Work Experience

This year I will be volunteering at a festival I worked on last year called the Just So Festival, a family arts event based in Kidsgrove. Last year I managed a stage which was an amazing experience. I learnt so much and met some amazing people from all areas of the creative world. This year I will be working on the design team in the Peekaboo Glade(area) for ages 0-4. This will be really great experience and I can't wait to get started.

Jennifer Scott jen.scott@wildrumpus.org.uk	11 Feb (13 days ago)
to hannahwhitlow, me

Dear Hannah and Elinor

Thank you so much for wanting to get involved as part of the design team for Just So Festival 2014. We have been getting wonderfully excited, dreaming up design briefs for each glade section within the festival site.

I have assigned you as a design team for the Peekaboo, a really gorgeous glade. Have a look through and start getting some ideas. You may want to email/ meet up and discuss ideas in advance to festival run up. Contact information is below:

Hannah Whitlow:  hannahwhitlow@hotmail.co.uk
Elinor Birkenhead- Jones: elliex10@googlemail.com

We'll get back in touch with you shortly with more information but for the time being let your imagination run wild and start dreaming.

Attached is the design brief for Peekaboo along with general guidelines for all visual designers.

Any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

All the best,

Jen

Locating Evaluation

This was my first self directed brief. I am quite an independent learner anyway but managing several project I knew would take careful planning and time management which is not my strong point, although I am getting there. I started this project with a huge amount of research into architecture. After 'Intentions' I was really excited about a new possible context for my work so wanted to continue in this area. I have also been really influence by nature and the structures and behaviors found within it. I think this will continue to be a source of inspiration for me as I think an understanding of nature can have a huge effect on the way we design our own environment.
I chose the Urban Outfitters live brief to do something outside my comfort zone and wanted have a go at designing for a purpose. I'm so glad I did this as it's really opened my mind and now when looking at a sample I can't help but think about a possible application. I started my personal project together with the Urban Outfitters brief and the work naturally developed in different directions. This helped me to manage my time efficiently as I didn't feel like I was jumping between two different projects.
 I have worked hard this unit on implementing structure and routine into my day but realised that you can't be too structured as creativity is a free impulsive thing and if you feel like doing something unplanned you just have to do it. Structure in the boring everyday tasks however such as planning meals can be useful as it frees up brain space and time to be creative. I think doing a project on structure has had its pros and cons. I have learnt a lot about myself as always but in some ways I have found it restrictive. I think the project naturally finished after the 2nd week of term. If I had realised this at the time I wouldn't have fallen into the creative slump I did for the next 3 weeks which I really struggled to snap out of. Instead I tried to develop my samples further and felt like a failure when it wasn't going anywhere. However I turned it around in the last week and really enjoyed doing a short project with the Leutton Postle brief. It is becoming that my stamina is quite short when it comes to long project so perhaps in 3rd years I will work on quick short projects to keep my momentum going. I am going to continue to work with colour and I will use mood boards more often as it really helped me to sift through my visual research.
I am pleased with my visualisations and context for my personal project. I have become a lot more aware of design during this project and want to continue to work for this context. I have learnt new skills in Photoshop, Illustrator, Coral Draw and on the laser cutter. Overall I think it has been a huge learning curve in the way I work best.

Mark Making

I have been drawing from my photos from the museum and using techniques such as stick and ink and printing. This slow way of working I find really therapeutic and relaxing and wanted to use similar techniques to those used by the makers and crafts people from all over the world. It was a really nice way to end the final week and gave me time to think about the project.

Leutton Postle Brief

 I started a new live brief for the last week an a half. The Leutton Postle brief is aimed at knitters as it is a knit design company but I thought I would use it as a starting point for a drawing and colour project. After the colour workshop I realised I really enjoyed putting a pallet together so want to develop this as a skill.
The Leutton Postle brief gives the the following as inspirational key words

• Tribal Dress
• Child Like Drawing
• Traditional Craft Techniques
• Found Objects

So I went to the Manchester Museum to gather visual information. There is a great collection of artifacts and objects from native and indigenous people found all over the world, past and present. As I began photographing I realised that all four of the inspirational key words could be applied to what was on display.

Even childlike drawings as the Egyptian hieroglyphics where made before perspective was discovered in drawing, so are reminiscent of those of a child.

I had a go at doing my mood boards on Photoshop but the overall feel is quite dark. This is because my photos are quite dark and the selection tool takes the exact colour from the image, not the colour that I know the object it. So I'm going to do them again physically and select the actual colours that I know the objects are.

Colour Story Workshop

This week Fiona did a workshop on colour stories and how to create a mood board. We havent done much on colour in Embroidery. I know it is essential in knit, weave and print so the students in those areas get to practice more often. I really enjoyed making mood boards for construct last year so it was nice to focus on it for the day. I chose the 'Future Metropolis' story. I collected loads of fabrics, images from magazine, textures from advertisements and took a few photos from around the building. I was looking for contrasting element. Shiny/dull, hard/soft, new materials etc. The Benzie building was great for this as it build out of so many different materials. The reflective surface of the building itself was really appropriate. I really enjoyed sorting through everything and pairing things together. Lots of greys, blues and greens were starting to come through. Fiona suggested adding some flashes of bright. I had a picture of a fluorescent yellow bag which really brought the palette alive. I loved the element of surprise when putting this together as you never know how things are going to work together until you try it. It's such a great way to get exciting combinations you would never of thought of.

Interiors Visualisations

Here I have photographed three samples together. They could be bought as single modules or as a set or added to. I think these samples would work really well as lights for the home. The colour of the lights change slowly and softly to create an atmospheric effect. They could be made brighter or dimmer to set the mood in a room. 

They could even be for a more commercial setting like a dance club. The lights flash or move around in sequences. Imagine them on a bigger scale. 

The bottom visualisation is what it could look like if a whole wall was covered.

Urban Outfitters Visualisations

I decided with this arrangement for my final design. It fits around the body nicely. Its interesting how such a geometric angular form can compliment the curves of the body so well. The second visualisation is an idea for magnetic modular jewellery where by the components stick together and can be built up around the body as sculpture. I don't think this would be as appropriate for the Urban Outfitters market but is a concept that could be pushed forward. Even the 1st design is pushing it really as far as "faithfulness to the brand". It is a lot bigger than the pieces I researched but I think out of all the high street brands, the Urban Outfitters market would be most accepting of this.

Final Design

Concept for magnetic jewellery.

Tutorial 3rd Feb

I had felt a little lost the week before this tutorial so wasn't feeling very positive about the direction of my work. We talked about how maybe the project has naturally come to an end and should maybe move onto another brief. I just need to visualise my samples and then I can move on.

Second Laser Cutting Session

This time I used a cloudy version of the thick plastic from my 1st session and I also tried a thick, clear acetate. I managed to get quite a lot done in the time so now I have lots more to work with. The acetate was left with brown marks where the laser engraved it but I really like the effect it gives. It adds definition and emphasises the clean cut, geometric quality.

Thick cloudy plastic

Clear thick acetate.

Neck piece

This sample binds different materials together for each section of the template. The shape looks really interesting applied as a necklace or choker.

 

Body Application

I thought the stronger samples like the collar canvas could be used as a shoulder pad to add shape to the body in a more unusual way. I also made a sample than increases in size like the way the modules of a pine cone do. This could be a strap of a top or the collar of a jacket.

 

Laser Cutter

I wanted to try using the laser cutter to make my templates as I thought it would be good to learn something new. I knew it would take me a while to get used to the machine and the soft ware. I managed to get a few samples in card and plastic. I also designed a tab to slot the samples together as glue wouldn't work with the plastic. It took a bit of trial and error with the engraving but I got it right in the end.

Laser Cutter sample made of plastic

Tutorial 27th Jan

The week before this tutorial was very fast paced. My mind seamed to be moving at 100mph and I got loads done. When talking about what I had done in my tutorial it felt like I came back to earth with a thump. As I was explaining my sampling I felt overcome with doubt and it was as if all the work I had done was kind of stupid. I don't know where these feelings came from but it put me on a downer for the next week. I don't why this happens to me sometimes. Its as if I cant have a really good week without having a creative block after. We talked about working back into my samples, testing more materials and maybe deconstructing them as they are so precise.

Developed Template

I wanted to see if I could create a template that made a larger sample. By multiplying and offsetting the original design I came up with this sample. It really fits well on the chect and could be a really interesting piece of jewellery. It could also be an embelleshment on a top or dress or even work as the fasten for a halter neck.

 

Structured Fabrics

I wanted to try out different materials so experimented with numerous fabrics and backings. Some cottons and linens work really well. These are the 4 most successful. I was really pleased with the cotton organdie. It holds its shape really well but has a lovely light and airy quality. This really contrasts with the idea of structure being solid and strong as the organdie is so delicate. The collar canvas creases perfectly and it is really strong. It also resembles concrete which is a typical material when creating structures. The cotton tarlten also creased really well and because it has an open weave it will be good foe layering. The black holland linen wasn't as strong but has a shiny, reflective quality. 

Left to right: Cotton Organdie, Collar Canvas, Cotton Tarlten, Black Holland Linen

Applying structure to the body

To start tying in my sampling with the live brief I thought I'd have a go at applying some basic shapes to After some trial and error I came up with a template that makes up four triangles which could me a modular component that can be built up. I really enjoyed the problem solving element of this sampling. It was so satisfying when I worked out how to make up the shapes I had in my head. The process of trial and error was really helped me to understand how these shapes are make up and how they fit together.

Triangle shapes made out of cardboard taped together

Template to make component 

two modular components made out of paper arranged together

Tutorial 20th Jan

There were just two of us this week and we had a really great chat about pretty much everything. Cat and I both think in a similar philosophical way so we could talk all day. I had spent the last week getting my ideas together, experimenting with folding and doing some drawings based on basic geometry. This really helped me ideas begin to formulate. We discussed contacting employers for work experience as this is something I am nervous about. Fiona suggested a couple of local design companies that I might be interested in. I need to put together a CV first and then I can start to contact people. 

My First Pleats

I thought a good place to start would be to practice pleating with paper. 'Folding Techniques for Designers' by Paul Jackson was really useful. I tried two designs to get a feel for the types of structures I could create. They both allowed for movement which I am interested in as the pine cone and other plants that grow in a fractal fashion require that flexibility.

Urban Outfitters Research

Alot of Urban Outfitters cuurent jewellery collection is very small and descrete I managed to find a few pieces from past collections that are more noticable. Because I am researching structure I thought these styles are more fitting to what I want to achieve. They are all geometric in shape which is also something I have been researching.

 

Tutorial 13th January

First tutorial back went well. We went over our projects and any work had done over Christmas. I spent the last week of the break getting ideas together and trying to sift through my research. We talked about appropriate starting points such as practicing paper folding and drawing. The idea of modular design has been really common in my research so far. Fiona suggested the work fo the Bouroullec brothers who also designed the Cloud project for Kvadrat I had researched. She also mentioned Florian Kräutli's Magnetic Curtain.

Algue by Ronan & Ervan Bouroullec

Magnetic Curtain by Florian Krautli