the result. Such experiments taught me to be bolder, bigger and freer to create more impactful prints.
The coral dyed cotton velvet sample was helped by printing a series of masked off areas which replicated some of the Roman archives. The additional interplay of shapes helped to resolve this textile.
The straight with the circular line seemed to add to the overall design. Although there were repeats with the use of the same screens each print was treated differently with the use of varying layers with masks and print on each layer.
As stated before there was increased interest with specific sections within each printed textile. Areas were masked off for discharge and for further development work.
As a visual learner I seem to learn by doing. So as I experiment within the design process I adapt and alter the course of my sampling as a direct result of what I have achieved through intent or error.
From this I started to sketch out and undertake collage work for my next series of samples based upon what was seen through the masked off areas. I plan to explore some of these specific areas as I continue to increase scale. From looking at segments of an overall printed piece more can be seen. See library of images below...
