Cropping Drawing is drawing a section of an image instead of the whole image, this allows you to focus on detail, form ,tone and colour. You can use L-shape crops to choose a section of your image, you draw everything inside of your L-shape crop.
I started the cropped drawing process by drawing and cutting out my L-shaped crops. I chose a photo, which you can see a lot of small details clearly. I then laid my L-shaped crops on my iPad screen with the photo, I then drew a white line box to mark where the L-shaped crops were. I then printed the photo off to look at whilst drawing.
I started by measuring the size of the white rectangle and then drawing on my sketch pad a rectangle the same size before lightly drawing the outline of everything in the square in HB pencil.
I then used coloured pencils and fineliners to add marks and detail.
This is my finished cropped drawing.
I found it hard to create all the small details you can see on the photo of the mushrooms as there are so many. I also found it difficult to match the colours appropriately to the image.
Observational Drawings is creating a drawing from an object you can see. Your observations of the object helps you to create a realistic 2-D drawing with detail, colour, shape and texture. You must keep referring back to the photo or object, whilst creating your drawing to ensure your picture is as accurate as possible.
For my observational drawing I collected 3 fallen leaves each are a different shape, size and colour.
I started by lightly drawing the outline and main details with a HB pencil for all three leaves.
I then used colouring pencils to add colour and some details to all three leaves.
I am happy with the final outcome of my observational drawing for these three leaves.
I then laminated my leaves in order to try and preserve them and also so I could put them into my sketchbook.
Stencil screen printing is a technique used to create prints on paper and fabric.
The silk screen is permeable, this means that it allows the paint through the holes in the screen.
I started by printing my design off before placing it on a cutting mat and using a scalpel to remove the areas of the design which I want to print.
Once I had removed the sections of my two stencils, I then stuck the stencil to the back of the silk screen with a few small pieces of masking tape.
I then turned the silk screen over and put parcel tape around my stencil.
I continued to tape the rest of the silk screen, I ensured that the tape went slightly up the side to avoid any ink going through the screen in unwanted areas.
I then cut two pieces of fabric to print onto.
I then placed my piece of calico under the silk screen before mixing some red acrylic paint and some screen printing acryl (shown in the photo below)
I then placed some of the ink on to my silk screen.
This is the tool you use to drag the ink across the silk screen and over the stencil at a 45 degree angle. Once I had dragged the ink over the silk screen I tapped the excess paint off the tool before dragging it back.
This is how my first print turned out.
As it did not turn out quite how I wanted it to I then placed my second piece of fabric under the silk screen but this time I added more of my red mixture onto the silk screen before repeating the same process I did above.
This is how my second print turned out.
This photo shows the back of the silk screen and stencil once I had finished printing.
I am much happier with the final outcome of my second print, I think that why my first print did not turn out as well is because I definitely did not add enough of the red mixture.
This method of screen printing does work very well, however it is not quick and after one or two prints you can no longer use the same silk screen and stencil as the tiny holes in the silk screen that the paint gets forced through gets blocked and then the paint dries very quickly. Also because the stencil starts to fall apart and disintegrate.
I started by using Adobe Illustrator to create the geometric shapes that I will then place onto my image in Photoshop.
I then used the ellipse tool to create a circle, I then right clicked to bring up the menu shown in the photo below. I then inserted into both width and height 500 px.
Then using the same ellipse tool to create another circle but this time I inserted 250 px into the menu. This circle is half the size of the last circle.
After this, I then selected the circle and aligned it to the top of the first circle. I then duplicated that circle and aligned this circle with the bottom of larger circle, I could tell when it was aligned properly because the two small circles met perfectly in the middle.
I then did the same process with two more circles but horizontally across the centre of the larger circle.
Next I selected the polygon tool on the left hand side menu, once I had right clicked a menu came up and I inserted into radius 250 px and then into sides, I put 3 in order to create a triangle. Then I put the triangle into the larger circle making sure it was perfectly aligned. I then duplicated the triangle before rotating it 180 degrees so it is then upside down. After this, I then placed it into the larger circle making sure that it was aligned.
Now I have finished creating these geometric shapes, I then grouped all the shapes together, so they no longer move as individual shapes.
I then opened Adobe Photoshop and inserted my image, the image that I used I found on Pinterest.
I then inserted my geometric shapes from Adobe Illustrator into Adobe Photoshop, I then inverted it so the lines would turn from black to white. Next I moved my geometric shapes to were I wanted on my image.
Then using the Magic Wand Tool, I clicked a section of my geometric shape, then a dashed line appeared around that segment. Next I moved the selected area somewhere else in the image, then I changed my layer to the background/image layer, I then copy and pasted the new segment. Now I can click that area and move the section to the original segment. I then adjusted it slightly to make sure it is within the white lines.
Once I had changed the sections in the top half of my geometric shapes using the method I explained above. I decided to reflect the top half selections into the bottom half. I did this by copy and pasting a section from the top and then flipping it so I could put it in the bottom half of the geometric shapes.
This is my final abstract geometric motif.
I am very happy with my final images as it looks very interesting. I found that it took a little while to create this first image, as I have not used Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop much before I did not know how to find and use all the tools. I am now pretty confident in using these tools and think if I created something similar to this in the future it would not take me as long.
Free machine embroidery is a technique used to stitch designs into the fabric, you use a free machining foot and you also drop the teeth on your machine to allow you to move your fabric freely in any direction.
I started of by changing the foot on my machine from a normal foot to a free machining foot. I then dropped the teeth on my machine, I did this because when the teeth are up they help to feed the fabric through and when the feet are down you can move your fabric freely in any direction.
This is a photo of a free machine embroidery foot this is specifically for free machining.
This photo shows below the dial that you turn to drop the teeth on the Bernina 1008 sewing machine.
I then cut some calico and then put my fabric into the embroidery hoop ensuring that the fabric is tight.
I started by doing creating some loops on the fabric for a tester and on the loops you could see the white bobbin threads, so I double checked the the bobbin was threaded properly and then I checked the tension on the thread and they were all fine. I then decided to try tightening the bobbin case to see if this worked, this seemed to be the solution.
I then took my tester out of the embroidery hoop. I then put another piece of fabric in the embroidery hoop, for this I wanted to create a mushroom design, so I photo copied my hand rendered repeat pattern so I could embroider the mushrooms in the middle.
I then lined up the photocopy with the embroidery foot. I used this drawing as a guide for my embroidery.
I then combined 2 techniques into my mushroom design, a continuous line design and embroidering a shaded area.
Once I had finished embroidering into my fabric I ripped away the paper and then I removed some of the paper still stuck in the threads.
I then took the fabric out of the embroidery hoops, I then drew around the embroidery hoop and I then cut out the circle ready to display in my sketchbook.
As my project is based on nature I decided to cut a small piece of fabric and embroider into it the word Nature.
I decided to leave the threads on this particular free machining piece, as when I previously did free machining, I found several textile artists who when doing free machine embroidery always leave the threads on as part of the design and piece.
I think that free motion embroidery is a very effective technique. However, it takes a long time to create detailed and intricate designs as you have to be very slow and careful.
For my embroidery into imagery I decided to do two images, so I started by printing my images off before cutting them out.
I held my image onto a piece of card and then embroidered into it as to make it stronger and less likely to rip. I did not stick my images to the card before sewing, as the glue, would have made the embroidery thread sticky.
For my first image I embroidered french knots and back stitch onto my image.
For my second image I embroidered onto a leaf sewing all the lines on it in back stitch.
On both images I glued down the edges of the image now I had finished sewing.
I then cut both the images out.
Here are my two finished embroidered images.
I love my finished images, embroidery into images is a very straightforward process that does not take very long. I embroidered my own images that I have collected for my primary research.
Batik is a technique that uses wax to create a pattern and design on the fabric. The places where the wax is, will not dye when you dye your fabric.
I cut a piece of calico which I could use as a tester piece. In order to create a batik design you use melted wax and a tool especially for Batik it is called a Tjanting tool which allows you too create a design and apply the wax to fabric.
This is my tester I created using the Tjanting tool.
I then got another piece of calico and created a few random designs, here are photos of some of the designs I have created.
I then created another sample with lines and dots. I then used a dye to dye my fabric.
Here are my samples once the have been dyed.
Once my Dyed Batik designs had dried, I then removed the wax from the fabric. I did this by placing my samples between two bits of this newspaper type paper which does not have the print. You then iron over the paper to melt the wax, the melted wax will then absorb into the paper.
Here are my finished Batik samples.
I think the method of Batik can create some really cool intricate designs. However, personally I found this method the hardest as when you are using the Tjanting tool the melted wax can be a bit unpredictable and you can get massive patches of wax I also found it difficult to get any detail designs without this happening.
I started creating my hand rendered repeat pattern by drawing an autumnal design onto an a4 white piece of paper, I ensured that none of my drawing touched the edges of the paper.
I the cut my piece of paper on the vertical red line.
I then put the left hand half the other side of the right hand piece so I could stick the to outer edges together. I used sellotape to join the two sections together on the back of the piece of paper so it cannot be seen.
I then cut the piece of paper in half horizontally shown by the red line.
I then placed the top half under the piece of paper below, I then used sellotape to join the two half’s together I stuck the tape on the back.
I then drew some mushrooms in the blank centre of the piece of paper still ensuring that none of my design touched the edge of the paper.
I then photocopied this 4 times so I could then create my repeating pattern and join all 4 pieces of paper using sellotape.
Here is my hand rendered repeating pattern.
I am pleased with the final outcome of my repeating pattern, I think the process is very easy and extremely effective. However, drawing your design is the thing that takes the longest in this process.
Steamed Shibori is a type of fabric manipulation. It is a technique for adding texture to textiles by using the thermoplastic qualities of some synthetic fabrics, such as polyester. This involves tying marbles, buttons, wooden beads and coins in fabric with string. You can also tie in a variety of different materials to create different shapes and effects.
For my first steamed shibori sample I tied a variety of different sized buttons into some netting.
For my second sample I tied a few buttons into a different type of synthetic fabric.
I then placed my two shibori samples onto a tray, I steamed my samples for about an hour using a garment steamer.
I then left the two samples on the tray to dry.
Once they were dry I cut the thread and removed the buttons to reveal the shape I have created in the fabric.
I am very happy with the way that these samples turned out as it worked well on both types of fabric.
This particular type of shibori uses thread to create gathers, folds and twists in the fabric before soaking it in a dye bath to create a pattern or design. You can also sew a particular shape or design in to your fabric that should create a design on the fabric once it has been dyed.
To create my first shibori sample, I just cut a long strip of calico and then hand sewed lines of straight stitch I then pulled the thread tight so it would gather together.
For my second shibori sample, I sewed circles on the calico before pulling them tight to gather the fabric and then knotting it.
I then placed both my samples into a red dye bath to soak. I left both samples to soak for about 2 hours. I then took them out of the dye and I then cut the embroidery thread and pulled it out to see if I had created a pattern.
My first dyed shibori sample has sort of worked on the bottom half of the sample, this is where it was more tightly gathered together.
My second sample did not work very well at all because the circles are not clear and there is not a clear circle where the thread was. I left a little bit of the thread in on two of the circles to show where I had sewn but also to show that the white thread has now been dyed red.
These are photos of the samples now they are fully dry.
I believe the reason that this method of shibori is not as effective as similar dyeing methods, such as tie-dye is because if you sew with thread or if you use string, the dye will absorb into it as well as the fabric. Where as with tie-dyeing you mainly use elastic bands which will not take on or absorb any of the dye. So therefore you get more of a defined shape or pattern.
This method is very quick and easy but I think I need to experiment further using this method to see if I could achieve more effective results. One idea I had to try and achieve this was if you coated your embroidery thread in wax before sewing your design, whether the dye would not absorb and subsequently achieve a defined shape. I also thought that with the combination of closer stitches and wax coated embroidery thread the results will be better.
Unpicking Fashion 