Sunday, 11 November 2012

Proposal 3...



This proposal has 2 different samples because they have different elements and processes that were put in them. The first sample was using the foils and flock impressions left over from printing and using them in the sample to add texture, colour and a surprise element. Photographing foils can be quite difficult and it can lose some of the detail but I do not think this would be a problem with the actual sample being on display. For this sample I use 2 different prints, 1 recent image of my brothers and sisters and one of them when they was young, to put and show these images working together I played around with composition and I think this composition is the one that works. Even though the faces look stretched and distorted, these aspects add to my projects theme of memory confusion and getting faces mixed up. For the second sample all of the prints were printed onto card using the Reactive Manutex Dye Process but in different colours to show and make clear the difference in image. Looking at these 2 samples they both have elements in them that work but the second sample works better maybe because the foil deflects detail and the card just displays the detail clearly.



Proposal 2...



There are 2 different samples for this proposal, it is not so much about these specific images that I would use but rather the processes and techniques behind them and the combination with the Reactive Manutex Dyes. These images were randomly placed together as the previous proposal was so they have a combination of a number of things: technique, material that the processes have been printed on and colour of the Dyes, Foils and Flock. This proposal is about showing the memory loss an Alzheimer’s patient may content with, I got this idea from a story my Nana had told me about what she experienced when looking after my Great-Granddad who suffered from Alzheimer’s until he eventually passed away. She said that my Great-Granddad had great trouble remembering most recent and would be familiar faces but could recognise people from old photographs from when they were young. I placed these 2 images together based on my family sometimes putting the younger image down first and placing the newest image over the top, trying to make sure at least some of both images are clearly seen to show and represent my Great-Granddad’s Alzheimer’s past.


Proposal 1...

I put this selection of images together, they was not made for a set and therefore they do not fit together, this aspect makes this set work, it was not planned. These images are the photographs of my family most recently, I have been using these images in contrast with younger ones but decided after much experimentation to bring it back to basics and use/display what most simply works. All of these prints were printed onto different cotton fabrics using the Reactive Manutex Dye process. The first and third image from the left using Black MX dye has worked by far the best, I think this is because the Black dye stands and remains strong and the faces are clear. Washing some of these samples turned out horribly, I did wash them correctly but most of the samples printed onto fine Bleached White Cotton whilst drying kept constantly running and staining the rest of the fabric, I repeated the washing process to no end and some of my samples even became useless because the faces were too damaged. As can be seen in 3 images of the 6 below, there is damage but in these cases I think it works, it gave my work extra detail, a glow around the face but this is not something I would take further. If I was to actually use this design in a waiting room, I would make sure that each image was clear and clean and had no dye damage. I would maybe even reconsider the colour choices as this works as a sample but maybe not as a displayed piece. I would want all of the images to be in black to show a strong and clear family connection between all of the prints.


Saturday, 10 November 2012

Experimenting...

This experiment was using the prints I have done based on my little brother James. I used the impressions left on the flock sheet as part of my sample. Both of the prints I have used here are the print impressions left on the flock, it can sometimes be quite hard to make out my little brothers face on these though so it is probably not the best choice for my final pieces. 
This sample consists of the impressions left from the foiling I have used to print another sample. Using foils can be distracting when the light hits it as I can see in the photograph.
Made from 2 different coloured foils.

Positioning/Sample 31&32...

 
This sample was about experimenting with my prints and playing around with the combination and how my prints would be positioned and displayed. I wanted to experiment with the positioning of my work as I wanted to use the theme of confusion in relation with Alzheimer’s in the presentation of my work. As I want my pieces to be used as public art in a hospital or doctor’s waiting room, I wanted to take in account on how my final pieces would be perceived. I know from waiting around in doctors and dentists waiting rooms that posters and work of art on the wall are observantly looked at. To create the feeling of confusion through my work, I took 2 separate prints that I had done on different backgrounds using different processes and played around rearranging them, trying to find the right combination. This is the first one I came up with and it may be the strongest! Even though the faces look stretched because of the placement of the prints, it looks distorted adding to my projects theme. Using different backgrounds/fabrics with different processes can show an endless amount of possibilities, this sample worked especially well because of the colours used, a dark textured pink alongside the aubergine foil worked wonders.


The first experiment with playing around with positioning looked distorted because the faces were so stretched out as I used both of the full prints. I decided to cut it up the same way as the first one but take out every other one and replace it with the every other one from another print, meaning only half of each print would be used. The 2 prints for these experiments were of my brothers and sisters, 1 print of them young and 1 print of them being old. I decided to stick to this combination because it related to an aspect of what my Nana told me about my Great-Granddad who suffered from Alzheimer’s, he remembered people from when they were young but he couldn’t remember their most recent faces.    

Sample 29&30...


Date
Sunday 4th November 2012
Fabric/Material
A4 thick white card and White Beached Cotton.
Dye type/Process
Reactive Manutex Dye with white acrylic splatters and drips.
Colour Specifics
Yellow MX8G, Turquoise MXG, Scarlett MXGand Blue MXG.
What worked?
The positions of how the separate prints were worked well on the most of them.
What went wrong and could be improved?
I watered down some of the white acrylic paint so that it was fluid enough to drip down the print, when it did drip down it took some of the coloured dyes with it staining the paint and print, I do not like this. I wanted the drips and splatters to be white because I would refer to this colour with the sign on confusion, like a blank screen.
Notes
Do not water down acrylic paint! Because the white acrylic paint I got had ran out I got the next white down from it and once it had dried, I found that it was thinner than how the other one turned out and it had a shine to it.
Sample Number

Sample 29 and 30.

Sample 25...


Date
Saturday 3rd November 2012
Fabric/Material
Natural Cotton
Dye type/Process
Reactive Manutex Dye and Foil.
Colour Specifics
Black MX and Gold foiling.
What worked?
This was an experiment that was photographed on a window with the natural light shining through, this material was great to work with when printing and displaying the work shining through, the image underneath can be seen which was surprising because the natural cotton is fairly thick.
What went wrong and could be improved?
I cannot really fault this sample but how this sample could be displayed and used as public art may become a problem.
Notes
 
Sample Number
Sample 25-Carla

Experimental, Samples 22, 24&25...


Date
Saturday 3rd November 2012
Fabric/Material
Paper, white thick A4 card.
Dye type/Process
Reactive Manutex Dye and Foil.
Colour Specifics
Yellow MX8G mixed with a Blue MXG to make a green and Cobalt Blue foil.
What worked?
Everything! The colour choice, the positioning of each image, the way the foiling faded and where it faded.
What went wrong and could be improved?
The only problem is that the underneath young image cannot come through the foil which would be more of a problem if James’ face was covered.
Notes
 
Sample Number
Sample 22

Date
Saturday 3rd November 2012
Fabric
Cotton Organdie
Dye type
Reactive Manutex dye with flock print.
Colour Specifics
Olive Mx3G was the reactive dye colour powder and I used a dark brown flock.
What worked?
The colours used are earthy and relate well with each other. Using cotton organdie as the fabric gives this sample texture and depth. Even though the colours work well together, the olive colour was patchy.
What went wrong and could be improved?
The flock print must not have had enough glue put down because the bottom area of the flock print was faded and irregular; the facial features did come out perfectly proportioned and evenly flocked.
Notes
I have not washed this sample so it is a bit rough still. I have not washed this sample because of the material used, I think the colour will just washed right out of it.
Sample Number
Sample 23-Jessica

Date
Saturday 3rd November 2012
Fabric/Material
A4 white thick card with a print on top on the fabric called Cambridge Cotton Voile.
Dye type/Process
Reactive Manutex Dye with a print on top using foiling.
Colour Specifics
An Olive Mx3G reactive coloured dye with an aubergine foiling on top.
What worked?
Because the top print using foil is grainy the underneath print can be seen clearly through even though the foiling is a darker colour. The prints have come out strong, both of them together make a strong combination, using my little brother’s stencils to become prints have always worked from the beginning of this project. 
What went wrong and could be improved?
As I left the print drying on newspaper some of it has come of onto the sample and it cannot be removed, this has ruined the sample as a whole.
Notes
These prints were photographed shining through a window, to show a certain way of presenting them.
Sample Number
Sample 24-James

Sample 21...


Date
Saturday 3rd November 2012
Fabric
White Bleached Cotton and Polyester Chiffon White.
Dye type/Process
Reactive Manutex Dye and Foil.
Colour Specifics
Blue MXG mixed with a Yellow MX8G to make a green and Aubergine coloured foiling.
What worked?
As foil can work on any material it gave me the opportunity to experiment with using other fabrics so I chose to use foil on a sheer see through fabric that would let another image underneath be seen through.
What went wrong and could be improved?
The foiling is faded and see through as it is, so another image underneath can be seen through the foiling too which is not what I wanted.
Notes
Change the foiling material and try something different.
Sample Number
Sample 21-My little sister Jessica

Flock/Sample 16, 17&18...


Date
Friday 2nd November 2012
Fabric/Paper
White A4 thick card
Dye type/Process
Flock
Colour Specifics
Grey flock.
What worked?
As this was a singular print of one image of my older sister when she was young, I did some marbling print on the background to give this sample some extra detail, the flock colour I used was a darker shade so it worked well together.
What went wrong and could be improved?
I tend to dislike this image of my older sister; it does not remind me of her. I wanted this project to have a personal connection with me and using this image, I do not get that feeling.
Notes
I like the element of how the marbling print is flat and the flock print brings a 3-dimensional element to it, a combination that I find works well.
Sample Number
Sample 16-My Older Sister Carla when she was young.

Date
Friday 2nd November 2012
Fabric
White Bleached Cotton and Scollata Cotton
Dye type/Process
Flock
Colour Specifics
Dark Brown Flock
What worked?
Using flock I feel like I am always guaranteed to get a block clear image of the stencil I have printed. Using a plain white background enhances the stencil and makes the flock print look better.
What went wrong and could be improved?
In some areas the flock fades, this does not matter when it comes to the print of James but it does bother me when it comes to the print of Hannah because it fades in areas that I want to be clear.
Notes
I need to remember that with these specific prints it doesn’t always matter whether the flock/foil or Aquaspand comes out prefect, some fading adds to my project as well as adding shading to the print.
Sample Number
Sample 17&18-My younger brother and sister.


Foiling/Sample 15...


Date
Friday 2nd November 2012
Fabric
Natural Cotton
Dye type/Process
Foiling
Colour Specifics
Cobalt Blue
What worked?
This type of fabric and the foiling work really well together. The fabric is thick and raised with cushion quality that makes the foil clear and smooth, with areas of faded foiling which adds to the element of a fading ‘memory’ which works great alongside project.
What went wrong and could be improved?
Even though it worked in my favour and worked with my project, I did expect the foiling to be complete with no areas of fading, luckily for this sample the fading did not happen on a prominent part of the facial features.
Notes
Add more foiling glue, leave under heat press for longer and maybe pull down harder on the squeegee next time for a more solid foil outcome.
Sample Number
Sample 15