My FMP

I have been interested in folk art for the past few years and explored it for the personal passions brief last year when I looked at Mexican Folk art. So I knew that for my final project I wanted to explore folk art further. I wanted my work to have a direction and theme, so I thought about basing it around a story, at first I found it difficult to find a story as there are so many to choose from all over the world. I was given some advice to choose maybe a British Folk story as European stories are so popular have have been used a lot in design over the past few years. I was given a British story book and narrowed the hundreds of stories down to a few about nature and animals because I knew thats what I wanted to focus on. I finally decided on a story called the 'Grocer and the Parrot'. The story involves a parrot that is kept in a cage in a grocers, the parrot doesn't speak, squark or say anything, until the parrot sees the Grocer meddling with the products in the shop. The grocer then strangles the bird and then throws him away, because she is loosing him custom, however it turns out the bird isn't dead, then flies away.

To start my work I did some research on green parrots, as this was the bird described in the story. As the story doesn't specify what type of bird, just that it is a green parrot, I felt that I would have a large range of different types of birds to draw from. I did some research online and also went to different museums and galleries to look at birds in person, to see the colours, textures, and patterns. I took some photographs and did some quick initial drawings. I also went to the Natural History Museum in London too and did the same there, so I had a selection and range of birds to draw from.
Once I had my research I then decided to create of range of drawings using different materials and techniques to create different lines, and marks. I liked the outcome and thought that I had really challenged myself and went out of my comfort zone when drawing and didn't use my usual black fine liner. I think that this range of drawing styles has really developed my drawing style and will make my work more interesting.

Because the colour of the bird is mentioned in the tale and is also a memorable part of the story, I thought it was important to included the colour of the parrot in my work. So I photocopied some of my favourite drawings and painted them using watercolours, just to jet an initial idea of colour ways, and to see how they would look in colour instead of the original black and white.

Lord Whitney

A while ago we had a visit from Lord Whitney, who set us an small and interesting brief. I know the illustrators have been given briefs and worked with Lord Whitney before, but it was something new for the surface designers. The brief they gave us said that we could spend as much or as little time on it as we wanted, it could be only a couple of hours or a few days, also it wasnt meant to be thought and fussed about too much, it was meant to be a sort of escape from our final project, which I thought was a good idea, as sometimes you can become too wrapped up in your current work and just need to get away and take some time away and then come back to it later on. I think that the illustrators have had similar briefs in the past, were they only last for a couple of days or so, however it was a first for the surface designers, so I wasn't sure how I would react and work on this brief as I have a tendency to sometimes over think and plan things too much. 
The brief said that we should illustrate any of Edward Lear's nonsense poems, the poem I chose was;

There was an old man of Dumbree, Who taught little owls to drink tea; For he said, 'To eat mice, Is not proper or nice' That amiable man of Dumbree.

I started by drawing the cups, mugs and teapots using a black fineliner. 

I then decided to make the owls, I stated by cutting out basic owl shapes from found paper, then drew on top using black fine-liner. I wanted each to have their own personality and to each look different from one another, so some are cute and friendly where as other look moody or sleepy. 

I then stated to draw the mouse, I ripped a piece of grey paper and then drew the basic mouse shape and some cheese using fine liner. I drew his happy because he's meant to be safe from the owls. I think the mouse is my favourite element.

I then had to find away of combining all the different elements together, so I jumped on photoshop, scanned in my drawings and then layered and combined them together, and this was the end result. 

Overall I really liked the outcome, I think there could have been a few things to improve on, such as the drawing style and using different materials and techniques to draw with, however because it was only over a couple of days I'm proud of it. I think it has shown me how much work I can actually produce in only a couple of days. I also think it has helped me to have more freedom in my work and not plan out and over think too much. 

BMW Warm Heart Foundation

Over the past couple of months I have been working on BMW warm heart foundation brief. The foundation has been set ip by BMW to provide funding and support for educational, environmental and Cultural Heritage projects. They would like the designs to portray uplifting and positive themes such as, hope, light, role models, looking up to elders, growth, helping, caring, realising dreams ect. I decided that I would focus on growth, caring and light, so the first images that came to my head were plants and flowers. We were told that we should create a certificate, thank you/new year card and two of the following; bag, scarf, keyring, iPhone case, mug, t-shirt.

I decided that I would start by looking at colours, as this is an important part of chinese culture and art, as different colours portray different things, such as yellow is sunlight, and growth and harmony, so I knew that this would be a good colour to chose as it goes with my themes. 

I then decided to look at flowers and plants as this would be the main image of my chosen theme. I found that sunflowers mean New Year, and yellow is a good colour. Bamboo is also a popular plant and is often symbolised with China and Chinese culture. 

I then started to draw sunflowers drawn from life, so I could draw from different angles and viewpoints. Next talking my initial drawing as inspiration I then started to break down the shapes and simplify the drawings, as I wanted to turn them into stamps. 

Drawing with Black Fine liner 

Stamps

I then wanted to look at backgrounds, and it was suggested by one of my tutors to try collage, collage is something that I have always been interested in and have produced in the past, however I have stopped making them over the past couple of years. I dived back into collaging and have definitely caught the collage bug again.

Here are a couple of the collages I made to create backgrounds with, I used paper, card, painted papers, and printed papers using silk screen printing. I knew that I wanted the colours of the backgrounds and the stamps to compliment each other, but also so the stamps stand out from background. I decided that I would stick to a colour palette of greens, yellows and blues so everything would compliment each other well. 

I then went on Photoshop to put the two components together. 

Certificate 

Tote Bags

Overall this has been one of my favourite briefs to date, although I was quite slow to start and get all my ideas and thoughts together, I was really pleased with the style, techniques, and the final outcome. I think that I have learnt a lot from this brief, most of all to sort my ideas out first, rather than going off and drawing any old think/flower and drawing lots of unnecessary things, it would be much better and much more productive if I got all my ideas and thoughts together first. I have also found an interesting way of working and feel as I could take this further and develop it more in the future. 

Hopes, Fears and Opportunities

This September we were asked to write about our hopes, fears and opportunities, in a blog post. At first I found it a difficult and overwhelming process, but is something that I have to face up to if I want to get through my third year, and have a career in design.

Hopes

My hopes all throughout college, foundation and the first two years of university have always been to find a style, a style of woking that when you look at it, it says that's Katie's work. I am starting to feel myself steering towards a specific style but I'm not one hundred percent there yet. Thankfully the tutors have helped me to pick up on the good points of my work, methods of working/creating that I should really explore more and focus all my attention on. To become more focused and not wonder around hopelessly drawing and doing unnecessary things.
I also want to become more confident in ''selling'' my work to others, to be able to talk about it more confidently and freely and not doubt myself or my abilities.
I also want my work to have stronger sense of theme or narrative, instead of just looking 'nice' or 'pretty', to have more meaning and substance behind it.  

Fears

My fears have always been running out of time, with art and design you never truly feel as you have finish, 'maybe I could do one more sketch, or write a bit more, or I wish I would have made another mood board.' And with every fished brief I'm sat on the train on the way home thinking and wishing I had done a list of other things.
Another fear is not being about to go out into the tough world of art and design and be able to do it myself, ever since school I have always had a tutor guiding you through, helping you, and inspiring and helping your ideas grow. What if when I finish I can't keep up or be able to work without help and guidance. What if I cant come up with imaginative enough ideas by myself, if they don't have enough substance.
Another fear is the portfolio visits, I think that for the initial few I will be nervous, but when I feel as my portfolio is more professional and stronger I will be more confident. I always feel nervous about showing tutors and my peers my work, I have always found criticism difficult and to be told by a tutor who I know is bad enough, but being told by someone who you admire and who is a professional designer/artist is even worse. However I have faced that criticism is good is good thing, life would be boring if everything piece of work was perfect.

Opportunities

As I love to make things, I would love the opportunity to sell my work, in a stall or at a market,  the feeling that someone has liked my work so much they have decided to buy something that I have spent time making, I think that this would be a great confidence booster.
I would also love to actually put my work onto products, I had started to experiment with this at the end of last year by making pencil cases, note books and cards, however I would love to have the opportunity to explore this more in the final project. I think that the work looks completely different when it has been put on products, it seems to have more character and charm, rather than just flat on a piece of paper.

Best Three Pieces of Advice

As part of semester two I have to write about the best three pieces of advice that I have been given for my blog. When on a degree you are always been given advice from tutors, visiting artists and also your classmates, some of it just becomes a blur but other pieces of advice really stick with you and have a lasting impact on you and your work.

1.  Draw every day- Everyone says that it is important to draw everyday, including tutors and artists but I never really followed this advice until I noticed that I just didn’t feel as comfortable drawing as I used too, I remember that in school I was always drawing and doodling when I should have been doing algebra or learning about atoms and then I would stop drawing over the summer holidays and then when I started my AS I noticed that for the first couple of months I just couldn’t get back into drawing and as soon as I felt comfortable again it would be summer and again I would stop, it was just a constant circle. However since I have started to draw everyday with the personal passions brief I can feel and see a different in my drawing, so as it is my final year of my degree this September I am going to especially try hard to draw over summer.

2. Don’t worry if you haven’t found your own style yet- I’ve always been worried about finding my own style and what I want to do as a career. When I did my art foundation people always said this is the year when you find out what you want to do and find your own style. Although I did find that I was really interested in surface design and find the right course for me, I didn’t find my own style. I then went to university and in my first year again didn’t find my own style, and now nearing the end of my second year I still don’t fell as if I have found my own style. I think that this is because I’m always changing my style sometimes I draw, sometimes paint, also collage then I also sew and print, so for me I find it difficult to settle on just one practice or technique, as I want to experiment with different techniques and materials. Every artist that has come in to talk to use over the past year have all said, don’t worry if you haven’t found your own style yet, as they didn’t when they were in the same situation as us, only time and experimenting will help us achieve our own style of art.

3.  Don’t give up!- Although sometimes I do feel that I’m in out of my depths and am worried about finding a job after the degree is over, don’t give up! Art is something that I have always been passionate about and without it I have no idea what I would be doing with my life, I always knew that I wanted to do something in art but just didn’t know what, now I have finally found an art course that is right for me and I do want to work for a stationary company like paperchase or bellybutton would be my ‘dream’ job.  And just because it is difficult to find jobs for graduates at the moment don’t give up! 

Skulls, skulls, skulls

I noticed that I've not put any of my work or drawings on here for a while, I've been drawing skulls and things related to Mexico as part of my personal passions brief. 
Here are a few pictures; 

Black fine-liner and acrylic 

Black fine-liner 

Mono printing 

Paper cut-outs

Ink and watercolour 

Pencil

Ink and black fine-liner

Ink and black fine-liner

Ink

I've tried a different range of drawings styles and using different materials and techniques to draw with and se what i could achieve. 

Artist's block

Over the past couple of weeks I have found it really difficult to get into the new brief and just don't know what to do, I have chosen to base my work around Mexico and Folk Art, however I am finding it really difficult to get into, it's either lack of inspiration and lack of research as I am finding it really difficult to find research and books about Mexican art and culture. I've been to the college library a few times and been unsuccessful in finding any books that link to what I am looking for. I have also been looking on the internet, but I think that I am one of those people that would rather look through a real book to get inspiration from than looking at a flat computer screen. 

I think another reason why I'm finding it difficult is because for this brief we have to choose the topic and what to do, instead of it all being included in the brief. 

I think I either need to find some inspiration quick, or I need to completely change my ideas and choice of topic, I hope I'm not stuck in this block for long!

Personal Passions

For our new brief we were told that we could choose the theme and what the project would be about, I decided that I would do my project about Mexico and Folk Art because it is a culture and art style that I have always wanted to look into and draw from. I love the mexican culture and traditions, such as the Day of the Dead Festival, also the colours and patterns in their work and arts.
Here are some research photos I found: 

Toys and Tales Finished

At the start of December we were given our new brief and it was to design a shop window for a children's toy shop, called Toys and Tales. We each went into groups of two, three or four and had to work together to design and make three shop windows, the brief in total was about four weeks long, so it was a lot of work to fit into a short period of time. 
In our group we had three people from surface design and one person from illustration, we had to work together to create ideas and also make things and mock-up's of what the windows would look like, we then had to pitch the idea to the shops owners and they would pick their favourite to actually be the window display. I think that our ideas were good and imaginative, we decided that one of the windows would be aimed at girls and one at boys, and the third window would be aimed at both boys and girls and would be interactive. 

We decided for the boys window we would have a treasure chest and lots of teddies and bears climbing out as if they come to life at night, like Toy Story or Small Soldiers, then there would be a washing line above this with more bears from and also hanging hot air-balloons, rockets and planes hanging from to create more depth in the window, however this would also let in the light. 
These are some sketches of what it could look like from my sketchbook and some small mock up's of what they would look like: 

For the girls window we decided on a fairy, enchanted garden theme and would be made from layers of cut wood in the shapes of grass, toadstools and flowers. And then stock could be placed in-between the different layers to create a scene and would be an interesting idea to display the stock that they have in the shop. 

For the third window, which would be the interactive one we decided on a giant jigsaw theme, and we would make a giant jigsaw that we would stick onto the window with suction cups and then the children could play with the giant jigsaw while they were inside the shop. 

Finally to link all the windows together we decided that we would create vinyl stickers for the windows of toys that are in the shop and the children could match up the sticker to the actual toy in the window. We thought that this would be a fun and interesting idea and would be imaginative and different. 

Overall I really enjoyed the brief, although it did feel a short, I think that we worked really well together as a team and came up with some good ideas and produced some interesting and fun ideas that we think children would enjoy and like to do. I think that this brief has prepared us for the real working life and how we would have to work as a group and team in a company, it also highlighted how important combination was. 

Dialogue Ignites Change Brief

I was given my brief a few weeks ago called Dialogue Ignites Change, the main idea of the brief was to talk to people and have what they say and their stories have a lasting impression on you. As a group we had to come up with an idea, we choose the idea around sustainability, WW2 and recycling. We had to make something to do with crafts and making something, I decided to use only recycled fabrics, and not buy anything because during the war rations made it difficult to buy new clothes and fabrics because they were in shortage and expensive.
I decided to make cushions and tea towels in a patchwork style, made from recycled materials and fabrics, the only thing I bought was the new tea towels from a charity shop.
Here are some photo's of the final cushions and tea towels and my sketchbook:

Pages from my sketchbook

Patchwork samples

Charity shop tea towels with patchwork and free hand machine embroidery, with the war time saying, "Make do and Mend"

Square patchwork cushion, made from recycled and found materials and old buttons

Square patchwork cushion, made from old curtains, and a pillowcase

Square patchwork cushion, made from an old pillowcase and old curtains

 

My mood board of ideas and inspiration

Overall I really enjoyed this brief, I liked the idea of using recycled materials and fabrics, I think that if I had more time I would have done some more free hand machine embroidery as I think that this is a great technique and something that I will use later on in my work.