Module Two - Chapter 2

Hello, here is Chapter 2 of Module 2.  I've had mixed results with this chapter but have learnt a lot.  What have I learnt?  Difficult to put into words but it is more about the way I work than anything else and how one feels emotionally on the day.  We have had a sad time as we have lost our lovely labrador Molly since my last blog and it has definitely had an affect on how I have worked this month.  On the other hand we were lucky to get tickets to see David Hockney's exhibition at the Royal Academy which was magnificent and uplifting.

Lovely Molly

It was lovely to meet Janet at Urchfont last week.  I was there making rag rugs with Debbie Siniska and a group of great ladies.  Janet was there with her colleagues from the MEG group and I had an opportunity to see their magnificent work. 

Making Patterns - Picture Gallery Page 19 of Module 2

As with most things once you start looking you see it everywhere, and so it has been with patterns.  The main thing is to find patterns that are interesting and inspiring.  So I have had to look harder at the world around me.  I am still trying to get more disciplined at carrying a camera/sketchbook about with me.  There are lots and lots of design books with amazing patterns.  I discovered that the V&A museum have produced some lovely books illustrating their wonderful collection of patterns by various artists and designers which I have bought.

My flower brick - an example of an irregular flower pattern.  I like the shape of the vase and the clear blue simplicity of the pattern

An example of an irregular flower pattern taken from bulb catalogue.  Gorgeous texture velvety smooth but snake like too.

My glasses case - an example of irregular flower pattern - loud, bright and fun

My knitting basket - example of regular pattern - an ethnic look

Oriental Poppy regular pattern taken from flowercatlogue.  Exotic and feline.

Dry stone wall an example of a regular pattern on top and irregular pattern underneath
(Abbotsbury Gardens - Dorset) - great texture and angular.

Example of mirror and rotational symmetry on a wall hanging I made a couple of years ago - just included as a good example



Another example of mirror image pattern - ethnic looking again.


Printing - Page 25 of Module 2
I've never heard of it before but Fun Foam is wonderful stuff. Making the print block was easy and a lot of fun with the benefit of producing your own ideas quickly and cheaply for printing on card, paper and fabric.  Although you warned against making the print block too large I seem to have made mine too large and as a result haven't managed to get many repeats on A4 paper so some images have been produced on A3.

Unfortunately I haven't been very adventurous with using different types of paper.  Throughout the exercise I was concerned that my stamp was too large (I know - I could have made a smaller one but I was feeling lazy) and was trying to get pleasing prints and therefore forgot about using different types of paper.  I also had a sneaking thought that there are so many wonderful handmade papers available that I could use those.  I know, I should have a smacked hand for that thought!




Original drawing of flower to be 'exploded' into Fun Foam print



My exploded motif to be formed into a Fun Foam block

Straight repeats on plain A3 cartridge paper - page 28 of Module 2

Spot repeat on plain A3 cartridge paper - page 29 of Module 2

Half drop repeat orange upon orange background - page 29 of Module 2

Half drop repeats on A4 copy paper. Orange background and then used wire brush with green and white acrylic paint which created a scratched look to the surface.   This was the inspiration for my stiched printed piece on black felt. - page 29 of Module 2

Mirror image, reflective symmetry on A4 with acrylic painted background

As you can see, highly unsuccessful, the top pair are OKish but went wrong with the bottom pair.  This was also unsuccessful as I found stenciling difficult to do and got a lot of paint bleeding underneath the card and I got into a bit of a mess.  (I find paint and ink very difficult to handle well). -Page 31 of Module 2

Rotational symmetry using wood block on A4 photocopy paper - Page 32 of Module 2

Experiment using fun foam block and stencil - Page 33 of Module 2

Experiment - Page 32 of Module 2
I think this (above) is the best piece of printing throughout this chapter.  The pattern is made up of irregular prints using the print block and stencil.  I especially love the colours.  It reminds me of scattered autumn leaves but this wasn't intentional, it just came out that way.  I think it would make a lovely stitched piece of work and could be used as a postcard or greetings card.


Stitching into a printed pattern piece - Page 34 of Module 2

 Stitching into a printed pattern piece - Page 34 of Module 2
This exercise was very enjoyable to do.  The pattern is half drop repeats using my print block.  I stamped over the felt with layers of blue, green and white acrylic paint with the idea that I would enhance the white with silver thread and then use blue thread to just pick out the odd line here and there.  Perhaps I could have used more stitching but I didn't want it to look too stitched.  I think that stamping the images with different layers of coloured paint has created a more interesting effect  the stitching adds to the texture but a little more stitching would be better.

Print and Stitch - Page 37 of Module 2


Print and Stitch - Page 35-37 of Module 2
Oh dear, my ‘Bête Noir’ - transfer paints!  We just don't seem to get along.  I would love to get along with transfer paints but always have very disappointing results and I can't fathom out why.  I know we have had this discussion before and I seem to be going about it in the right way.  Maybe it's the paper I'm using so I will try using different types - I will not give up!

I was disappointed with the woodblock print as I didn't find many interesting flowery ones. I should have made another fun foam one, but I did want to try a wood block print. What with that and the lack lustre transfer paint I am very disappointed with this piece of work. My heart was just not in it for lots of reasons and this shows in the stitching and layout. I used pelmet Vilene for the stabiliser and at times this did not run smoothly under the needle, it seemed to stick or jar making a smooth picture difficult.

Looking at it now I could create more interest and movement by stitching some cow parsley sweeping across the bottom or behind the daisies. The picture also needs more texture and this could have been achieved if the transfer paints had been more successful along with a stronger background wood block print, which can hardly be seen because of the poor quality of the transfer paint.