Isabel Pemberton @isabelpemberton - Tumblr Blog

FAS 3003- Reference list

Clarke, M. (2001) ‘Synthetism’, in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. 2nd edn. Oxford University Press, pp. 87–87.

Corder, R. (2015) Tucker Schwarz, Flickr. Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rocor/17739163774 (Accessed: 23 May 2023).

Jacobitz, S. (no date) How The Low Angle Shot Improves Your Photography, Street Photography. Available at: https://streetbounty.com/low-angle-shot/ (Accessed: 18 May 2023).

Naïve art (no date) Tate. Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/n/naive-art (Accessed: 24 April 2023).

Nostalgia Definition & meaning (2023) Dictionary.com. Available at: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/nostalgia (Accessed: 18 May 2023).

PH-160, 1957 (2023) Clyfford Still Museum Online Collection. Available at: https://collection.clyffordstillmuseum.org/object/ph-160 (Accessed: 10 May 2023).

R.B. Beckett, ed., John Constable's Correspondence VI, The Fishers Vol VI, Ipsiwch, Suffolk,

Schuddeboom, B. (2021) Blexbolex, lambiek.net. Available at: https://www.lambiek.net/artists/b/blexbolex.htm (Accessed: April 20, 2023).

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (1999) Naïve art, naïve art. Edited by K. Gupta. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/art/naive-art (Accessed: 24 April 2023).

Thomas, C. (2012) The work of blexbolex: Aiga Houston, Houston The Work of Blexbolex Comments. Available at: https://houston.aiga.org/the-work-of-blexbolex/ (Accessed: April 20, 2023).

FAS 3003- Evaluation

Overall, I'm very pleased with my final samples. I managed to use a wide range of techniques that support my narrative. This module has broadened my creative thinking skills by giving me full range to experiment. Although I faced a few challenges throughout the process, being ill at the start of the project, which led me to fall behind time-wise, I managed to reach a solid finishing point.

Having strong primary research that helped establish the starting point for my samples worked well for me throughout. Focusing on landscape photography gave me a wide range of vivid colours, from blue to greens and yellows, that became a running theme. Within this module, I allowed myself to experiment with different techniques and mediums, allowing me to explore various art styles. I'm a person who likes to stick to what I know, which has led me to prohibit myself in the past; this module has taught me not to be afraid to try new ideas.

A big problem I faced was not managing my time effectively. This is something that I struggle with a lot and need to work on. Although I faced some challenges that were out of my control, I should have made a conscientious effort to keep on top of my schedule. To help me in future projects, I shall make a more significant attempt at creating and sticking to a planned weekly plan.

Looking at my sketchbook, I am satisfied with the range of samples. However, I would have liked to create even more. I found myself spending too much time on one sample in order to make it 'perfect'. This is a trait that I have struggled with throughout my entire foundation year. I struggle with letting myself create quick, simple samples as I favour quality over quantity. I would try to create quicker samples by experimenting with more mark-making techniques for future progress.

To conclude, this module has challenged me more than any other and helped me identify the areas of my learning and creating style that need adapting. I enjoyed this module's creative freedom, as it pushed my boundaries even further. Throughout my foundation year, I have grown as a textile student in ways I didn't anticipate, from learning new skills, which have become my favourite ways of creating, i.e. reverse appliqué, to becoming a stronger researcher and writer.

FAS 3003- Exhibition piece

My initial plan for my final piece was to create a storybook filled with different samples to represent the journey. However, due to time constraints, I ended up just doing a layout of various examples. With help from Louise, we came up with the idea of connecting the samples using red embroidery thread. For me, this represents the idea of the whole process of taking this journey. Connecting the elements, it brings together the pieces more cohesively. In such a way, detectives use evidence boards to try and fit together the details of an investigation.

FAS 3003- Artist influence

Tucker Schwarz is an artist who focuses mainly on architectural elements whilst incorporating her own take using sewing threads as a medium. She captures a few key shapes within the image, as we can see a few structured elements in the background. However, the rest of the piece is cluttered with loose dangling threads that create a sense of chaos and movement in an otherwise still image.

(Tucker Schwarz, 2003)

For my interpretation, I wanted to take a more straightforward approach as I find Schwarz's work too busy for the eye. I added architecture to a plain landscape by mixing elements from a sublimation piece with a mixed fabric sample. The overhead utility wires I hand sewed on as this allowed me to have more control over the length and placement. One challenge I faced when doing this sample was that my sewing machine started to malfunction hence the difference in stitch throughout the piece.

FAS 3003- Experimentation

I wanted to use a medium that I hadn't used before. I experimented using bleach and tried two different methods. The first method was using bleach and a paintbrush to try and draw my desired pattern/image. I found this method rather tricky as the bleach doesn't act immediately, so you can't see what the image will look like. I tried to dilute the bleach in different stages to create darker and lighter tones, with the lightest tone 100% bleach. To some extent, this was successful, but the unevenness of the brush strokes made for a displeasing result.

I used a mix of water and bleach for the second method to create a tie-dye method. By scrunching up the fabric and securing it with rubber bands, I managed to create a marbled effect for the sky background, almost emulating clouds. I liked how the material turned out and decided against ironing out the creases as it adds a textural element. I would change the dilution of the bleach, as the effect was more subdued.

FAS 3003- Alterations

I have used a road atlas as my subject focal point in this sample. The techniques I used when using this media were hand stitching the different roads and landmarks. I used the sewing machine to create a water-tidal pattern on a light fabric in my first attempt. This caused the material to become ruched, creating an undesired effect. The main downfall of using paper on fabric is that the map tore easily under the sewing machine. To counteract this effect in the future, I would use interfacing to make the paper more durable.

I chose to transfer the map onto a more sturdy fabric. In doing this, the colours of the sewn thread stood out more on a more subtle background, especially the yellow border. I am pleased with this outcome as even though it is an overall simple technique, the use of bolder colours has given depth to the piece and made the composition more interesting.

FAS 3003- Techniques

One technique I learnt in the first module is reverse appliqué, which involves sewing different fabrics together to cut away the different layers to reveal an image. I like using this technique as it's quick to complete but has a strong visual impact. The thin borders it creates around each component add an element of being 3D, depending on how many fabrics you use and their thickness.

By isolating the key colours, it helps simplify the image whilst still keeping the structure of the elements, such as the car and shed. One central element I wanted to incorporate throughout my samples was a variety of textures. This idea relates back to the childlike narrative of seeing the journey as a story. With my original storybook idea, the texture was a key element as I wanted to emulate the same concept as those children's sensory books that have different textures and fabrics that you can feel. Even though I changed my final outcome, I primarily focused on visual and traditional elements.

FAS 3003- Abstract

Abstract art completely eradicates a conventional image by using only shapes and colours to mimic the original. By not purposefully trying to create the correct shape, you can open up an artwork to the viewer's interpretation, which is a vital component in art.

For my renditions, I wanted to use colour as my main element to help decipher the key forms. To create the long strokes of the colour, I used a squeegee that I use for my screen print samples and placed dots of paint on the paper. In the second image, I tried to add depth by adding small drops of black within the yellow to represent the shadows seen within the trees. I also used the sewing machine to create random lines to show the general height and shape of the tree branches. Both of these samples are rather effective as they are open to interpretation. The bright colours and formless shapes capture the eye's attention.

An artist who uses a similar technique is Clyfford Still, who is a key representative of the abstract movement. I wanted to mimic his bold use of colours in my work. However, I decided against the more angular concise shapes for a more free-forming approach.

(Clyfford Still, PH-160, 1957)

FAS 3003- Experimentation

Using an image I took from my town in Belgium, I created two different outcomes using different materials. I decided to try a method I have become very used to and another one I have never tried. The first is a paper collage using cutouts from magazines. I am fond of using collaging as a technique as it is very effective visually. It is a technique that I have become accustomed to as I have used it a lot throughout not only my foundation year but also in previous studies. The downside to collaging is the time it takes to complete one image and source the required materials.

The second outcome was created using various buttons to sew the image onto the fabric. This technique takes more of an abstract approach as the picture doesn't have a solid outline. At the beginning of this module, I had an initial idea of creating a final piece using a variety of beads. I didn't go through with this idea as I didn't see it being time-effective. However, I still wanted to incorporate it within my work. I used a variety of shapes and coloured buttons given to me by my Aunt and Grandma to loosely follow the primary image's colour patterns. This technique was very time-consuming as it was a challenge to find the right coloured button for the image.

FAS 3003- Clouds

During my journey home, I noticed that the clouds in the sky had an almost cartoon effect. The contrast of the grey bottom to the more fluffy white tops creates the effect of being rested on top of a dome. As a child, clouds always fascinated me, and I tried to find different shapes and images within them.

Artist John Constable was fascinated by the shape and structure of clouds, so he created a series of painted studies focusing only on clouds. Constable stated his inspiration behind these studies in a letter he wrote to a friend; in the letter, he wrote, ‘It will be difficult to name a class of landscape in which the sky is not the keynote, the standard of scale and the chief organ of sentiment’ (Becket VI, pp.76-77).

(John Constable, Cloud Study, 1821)

For my own rendition of my primary image, I used a net material as my background, on which I cut out fabric pieces to emulate the clouds. My downfall in this piece was using a glue stick as a shortcut, as it caused some smudge marks on the clouds. To develop this piece further, I would include some free-hand stitching as an outline to give contrast.

FAS 3003- Screenprint

I began to screen print the image using different colours from my Photoshop images below. The positives of using screen printing as a technique are that you can quickly create multiples of the same image whilst still upholding a clear outline. However, due to my limitations in doing this at home, I had to use a paper stencil to print from, meaning after a few samples, the stencil started to tear and lose shape. Regardless, I believe these pieces came out very well, as the solid black outline and negative space contrast effectively against the brighter colours. Using an exacto blade, I could create much smaller details within the print.

To contrast the more angular shape of the lines on the truck, I created a negative space using a freehand-drawn abstract form.

FAS 3003- Art Style

Working from my own images, I experimented with using Photoshop to emulate the effect of screen printing. These images ended up having a pop art vibe, especially with the bright colours. I like experimenting with Photoshop by mixing my photos and art pieces and then editing them to give an almost animated effect. Throughout this module, I found myself creating samples that consistently had a more animated childlike execution.

Having researched more into this, I found there is a specific name for this style called, Naïve art. Tate (2023) describes this art style as a 'childlike simplicity of execution and vision'. Artists that work in this style tend to focus more on the details rather than accurate perspective, favouring brighter, more unrealistic colours (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1999). A key person when looking at Naïve art is artist Paul Gauguin. With an art style described as post-impressionist, the French artist is recognised for his use of vivid colours and nondimensional style. In his early days, Gauguin could be described as an impressionist artist, but he abandoned the conventional style and adopted a more basic representation of what he saw. This style became known as 'Synthetism'; Clarke (2010, p. 87) describes this movement as:

"It involved the rejection of purely naturalistic representation in favour of a more simplified or 'reduced' manner in which the artist painted a 'synthesis' or combination of what he 'felt' and saw, a symbolic representation of observed reality."

(Tahitian Landscape, 1891)

FAS 3003- Blexbolex

Blexbolex is a French graphic artist who is known for his picture books, comics, silkscreens and posters. He studied silk screening in Paris as part of Jean-François Guilberteau's studio (Schuddeboom, 2021). His artwork is inspired by the style 'Ligne Claire', a drawing style most commonly seen in the book 'The Adventures of Tintin', created by Hergé (Thomas, 2012). Ligne Claire in French translates to 'Clear line' and involves clear, concise outlines with vibrant colours most commonly seen in children's books.

Looking at this art style and specifically Blexbolex's work, I wanted to experiment using similar techniques to create my outcomes. I started by selecting an image to work from and blocking out the image's primary colours. From this, I was able to make a stencil that I could screen print from. I decided to remove the finer details as it gave the image more of a comic book effect which I liked.

The use of negative space created by the stencils worked well for this piece. This helps make a focal point within the piece and directs the viewer's eyes to the positive shape in this photo, which is the motorway road signs.

FAS 3003- Primary research

To start my research, I took pictures along my route home back to Belgium. Using my Canon EOS1200D, I documented my journey from Manchester to Belgium via the Eurotunnel. I wanted to take photos in both countries that emulated each other, for example, seeing a row of traffic cones in both places.

For my subject matters, I mainly focused on landscapes, road signs and vehicles as I found these to photograph most effectively. I tried to photograph more vibrant colours to showcase that even on a journey I have taken countless times; there are still some interesting sights along the way.

Trying to take photos in a moving vehicle brought around some challenges. The main part I struggled with was seeing something I wanted to capture up close but missing it by a second, meaning I had to zoom out in order to capture it.

The experimentation with camera angles worked well in my initial photographs, especially lower-angled shots. Low angles work into the sense of altered perceived height, and having the sky as the only background highlights the infrastructures, making them the focus. This perceived height worked into my initial idea of creating a storybook-like one would have as a child. The grand perspective of seeing buildings and infrastructures from below is something a child can relate to, as most things in the world are bigger than them (Jacobitz, N.D.)

FAS 3003- Sculptural fashion

When we talk about fashion, there can be two types that we refer to. Wearable fashion is the clothes made to be worn on a day-to-day basis, and then the fashion that is more of an art. Sculptural fashion is an art form that uses different shapes and textures to distort the figure. Italian designer Roberto Capucci is known for creating visually striking outfits using abstract shapes to reimagine the figure.

As part of our week 1 task, we had to create a 3D sculptural garment made of paper using a variety of shapes, methods and forms to create a visually appealing outlook. I used various techniques such as scrunching, spiralling and fanning to emulate Capucci's work whilst still adding my own artistic element.

I started by adding the main elements that I wanted for the primary shape, which was the fan on the shoulder and the spirals coming out of the side. Being a textile student, I wanted the main focus to be on different textures and finer details rather than the overall aesthetic shape. Capucci effectively creates different textures within his designs by using techniques such as ruching and fanning, which I wanted to mimic.

I effectively managed to capture a variety of textures and shapes whilst still managing to create an attractive silhouette. My one downfall when creating this sculpture was that I was too afraid to go bigger; I often focus on more minor details rather than the overall prominent shape. Moving forward, I want to manage my time better and create a variety of pieces at a quicker pace.

FAS 3003- Project concept

For this project, I chose to show the journey I regularly take from England back to my home in Belgium. When first given the project brief, I immediately thought of showcasing this journey in a storybook style.

The word 'Nostalgia' means a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time (Dictionary, 2023). For me, I get this feeling the most when I think about Belgium. When I first moved there at 13, I was reluctant to move as I was leaving everyone I knew behind. Over time it has become my favourite place to be, and I wanted to portray the happiness I feel when I return home.

FAS 3003- Introduction

During this module, we have been tasked with creating a narrative/concept that will sustain an 8-week period. We must come up with an idea that's innovatively challenging and keeps our interest throughout the project.

As a textile student, it is important that I focus my findings and materials around fabrics and different ways in which I can manipulate them. My final piece will be comprised of a sketchbook, which I shall use to document my process and research and a blog that will give further detail on my process and a final exhibition piece.

This module aims to help us demonstrate our range of abilities and embrace different ideas and concepts. Having the chance to showcase our concepts, ideas and own personal style will help us make those next steps into our degree pathways.

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

Isabel Pemberton