Eastern Ethnic Colours

For this unit, I wanted to focus mainly on colour. As a response, I decided to base my project on a ethnic far east theme. At first, I looked for all kinds of inspiration related to the word ‘Ethnic’. However, as I started to study closer, I realised that I was more drawn towards the exotic bright colours of the far east instead of the block primary colours from Africa. I love the rich, intense, tropic colours that relate with the east and have taken inspirations from photos of Thailand, India and China.

Wearable Art...

My inspiration...

 

Vanessa Beecroft:

As soon as i saw these images in Wallpaper Magazine  i loved them, and i based my project pretty much based around this idea. It opened my eyes up to fashion and knitwear being used for different reasons. Ideally i want to make a piece of 'wearable art'. For this brief i'm really interested in collaborating with another student, perhaps a photographer to do an interesting photoshoot, as i see my final piece, not so much being a wearable fashion item, but more an item of clothing for an instillation.

Colour...

Samples...

I really like the above sample, the picture doesn't do it justice but it's a mix of a white wool yarn and plastic mono filament wire, it's is stiff and structured, very unlike any traditional knitted fabric. The wire is difficult to knit with but i think it could make a really interesting garment, because of the square shape it keeps.

I have thought about using a very delicate lacey fabric, like the above and making the shape i want with a metal wire frame, soldered together, with the help of a 3D student.

This is the sample i am going to take further and develop. The yarns are a mix between wool, very fine viscose and plastic wire. The mix of yarns create a really interesting drape and structure to the fabric. Parts fold and curl and then some parts are stiff and rigid. It makes the fabric more 3D, just what i wanted. As well as this the technique used makes the shape uneven, parts jut out and some parts go in. I am going to develop it further to see how i can make it into a garment.

Moment of Impact

For the Design and Contemporary Practice unit that I am currently working on, I became inspired by images that are not usually considered beautiful, and found myself being interested in the ideas relating to 'moments of impact'. I wanted to focus my interest on the idea of distortion and fragmented objects that can occur at a certain moment of impact. I am particularly fascinated by the unexpectedness and chaos caused within a crash or explosion that can instantly upset the peace at the blink of an eye. 

With this in mind...I wanted to express these ideas within my work, emphasising on the textures and colours within the distorted fragments, to convey a sense of disorder and disruption caused by a collision or blast. 

Below are a selection of my sketchbook pages which express my initial ideas and research...

Few inspiration boards....

These images have came from numerous places, whilst looking around for inspiration as to what to base my current project upon.  I found the knitwear I had chosen and what stood out the most was the fact the garments all included quite traditional knit techniques, but had been adapted in someway or another.  This is where I started thinking I would like to do something like this, as it will help me with new techniques and combining techniques together.


I am hoping to do a series of jumpers and vest's showing a wide range of techniques that I have hopefully adapted, mixing hand and machine knit together.

The inspiration for my project comes from the amazing coral reef. Looking at the three dimensional shapes of the living creatures beneath the sea to inspire delicate and soft knits. My most inspirational image during my research was an image of a jelly fish that gave me lots of ideas to move my work forward and to experiment further with my knitting. Ive been working with fine yarn and have also experimented with screen printing using some metalic foils. Here are a few bits from my project!

Optical Illusion

For a previous project, I created a jacket through experimenting with shapes directly onto the stand. This progressed into a jacket in relation to the Japenese kimono. I was thrilled with the result and it became an influence on my current project. I began looking at texture and pattern within buildings and nature, and wanted to produce a knitted garment that reflected and those elements.

As the jacket I created was very rigid in shape, I wanted to discover how the shape would differ as a draped,  knitted piece.

Yohji Yamamoto's work has been of influence on the jacket and visiting his exhibition at the Victoria and Albert museum was very inspiring. The pieces he had created for past collections were phenomonal. The structure and form not only portrayed them as fashion garments, but also sculptural art.

"Generally, colours are like lures, illusions produced by the light"   

    

Yohji Yamamoto 1985

Yohji Yamamoto
V & A 12th March-10 July





Outsider Art

(madge gill, id magazine-claire tough, sketchbook page)

I started looking at outsider art, and was drawn to the bold patterns and colours. I also found it interesting how it is done by people who are voiceless in society, yet create such loud images.

I'm excited about working on patterned and colourful knit as its so different to the last project. I also learnt lots of techniques interning at Mark Fast which I want to experiment with in my own way.

Rhythm and Line...

Similarly to Naomi, I am also very conscious that this is the last major project of our second year and the idea of moving into the 3rd year is terrifying, but at the same time exciting.

As a starting point for this project I've chosen to use some of the vast collection of photographs that I took whilst travelling around London. During my time there I was captivated by the constant rhythm of both the people galavanting around the city and the transport network but also of the general surroundings. Many of the photographs I took focus on line, pattern and shape and in some cases all 3 and I want to translate these qualities and the rhythm that can run through them into my knitting. 

I have combined these photos with research into current trends and colours for SS11 in order to develope a range of samples that are contemporary and interesting.

Above are a couple examples of sketchbook pages which I feel portray this feeling of rhythm best.

Denim Inspiration...

So this project is the final big one of the year, which I can't lie, I am a little nervous about. I love knitting and I don't know what I'd do without it!

My inspiration has come from looking at the natural world. The photographs I took contained lots of texture and the images were quite grotty and dirty. This then made me think about distressing a sample of knit. I did a test on a scrap bit of denim and then moved onto knit. However during that week I had a revelation. I could use a denim yarn.

This train of process has led me onto creating a denim inspired knitted garment. I want to take all the characteristics of denim, such as customization and create a narrative for that garment. Below are a few examples of my inspiration, these were took on a visit to Formby beach.