Reflection

Overall I feel that I have really engaged well with this project and have created a good, strong body of work, drawing ideas and inspiration from a wealth of different sources. I have contributed well to all group sessions this project and have attended every tutorial, which in turn proved helpful in aiding and shaping the direction my project would come to take. I find interacting with peers and tutors a really helpful aid to me, and especially enjoy taking on the feedback I receive about my work.

The professional lecture series was nothing short of inspirational. With the talks from Ismini Samanidou and Susie MacMurray standing out to me especially. Learning that your practice doesn’t always have to be about a final context was something that I took on board and found myself applying to my work. Instead the work created was more about an idea and a vision, with focus being held on the materials used and the way in which the work feels playing key roles in the making process. The Studio crawl was also a very successful day, talking to practitioners about their work and achievements made for a very interesting, fun filled day. Joe Hartley’s studio was for me the highlight of the morning, seeing the space and his partners was enlightening and opened my eyes to the world of designing/making after university.  

Susie MacMurray & Joe Hartley.

I think the most challenging aspect of the unit was narrowing down my ideas and just running with one line of enquiry. With so many talks, visits and things to look at it was tempting to just merge all I had seen together and create a jumble of ideas. Obviously it became apparent that this couldn’t work and so mid-way through I began to channel my ideas down to just one key thing. This being the digital print side of my work.

sucesses of the project. Working fro my woven sample, creating digital prints and finally finished product

The most important practical skills and the area that I feel developed the highest level of good practice were the digital manipulation and subsequent digital prints I produced. Before this project I had never really worked on a digital level, but I found that I was able to express my ideas more fluently on the screen, with the option to change and alter something merely a click away. This without doubt is a skill that I hope to transfer into my third year work, and develop to create some really exciting visuals and imagery.

My key strengths within this project would have to be my dedication and perseverance. Setting myself such ambitious ideas at the start of the project, I knew there would be hurdles to overcome. This became apparent with my first 2 week weaving block. Having to program 40 picks manually every time I wanted to change the pattern was a horrific prospect, but with patience and a positive attitude I overcame the problem and was left with a set of vibrantly stunning samples.

Improvements could be made to my willingness to change and alter my ideas. Being open to new concepts and being able to absorb them into my work quickly will help me In the future to move at a quicker pace and develop my practice faster and more effectively.

In regards to the self-assessment I feel that I have engaged fully with all aspects of this project, not only looking at one source of inspiration but taking it across the board and delving into new territories and unfamiliar grounds. Glitch art being a particular risk taken. I have looked at a variety of different contexts within my sketchbook research and feel that I have made an informed decision when it came to placing my work into context. The great northern being the best place for my work to sit. Due to the interactive element and diversity to bold designs.

The experiences gained from this project have really made me aware of how context doesnt really affect a piece of work, with Ann-Marie complimenting my colour choices and explaining how it is colour not always product that sells. Something that really excites me. The direction for me to take now will continue to be home ware and soft furnishings, as my practice lies well within these fields. I hope to continue with some of the ideas I have been working with and am keen to keep pushing my digital skills in new directions.

collage image that sums up the project

At the end of this project I have arranged with the weave technician to return to the studio, in order to create a new body of work. This time exploring ways of creating my own coloured yarns, with the hope of being able to create any desired colour by the time third year comes around.