Semester II: First tutorial methodology beginning to work for me

07/10/2014


Blog entry 10:

Before my first tutorial of the semester, I have been looking into combining stitch with paint. I have used calico as my preferred fabric, as I am able to paint on it with gouache (my preferred paint method which I found through my research on paint last semester) and stitch onto this material with ease. I also find that calico is relatively cheap to buy and can be obtained in large quantities. Calico has several different weights or thicknesses, I have chosen a mid weight calico on which to work for many of my samples due to it being thick enough to hold the paint, stiff enough to paint onto with relative ease and thin enough to stitch through with ease. The only issue with painting on fabric, especially with a water based paint is that fabric absorbs the water, making the painting process longer.

I am currently working on a cross stitch pattern, which I have converted from a painting online. Although I enjoyed cross stitch during the summer, I am beginning to question wether this process is going to take to long to make it a viable option on which to base a project. Another issue I have found with cross stitch is that it is impossible to envisage what the outcome is going to look like until it is finished making it somewhat of a gamble. The original painting is in black and white, however the cross stitch pattern has instructed me to use a number of purple threads, this makes me wonder how different the finished cross stitch will look when compared to the original painting, this may make choosing a colour palette very difficult.

I have experimented with a number of stitch methods and found that I prefer a method I used in college known as free machine embroidery (as explained in more detail in blog entry 9). This method is done by changing the regular foot on my sewing machine to a specialised embroidery foot and dropping the dog teeth, which pull the fabric through the machine. By making these changes to a domestic sewing machine, I have allowed the fabric to be sewn in any direction, essentially allowing me to draw in stitch.

Ordinary/ common sewing machine foot

Metal embroidery foot

Dropping the dog teeth (Love sewing, 2013)

During my first tutorial, Richard suggested that I should explore stitch and paint combinations further in order to ascertain whether this process could work for me. He also suggested that I could possibly use research for my dissertation to firm up my ideas for this project. I now intend to move forward with my research into the human hand and its capability to comment on the human condition, along with experimenting further with my stitch and paint combination.

At this early stage I have made the decision to already disregard some of the ideas I first worked up in my research, for example I have decided not to take the idea of the skeleton of the hand further due to the pre-existing connotations of horror and halloween which are already deeply ingrained.

Semester II: Free Machine embroidery

06/10/2014


Blog entry 9:

As I intend to create a tactile aspect to my visual imagery on hands, I have chosen to use stitch. I have tried a number of hand stitch methods, but as is the nature of hand stitching it can take a long time, which as a practitioner, especially as an illustrator, can be an issue when working to deadlines.

To use stitch, but create faster results, I have decided to go back to my roots at college. During college I was taught a practice called Free Machine Embroidery. This technique is done by using a domestic sewing machine: The usual sewing machine foot is replaced with a specialised foot called an embroidery foot. The dog teeth, which pull the fabric through the machine in a forward motion, are dropped down to allow the fabric to move in any direction. By being able to move the fabric in any direction essentially allows me to draw in stitch.

With free machine embroidery there are a number of technicalities which need addressing such as lowering the tension, however I have learnt these prior to starting this course, so I am not going into something blind. This project will allow me to develop and perfect a visual technique.

Along with the tactile texture of the free machine stitch, I will be using the paint techniques I developed last semester, this combination should create interesting and unusual visuals. As the masters projects are designed to create work which has something new about it, I feel that this combination is a step in the right direction.

Semester II: My methodology, a project broken down into sections

06/10/2014

Blog entry 8:

My methodology for this project is to break down areas of practice into separate areas, which feed into each other:

Research book:

Currently at this stage the Research Book involves encompassing a broad compilation of ideas and theories based around the subject; these will include my own thoughts along with a range of material by others. Research varies widely from a scientific standpoint, such as exploring evolution and the musculature of the hand, to different meanings attached to the human hand from a human perspective and much more.

The research book is intended to look at every possible and appropriate aspect of the human hand in order to ensure that I have not missed any possibly useful information about the hand that I could use to define my project.

Main Sketchbook:

Currently the Main Sketchbook is involved with exploring stitch as a means to intertwine the notion of ‘feel’ and give the work a tactile nature. The Main Sketchbook uses ideas/ theories from the Research Book as a initial standpoint on which to build in order to ascertain the scope of certain aspects and to in turn allow ideas to grow and possibly allow new ideas to form, which can then be more closely researched in the research book.

The Main Sketchbook is for visual development from initial ideas documented in the Research Book. This allows me to develop ideas along with the media and materials whilst I don't loose sight of researching a wide range of aspects. As I develop selected ideas further I am able find out the scope of any singular idea as well as getting new ideas to research from the natural development of visual work.

Life Drawing/ Drawing from life book:

A smaller but significant area is the Drawing from Life book, which deals purely with practicing visually representing the form of the hand, which in turn can lead to ideas to research more closely.

Blog:

The Blog involves researching the work of others to aid understanding of how mediums and materials can be used, which may inspire how physical work is created in the Main Sketchbook. The blog will also question and explore who I am as an artist and how work can be presented as possible outcomes, this area will focus deeply on what it is I want to achieve as an artist during and after my study at university. The blog will also provide a place to fully explain the thought process at certain points during the module.

Semester II: Ghada Amer and the suggestiveness of stitch

06/10/2014


Sr 2, Blog entry 7:

(Apologies for the lateness in updating this blog, many entries were done first on word, and due to technical issues I have been unable to upload them.)

Ghada Amer's work deals with subjects such as gender and sexuality, and mainly looks at representation of the female nude throughout art history. Much of Amer's work is in stitch, which allows her to represent visuals which could be perceived as sexual in a more suggestive manner.

By using simple line imagery combined with seemingly erratic threads, Amer has been able to draw attention to certain areas of the composition, and leave other areas concealed. This technique of leading the viewers gaze is an  interesting way of suggesting or hinting about a topic without having to be covert, in this case to ensure that the imager is to some degree censored.

Semester II: Cross stitch and embroidery research

02/10/2014

Sr 2, Blog entry 6:

As I have decided to explore how stitch can aid my practice, I need to understand how it has been used before and how I intend to use stitch to give the impression of tactile nature and expose visually the concept of the sense feel. As embroidery is considered by many a crag that is done by hand, I want to touch upon this link in my work in order to strengthen the connection between the human hand and stitch.


Karen Nicol:

Nicol creates a tactile feel though the use of stitch, which is extenuated through the subject matter of animals with fur (in these examples). In a few of these images paint has been used along side stitch to create contrast, for example (title) the monkey's face in paint creates a different texture between the exposed skin and the fur, which is in stitch.

Areas of the embroidery is delicate in order to gain accuracy of intricate areas, whereas other areas are more textural through the use of large areas of thread of fabric.


Cacye Zavaglia:

Zavaglia uses stitch in a similar way to paint, by using a large verity of different colours to create complex shading. In areas such as the flesh, the colour ranges from simplistic and primary to specific peaches and browns, this creates depth in the work. 

Images such as (title) are very textural, however retain their depth and suggestiveness of the human face through depth of colour.

These images make me consider how I can use aspects such as texture and colour to create contrast or depth in my own work.

Semester II: How to Visually Represent the Human Hand, a representation throughout history

01/10/2014

Sr 2, Blog entry 5:

Due to my need to grasp a firm idea of what it is I am trying to say about the Human Hand in my work, for both the purpose of my Concept and Dissertation modules, which are designed to run hand in hand so to speak, I have decided to conduct a visual survey of how the human hand has been represented throughout history. I need to find out exactly what was important about the human hand to different artists and eras in order to understand how the hand in art is and has been perceived and portrayed.

Leonardo Da Vinci, John The Baptist, (1513 - 1516)
Oil on Panel, Louvre, Paris

Returning to my research from last semester found that the gesture of pointing upward is found in many of Da Vinci's works, I found that this hand gesture could possibly depict the experience of the divine. The pose of the characters left hand however is just as interesting as that of the right as it is seemingly covering his modesty, an act which is often associated with women in art, could this hand posture suggest femininity?

Sandro Botticelli, Birth of Venus, (1486) tempera on canvas, Uffizi, Florence

Praxiteles, Capitoline Venus or Aphrodite of Knidos,
(4th Century B.C.) Marble Sculpture

Earlier than John the Baptist, the use of the hands to cover the female modesty is seen in Birth of Venus and earlier still, in the Capitoline Venus the hands are used as a "sheath" (Clarke, 1956: 5) to conceal their bodies. All of these images have one particular thing in common, which could lead to this covering posture of the hands: The characters in each visual are viewed as divine entities. Venus is a goddess and John the Baptist is a christian icon. Could the covering of their bodies actually suggest that we as mere mortals are not worthy to look upon divine bodies?

Leonardo Da Vinci, Lady with an Ermine, (1483 - 1490) Oil on Wood,
  Czartroyski Museum,  Cracow

The pose of the female subject's hand in this image is interesting due to its capability to portray femininity in a rather different way, although she is not covering herself like Venus, this subject's hand pose is of an etherial nature. Although Da Vinci was clearly skilled at painting the body with accuracy, so it can be assumed that this hand has been painted in such a way that it purposely looks like it could not hold the weight of the animal (presumably a ferret). The idea of the hand portraying femininity by not fully clutching or grasping anything yet still being able to manipulate the environment around a character is see again in Ray's photography (below).

Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp as Rrose S'elavy, (1923) Photography

Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp as Rrose S'elavy, (1923) Photography

Jones states that the hand gestures are feminine (jones, 1993: 21 – 31), this suggests that the hand in art can in fact portray such a complex notion as femininity. 

There is one issue which should be addressed to do with the perception of femininity, which is a constant throughout all of these visuals: All of the above were created by men, this might suggest that if the hand positions do in fact suggest femininity it is a male perception of such.

Throughout this blog I intend to look at other images of the hand to find out more about what it can represent.