Project 10 – Stage 2 – Focusing On Your Theme Book

As I was looking at Japanese flowers I came across a particular picture that really spoke to me.

I love everything about this picture, the colours, the shapes, the flowers, how the flower  shapes has been taken as a frame for other floral designs (particularly the yellow flower shape in the middle with the blossom flowers inside). This piece is a design for kimono fabric and so I wanted to look at other designs for kimono.

I have always been in love with Kimonos. They fabrics used are always so luxurious and beautiful and delicate and I find the history of Kimono fascinating. Kimono was the standard dress for everyone in Japan up until the Meiji Period (mid 19th Century) when the import of western dresses, suits and general attire was introduced to the country. Although the kimono is not often seen in everyday life, it still hold history for the country and is still used for special occasions like weddings and by entertainers and women who still practice being Geisha. Speaking of Geisha, one interesting fact about Kimono history involves the Obi (the sash that hold the Kimono together) back when being Geisha was a common practice, the obi was a sign for men who frequented tea houses. Traditionally, Geisha are entertainers that serve men (and sometimes their wives) during their meetings and ‘down time’. Geisha were quiet, poised and refined women who were sought after for their ‘virtue’ which would be sold to the highest bidder. but there was also women who’s purpose was to entertain men in a sexual manner (who today would be known as prostitutes) who would dress up in the same lavish kimono. Official Geisha were dressed by their ‘mothers’ and their obi would be tied as a decoration which would be wrapped around at the front and tied at the back, generally with fancy knots and embellishments. Women who sold their bodies on the other hand, their obi’s would be tied simply on the front of the garment. This allowed them to undress and redress as quickly as possible (often without assistance). I always found it fascinating that something as simple as an obi could distinquish between classes and that the way an obi is tied can define someone in stature.

But back to the project at hand. I wanted to look a bit more into floral fabrics and Kimono. Again, because I don’t have a printer I will be uploading my visual aids to this log for reference and use in future.

Kimono – Traditionally made on silk with wood block printing, modern versions have embellishments like embroidery.

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Obi – I found that Obi designs can sometimes be just as intricate and beautiful as the fabric used for Kimono.

Before I begin Stage 2 properly I wanted to make a note of my findings and ideas so far to see if I could get an idea of a process or flow and to think of ideas that my research could lead to as a Final Project.

Project 10 – Stage 1 – Reviewing your work so far

Now that I have a theme I feel confident and comfortable with I decided to get out the brief for this final Project and get started properly.

Stage 1 asks me to review all my work so far and to think about a final piece and the techniques I’ve leaned throughout  the course.

I am happy with my Japanese floral theme and looking back through my work I am thinking of incorporating the following techniques that I have  enjoyed learning:
-Mark Making with stitches
– Fabric Painting
And maybe:
-Fabric Manipulations

I’m hoping to use more than one technique in my final project.

 

 

 

 

Theme Book – Further Development

After taking some time to look at Japanese flower gardens I found I was finding it difficult on where to start exactly and how to develop the theme into an idea that had a creative process. I originally  wanted to create a weaved piece, a wall hanging, but when I was trying to develop the idea I found myself struggling to go beyond just picking up my loom and copying an image. With the brief suggesting that the finished piece isn’t the focus, but the design process, I wanted to try and look a little deeper so I could have a design process to show. This is the hardest part for me. My brain works at 1000 miles an hour and generally  I have a design idea ready before I’ve even realised it by which point the process and lead up to the final image has already been, gone and completely  left my head and I’m left with a final idea and no clue on how I got there, which can make the idea of showing a creative process very difficult and frustrating. But I had a think about my chosen theme and decided to start simple with individual flowers. I don’t have a printer since I moved house so I’ve had to find pictures and save them onto my computer so I’m going to upload them to this post for extra reference.

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Japanisches Leberblümchen

I’m not sure what exactly my finished piece will be just yet, so I started my design process by simply sketching some of the flowers I found.

When looking at Japanese flowers online, I came across this picture of a floral fabric pattern:

I really love this picture, the vibrant colours, the mix of flowers and the overall design. I think I’d like to look more at floral fabric designs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sketchbook work

Artist Reaserch – Jan Wheeler

I found out about Jan Wheeler when meband my husband had a trip to the distillery district in Toronto, Canada. They have several little art galleries there showcasing local artists and I was immediately drawn to Jan’s work. 

Jan likes to explore the fluid movement in landscapes, she studies in Ontario and has been fortunate enough to have travels and experienced different cultures throughout her life. She spent some time in Japan, the UK and Europe, Saudi Arabia and has travelled across Canada. 

Here work is vibrant yet delicate. I really love the shapes she uses to build up her landscapes, they’re not conventional but you can still tell exactly what they are. 

Any time I see one of her paintings I’m reminded of roving and I feel inspired to recreate he work on a loom. The textures remind me of soft unspun wool, like they’d be soft and fluffy to touch. I have always enjoyed landscapes but I am really influenced by this different take on them. I find her work moving and beautiful. 

Tutor Feedback – Assignment 4

I’m having issues copying and pasting my feedback so I’ve given attaching a document a try…

Tutor Report Laura Langlands CAp 4

Theme Book – Japanese Flower Gardens

Saika no Sato – Sasaki Farm [Hokkaido]

Taken from:

http://www.bfh.jp/en/theme/theme_searchdetail/40020627001/

Himawari no Sato (Sunflower Garden) [Hokkaido]

Taken from:

http://www.kyuhoshi.com/2015/08/03/sunflower-field-in-hokuryu/
http://japan-magazine.jnto.go.jp/en/1506_himawari.html

Shirai Omachi Fuji Park [Hyogo Prefecture]

Taken from:

http://www.city.asago.hyogo.jp/kankou/eng/omachifujipark.htm
https://www.tsunagujapan.com/16-must-see-flower-gardens-around-japan/

Kawachi Fujien (Kawachi Wisteria Garden) [Fukuoka Prefecture]

Taken From:

http://www.anitsuya.net/kawachi-fuji-gardens.html

Hitachi Seaside Park [Ibaraki Prefecture]

Taken From:

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/107856152
http://www.pinterest.com
http://solotrippin.com/2015/04/26/amazing-sights-in-japan-you-never-knew/
https://www.tsunagujapan.com/16-must-see-flower-gardens-around-japan/

Theme Book – Japanese Flower Gardens

So I took some time to sit and do some research into what I wanted to do for my Theme Book. I looked at few different things to do with Japan but I have finally settled on Japanese Flower Gardens. I have always loved Japan and flowers and landscapes and considering I had been really struggling to choose between landscape and Japanese themes for my theme book, I thought this was the perfect way to blend those two passions together. It feels like a weight has been lifted now I know what I would like to do for my Theme Book. I may not know what exactly I’m going to create yet but at least I have somewhere to start. It all seems less daunting that way. Here are some of the Images I got from Pinterest that inspired my theme.

Theme Book

So I finally managed to sit and have a flivk through some ideas early this morning. Ive settled on Japan as my theme. I’m not sure where in the broad theme I want to focus my attention but I had a flick through Pinterest  searching ‘japanese textiles’ and made a few notes and sketches of things that really grabbed my attention.

I’m really excited to start exploring this theme and I hope I manage to find some time over the coming months before my move to make a bit of a dent in the research and get to a final design/idea so once I’m settled abroad I can go and get my materials and make a start on the samples/developments and actual piece.

Theme Book – Back to the drawing board

I have really been struggling with the theme for my Theme Book. I have been all around the houses 20 times to try and put my finger on what I want to do and every time I put my finger down it doesn’t feel right. From day one of looking through this course I said I wanted to do something based on my love of Japan, but I worried about how I would translate my passion into textiles as I am more interested in modern Japan, the pop culture, anime, Harajuku and cosplay, those sorts of areas (rather than traditional, although that is amazing too!) and I could never see how they would translate into a textiles piece. I then thought about my love of nature and walking and I thought about landscapes as my theme. I was instantly flooded with ideas (especially after this last weaving assignment) of things I could do and I actually made a start on a few ideas for this but I soon lost the passion in it and my brain wandered back to Japan.

My situation at the moment is I move house on the 31st of March 2016, with my husband, into a friends house for 2 months before we leave for an exciting journey to Toronto in Canada on June 14th 2016. I currently work full time night shifts, run a business with my husband during the day, have a puppy (now 6 months old) to look after as well as trying to arrange starting a new life and re branding the business in Canada, completing this degree and have time to fit in necessities like basic hygiene! My plate is a little full to say the least, but I had a chat via email with my tutor and spoke to someone at the OCA about assessment and have applied to complete assessment in November 2016. This means my work needs to be in by mid September, giving me (approximately) 6 months to complete the final assignment, send it in for assignment and then have it returned and resent for assessment. Which, I think, will be more than enough time…. I hope.

So I decided today that I am going to follow my passion and make Japan my theme for my final project. I have no idea how it’s going to work but I packed up my studio today, left myself some basic essentials and decided that for the 2 months I am staying with my friend (where I won’t have the space to keep a lot of materials or spread out the way I could at home) I will let myself have the time to focus on the development side. I am going to collect pictures, make sketches, write down notes, ideas and research and really let myself figure out what and how I would like to do my final piece. I think this will give me more than enough time to lay some foundation so once I am overseas, I can really get stuck in with the actual making of the piece.