M4, CHAPTER 7: WRAPPED FRAMES TO MAKE GRIDS

 

In this chapter I created grids of my own, using  a variety of embroidery  threads, ribbons, crochet cotton, and decorative knitting yarns. Some were done on a fixed, flat wooden frame, where the finished piece had to be cut away from the frame (samples 1,2,5 & 6). Others were wound onto the outer section of an embroidery hoop, which could be pulled apart, allowing the threads to be slid off without cutting. I found it relatively easy to create interesting effects with these methods, largely influenced by the choice of threads. There are endless possibilities.

Samples 1 & 2: In these samples the threads were only wound in 1 direction around the frame, and then other threads were woven across them by hand to make a grid. With sample 1, I found that the thin threads I chose gave a nice lacy effect, but the grid tended to collapse because the threads were too fine to hold it firmly in place. Winding the red ribbon diagonally across the piece helped a little. In sample 2, I wove a lot of thicker ribbons, wools and crochet yarns across the base of  vertical red ribbons. This held the grid more firmly and gave a sturdier result.

Sample 3

In this sample I used two tones of stranded cotton (i.e. 2 greens, 2 pinks) and wove them around the embroidery hoop at right angles to each other. I then worked diagonally cross each section with pink and green perle 8 thread, wrapping the bars. I was able to slide the final piece off the hoop, leaving the loops intact. I was pleased with this result.

Sample 4

This sample was created by winding the two types of pink yarn horizontally and vertically, then adding some blue/green wool wound diagonally. The whole lot was then held together by zigzag machining in green, purple and pink across groups of threads in different directions. Again, it was possible to slide the finished piece off the embroidery hoop so that the loops were left intact.

Sample 5

In sample 5 I wove 2 different, reasonably thick yarns horizontally and vertically, making the passes fairly close together. I then anchored the horizontal threads with alternate blocks of blue and green zigzag machining. This gave quite a firm grid to work on.  The letter R was worked by hand in bright pink perle 8 thread by weaving it around the vertical strands. I drew the letter shape on tissue paper first and then stitched over it in a coarse running thread on the grid, pulling the paper away before starting to wind the pink thread around the bars. Again, I think this technique has future possibilities, but next time I would make the letter a bit bolder and the grid a little less firm by spacing out the vertical and horizontal strands.

Sample 6

For this sample the grid was constructed with vertical rows of a fine reddish rayon thread, and then horizontal rows of two green coloured stranded threads, followed by four rows of a green ribbon at the bottom. The grid was secured with patches of zigzag machine stitching in both directions.

I then worked a roughly circular pattern in paler pink over the top, by making long stitches secured by winding the thread under and over strands of the grid. The idea of this was to give an impression of a rose shape. I thought the effect created by the thread and colour variation in the horizontal strips of the grid created a lot of interest though the colour choice could be improved, and also the rose design worked over the top had possibilities for further development.

M4, CHAPTER 6: DRAWN THREAD WORK STITCHERY

This chapter explores the use of hand and machine stitchery to embellish grids made by withdrawing threads from different types of fabrics. I mainly used my dyed fabrics for this, exploring effects that could be achieved with fine and coarse weaves. I also used a few pieces of coloured hessian to get started.

Hand Stitched Samples

I tried the plastic bottle method described in the course notes as a support for the fabric . I found it was fine for times when I wanted to thread bands of wools, ribbons or embroidery threads through areas of withdrawn threads. However it was less satisfactory when I wanted to do needle weaving on a larger scale or to work more complex patterns. I found I got better results with an embroidery hoop which held the fabric tighter (e.g. samples 4 & 5).

Sample 1: I started by refreshing my self with the basic principles of withdrawn thread work by doing a very small sampler using traditional methods  to get “in the groove”. This helped me to plan my later samples and stitches more easily. I then branched out, using bolder colours,  thicker threads, ribbons and  knitting yarns.

  Sample 2: This  shows a range   of effects achieved using darning, threading  and stitching. Stitches such as  herringbone (rows 3 & 8) and raised chain band (rows 2 & 5 from top) gave some interesting effects with the different yarns.

Sample 3: Here I explored various binding and needle weaving techniques. The “flower” section  (middle right ), where the pearl thread was woven around the bars in a circular fashion, was particularly pleasing. Other effects explored included diagonal stitching on the bars and crossovers and some basic needle weaving.

Sample 4: This shows some patterns and effects achieved by needle weaving on bands of withdrawn threads. It was essential to have the fabric quite taut for satisfactory results. In rows 2, 3 & 4(from top) tapered shapes and patterns were created by  gradually moving blocks of coloured stitches across the threads. Some of these patterns are traditionally worked on canvas. Personally, I think that is preferable, as the stiff grid of the canvas would keep the bands in shape more readily. The fabric used here was a bit floppy. Various needle weaving approaches were also explored including weaving a block (row 2, second from right, pale pink), working single bars ( row 2, right and row 4), randomly joining adjacent bars ( row 3 centre and right).

Sample 5: Some interesting lacy effects were achieved by withdrawing blocks of threads in different directions from a loosely woven dyed curtain fabric, and then pulling, needle weaving and twisting stranded cotton around the remaining threads.

Machine Stitched Samples

Sample 1: In the first  sample I machined over the rows of weave where the threads had been withdrawn. I realised later that I had misinterpreted the instructions and I should have machined on the 2-way weave that was left between the bands of withdrawn threads. Nevertheless, although I found I had to machine several rows to  get a significant band of stitches, I rather liked some of the effects I achieved by combining different thread colours, using a thicker thread in the bobbin and weaving some clumps of the withdrawn threads back into the mesh I had created.

Sample 2: I also machined over the rows where threads had been withdrawn in this sample, but used narrower bands of withdrawn threads and only 1 row if stitching on each. The overall effect was achieved by alternating the two colours in an irregular fashion and tying the withdrawn threads in small tassels on the sides. Again, I quite liked the result.

Sample 3: Here I experimented with loops, folds and tucks. Because I chose not to continue the loopy rows the full length of the fabric, I had to find a way to deal with the bulges of remaining fabric. I did this by folding it over and machining it down, like a tuck. I added a few green loops by hand to each row of pink loops to improve the colour contrast.

Sample 4: This shows the different effects that can be achieved with a loosely woven fabric (cheesecloth in this case). I withdrew quite narrow bands of threads and then used a combination of machining and hand threading to embellish the fabric. I also tried some free machining in green (with a soluble support layer underneath) to fill the middle hole, then threaded some pink wool through the mesh I had created – trying to give a hint of a rose shape.

Sample 5: I wanted to experiment with needle weaving by machine, machining long strands of threads and then branching across thread columns from time to time to make an interesting network. I decided to do this with a simple shape (a pentagon in this case) where not all the thread columns were the same length, to see if this added extra interest. The edge of the shape was finished with a machined buttonhole stitch to neaten the edges and add definition. I was quite pleased with the end result and think this approach could be developed further.

Sample 6

In this sample I experimented further with different shapes, trying to find a way of working a stylised rose shape on the fabric. My original intention was for this  to be  a machined piece, but I ended up adding a lot of hand stitching to get a reasonable outcome.

In the centre and bottom shapes I withdrew threads to make a fine grid and then machined them both ways. I found however that they looked quite messy and lacked definition, so then I wove pearl threads into the grids, improving them considerably.

For the shapes on each side, I withdrew wider bands of threads  and then machined groups of threads together in strands (needle weaving by machine). Again, I thought  this did not give a strong enough effect, so I worked herringbone  stitch across the columns of machined threads in pearl 8. However this tended to drown out the machined cords.

Finally, I tried machining around each shape to finish off the piece, but then decided to add a row of running stitch to give a more interesting, defined effect. Overall I think this sample has future possibilities, but I spent a lot of time on the machining for little gain, and might have been better to focus on the hand stitching.

 

Sample 7: I used a loosely woven curtain scrim for this sample. I withdrew threads in bands of different widths and then worked into each band. I generally machined down the long strands of threads to secure them in bands (needle weaving) and also machined across the remaining horizontal bands of intact threads to give some stability. I then manipulated the machined bands in various ways with hand stitching to create some lacy effects. 

For example, in the top row I overlapped the cords and secured them with a few stitches. In the bottom row I left some threads without machining and worked purple rows of raised chain band across them. I also wove a thick variegated knitting yarn through a few rows to add colour and texture.

Overall I was pleased with this sample and think I could expand on this approach in future parts of the module.

 References

Moyra McNeill, “Drawn Thread Embroidery”, BT Batsford, London, 2005

Moyra McNeill,  “Pulled Thread Embroidery”, Dover Publications Inc, 1971.

Effie Mitrofanis, “Needleweaving and Embroidery: Embellished Treasures”,  Sally Milner Publishing, 2005.

M4 CHAPTER 5: DRAWN THREAD WORK

1. Colouring Fabric

I applied pink and green dyes to a range of woven fabrics that I thought might be suitable for withdrawing threads. I chose some fabrics that were finely woven and others that were much coarser, so that I could experiment with different effects. The dye was applied in  patches or bands with a flat paint brush about 3-4 cm wide. The wet fabric was left overnight under plastic film to maximise uptake of the dye. A lighter result was obtained when there was a moderate amount of synthetic fibre in the fabric. I experimented with a few different greens and a bright pink. The yellow-green/pink combination  gave the more vibrant result. The other green was more dull and muted, but this could also be useful, depending on the design of the embroidery piece and the effect required.

2. First Exercise – Grid Patterns

In this exercise I investigated the effects that could be obtained by withdrawing threads in various combinations from the different types of fabric. The more tightly woven fabrics tended to give a more formal look, whereas the impression was more random with the loosely woven scrim, especially if large bands of thread were withdrawn. The look also changed depending on whether withdrawing overlapping threads in two directions results in large or small holes and also whether there were variations in the distance between the rows of withdrawn threads or a regular pattern.

3. Second Exercise – Displacing Weave Threads

This  photo shows some effects that were obtained when the threads were displaced from their original position but not completely withdrawn. This gave the surface a more complex effect as the original bands of colour were broken up. However there needs to be a reasonable amount of contrast between the two colours to have strong impact. In these samples this was not so effective, especially Sample 1 where single threads were withdrawn across the surface and the impact was quite subtle. In  Sample 2 I tried to withdraw the threads to give an arrowhead pattern which was more interesting (yellow green arrows on the pink background).

A better result can be seen in Sample 7 below where clumps of threads had a stronger impact.

Looping Threads

 

This photo shows the interesting textured effects that can be obtained by drawing the threads into the body of the fabric rather than the sides and leaving them as loops on the surface. Sample 3 shows single loops in rows across the fabric and Sample 4 on the right shows loops clustered together, which I rather liked. The size of the loops can also be varied to add to the effect.

Reweaving Withdrawn Threads

This shows three samples produced by reweaving the withdrawn threads back into the fabric. I was quite pleased with all of these.

In Sample 5, bands of threads of different thickness were woven back into the horizontal grid and the ends tied to secure them. The position of the knots was varied to add to the design and make it look less formal.

In Sample 6, I withdrew threads in both directions then rewove them in  different patterns. This piece opened up some interesting possibilities  for combining different weaving techniques to obtain the overall result. On each side I wove the threads back in a random manner and left the ends dangling  to give a roughly darned effect. In the centre I used three different techniques. The “honeycomb” effect was achieved by circular weaving across  pairs of thread bars, the “cable” effect in the middle was obtained by wrapping the two vertical bars in two different directions, and the fine bars were wrapped anticlockwise from bottom to top then clockwise from top to bottom, to give the plaited effect.

Sample 7 shows some effects that can be obtained with dyed cheese cloth by combining threads pulled partway across the fabric in both directions to displace the colour, and other clumps of threads being fully with drawn and then rewoven.  Some of these clumps were deliberately pulled a bit tighter to give a wavy surface, and ends left hanging to add to the texture. The impact of the intermingling of the two colours was also more apparent than in Sample 1. Overall I liked the finished result.

M4 CHAPTER 4: PAPER MAKING

This chapter starts with basic paper making and then describes some experiments  to explore various techniques for adding interest to the paper surface.

The basic technique followed that described in the course notes. In addition I used the following reference book as a source of ideas and additional instructions: “Paper Making” by Marion Elliot, Henry Holt & Co, Inc, 1994.

I made a series of wire frames by removing canvas from cheap frames bought at a $2 shop and then stapling wire over the top. These worked OK for the purposes of these trials. If I was going to do a lot of paper making I would probably explore some other purpose-built options for the frames.

1. First Attempts

This photo shows some of my early efforts. After making each pulp I added some coloured ink or dye to tint the paper. This was taken up differentially by the various types of paper used for the pulp. The inks tended to give more delicate colours. It took about 3 attempts to start to produce reasonable paper. My first paper (pale green) was very thin and tore easily, probably because I had the pulp too thin and watery. However it could be interesting to use for some applications. The second lot (pale pink) was much thicker and stiffer because I deliberately made the pulp thicker and lumpier. I got some nice colour effects by using torn up brown paper as part of the pulp.  The stiffness of this paper will limit its usefulness for later work. The third attempt (mauve) gave the best overall result as the paper was of medium thickness and moderately flexible.

2. Embedding

This photo shows some papers with added items embedded into them This was done by casting the pulp onto the frame, then sprinkling the items over and pressing them into the surface. Some of the things I tried were (1) Slithers of paper and ribbon (2)Threads and petals (3) Strands of wool tops  (4) Strands of silk tops. Note that the wool and silk tops these were white but took up the ink more strongly. As I really liked the texture gained by using the wool or silk strands, I decided to try making some silk paper as well (see section 7).

3. Fringing and Laminating

The two examples here show the interesting surface effects that can be obtained by (5) burying longer threads in the pulp and then pulling them out completely or partially when the paper is dry  (6) burying some scraps of a lacy fabric into the pulp, then partly scraping away the paper when it is dry. These both have possibilities for future work,for example by using the threads to deliberately write letters or words or using the lace scraps to make various shapes.

4. Letters

This shows some ways of combining shapes or letters with paper making. (7) Negative shape - the letter shape can be removed by placing a wire cut out under the pulp and then lifting it up while the pulp is damp (8). This works best of the letter is a continuous line and does not have holes like the letter R. The pulp spread on the removed cut out can be dried in situ to give a positive letter shape.  The word Rose has been spelled out by casting pulp onto pieces of wire cut into the shapes of the letters (9). This gave the clearest results and was the easiest to do.

5. Embossing

I experimented with a few ways of making an imprint in the surface of the paper.  Unfortunately none of the results photographed particularly well, but I think they give the idea. The trick seemed to be to use an object which was heavy enough to make a  strong indentation in the paper but not so heavy that it went all the way through and tore. Example 10 shows the effect of pressing the letter R cut from some fairly heavy plastic sheet into the cast pulp. I thought this was reasonably successful.  I also tried getting some lacy patterns imprinted onto the paper  by pressing  small pieces of guipure lace or a lacy fabric onto the wet surface and removing the shapes when the paper was almost dry (11, 12). These were also reasonably successful, but the lace needs to be of a medium to heavy weight to make a good imprint.  I also tried a couple of times to incorporate a watermark into the paper by attaching a wire shape to the surface of the frame and then casting the pulp over the top so that some of the paper was thinner than the rest. None of these attempts was very satisfactory, even though I tried to thin down the paper pulp for a second attempt(13). There is definitely an art to getting good results with this technique.

6. Experiments with Two Colours

Although the colours I ended up with here were not exactly as intended (the brown was meant to be pinker), they are adequate for illustrating the point that some interesting effects can be achieved by combining different coloured pulps in the one sheet of paper. The first sheet (14) shows the two colours applied in random blocks. The others (15 & 16) show two stylised attempts at lettering made by placing the coloured pulps in different shapes. I found that the easiest way to apply the different colours was with a slotted spoon or soup ladle.

7. Silk Paper

I tried making silk paper as well, because I really like its streaky textured appearance. It is delicate yet strong at the same time. I based my method on the one described in the book “Handmade Silk Paper” by Kath Russon, Search Press, 1999. However instead of using wallpaper paste to adhere the fibres, I used  Jo Sogna’s Textile Medium diluted about 50/50 with water, which was recommended to me by a friend. I also did not dye the silk tops before use, but rather, I dissolved some Brusho ink powder in the aqueous textile medium. The silk fibres took up the ink very rapidly and strongly, as shown in the photo below. I am keen to find some uses for silk paper in my work.

M4, CHAPTER 3: GRIDS

 

Definition of a grid : A grating of crossed bars; a network of horizontal and vertical lines designed to give fixed points of reference (from Macquarie Dictionary). However this definition is a bit narrow as many grids are not restricted to horizontal and vertical lines. In their book “Grids to Stitch”, Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn extend the definition to include asymmetrical arrangements of crossing lines and organic structures (Double Trouble Enterprises, 2006).

Examples of Grids for Stitching

Sheets 1 & 2 show examples of grids I have collected. “Grids 1” shows a collection of different types of fabrics, illustrating  the diverse range of of textiles which can be used as the base for withdrawn thread and other embroidery.

Key: A Coarsely woven canvas; B Curtain scrim with mixture of fine and coarse weaves; C Fine double stranded canvas; D Section of  a place mat woven from plant fibre (probably sisal); E dress fabric; F even weave linen used for Hardanger embroidery; G synthetic net with metallic thread; K 24 count linen; I synthetic lacy fabric; J hessian; K cheesecloth.

The second sheet, “Grids 2” shows examples of non-traditional grids made from a broad range of materials which could also be considered for experimental work.

Key: L sequin waste; M coarsely woven sinamay hat fabric; N plastic coated fly wire mesh; O polyester mesh used for a laundry bag; P foam mesh used to transport delicate pieces of fruit; Q synthetic mesh from an onion bag; R plastic gutter guard; S synthetic moulding mesh.

Constructed Grids

I have tried two techniques for constructing my own grids. The first involved taking a piece of felt and cutting out squares. I think this could be embellished by machine and hand in later work.

The second method was based on a method suggested by Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn in “Grids to Stitch”, page 2 (Double Trouble Enterprises, 2006) where a grid is constructed by machining over a framework of ribbons, threads etc. A plastic film is used to stabilise the framework while it is stitched. Instead of the sticky film Aquabond that they suggested, I used a heavy water soluble film called Romeo, suggested by one of my Australian on-line suppliers (Punch with Judy). This film was dampened slightly to make it a bit sticky, and then strands of variegated green/gold ribbon were laid down in a grid pattern. A second layer of Romeo slightly damp was placed on top to hold the ribbons in place. The “sandwich” was then attached to a rectangular wooden frame using double sided tape, ready for stitching.

The grid was  stitched on the machine along each vertical and horizontal bar, to hold it together.  Then a circular mesh was worked by machine in each of the holes to form the decorative pattern in pink and red. Care was taken to make sure all the stitching overlapped so it would not fall apart when the film was removed.

The film was dissolved by pinning the stitched sandwich to a flat piece of  plastic foam  and then running luke warm water over it. I  found it necessary to immerse the foam in a tray of water for about an hour to remove the final remnants of the film. The stitched ribbon grid  was left pinned to the foam until it dried to maintain its shape. The final piece is shown below. Considering it was my first attempt at anything like this, I was quite pleased with the finished item, which reminded me of roses growing on a trellis. I intend to try some more experiments later in the module.

M4, Chapter 2: Lettering Designs

I used the word “rose” to experiment with different drawing tools, media and lettering styles.

1. DRAWING METHODS

1.1 Using Commercial Inks

I used some commercial inks (mainly “Brusho” and india ink) and experimented with a variety of paper backgrounds – envelopes, brown paper, tissue paper, pages torn from a phone book. In some cases I did an ink wash over the paper and then wrote the words in a different colour over the top using a variety of tools and lettering styles.

The numbered items show words written using the following:

1) Large letters made with a plastic credit card with the edge chopped off with pinking shears.  2)  A stick on a tinted page of the telephone book. 3)  A coarse brush on tinted tissue paper. 4) Edge of a piece of cardboard pressed onto an envelope. 5) Tile grouter dipped in ink used to make background pattern and writing over the top. 6) Flat end of chopstick pressed onto tinted tissue paper. 7) Pointed end of satay stick used to write on  tinted page of the telephone book. 8) Feather used to write on brown paper.

1.2 With a black calligraphy pen

I then experimented with a black calligraphy pen as shown below, sometimes adding a colour as well. Torn envelopes were washed with green ink before starting to write.  I extended this to experiment with effects that could be achieved with blocks of writing.

 

1) Same word in different font styles. 2)  Word in columns with the starting letter highlighted in pink as a feature.  3) Different sizes and spacing of letters, with one large pink letter as a highlight over the top.  4) Small words written in blocks in different directions to give a chequerboard effect. 5) Red words written in regular lines with a satay stick dipped in ink, but some lines were upside down, so that the rhythm of the lettering was more important than the actual word. Then a large version of the word rose was written over the top in green – actually made up by writing the word several times in small letters.

1.3 Bleach, overlapping letters & doodling

This photo shows a range of effects that were created as follows:

1) Paper washed with pink ink and then words written randomly with a cotton bud dipped in bleach. 2) Paper washed with green ink, then small words overwritten using a stick dipped in pink ink and larger words written with a cotton bud dipped in bleach ( this unexpectedly produced a rather nice blue colour). 3) Words written as mirror images and overlapping two different colours, using a coarse brush. 4) Letters written in purplish pink with a brush, then extra outline added in a paler tinted paint. Then green hatching added to selected areas of the letters with a finer brush. By this time the word rose seemed far less definite because the viewer's perception was affected by the added embellishment. 5) Words written in crayon using different sizes of lettering and starting diagonally from each corner. Where they joined,  the word was written in a large stylised manner in the centre diamond (hard to recognise as the word rose) and then flowers and leaves were added in the spaces. 6) Paper folded in a fan shape at various angles and the words written across the folds in red or green, to give a rather distorted effect to the writing.

1.4 Rubbings and collage

In this section a glue gun was used to pipe the word rose onto the paper and designs developed from there.

1) This shows the effect of rubbing crayon over the glue letters to give them colour, and adding further emphasis with outlines. The contrasting background was achieved by roughly colouring in with a water soluble crayon and then roughly painting it with water. 2) This shows how a glue template was prepared for nos. 3 & 4 by piping hot glue onto the shaped letters and allowing it to cool. 3) The template shown in no. 2 was placed under the paper and the top surface rubbed with a crayon to bring up the letters. The words were placed in alternating rows of one or two words to form a pattern. 4) This shows a composite collage made by folding the paper in different ways and writing the word rose with either green or red ink, then unfolding to give a grid made by the letters (i.e. the word has been broken up). Then a rubbing similar  to number 3 was cut into small squares and these letters were placed in some of the grid spaces, alternating with other small squares of creamy yellow paper. If you look hard you can make out all the letters of the word rose.

2. PATTERN MAKING USING THE COMPUTER

As with the exercises using inks shown above, it is possible to make an infinite variety of lettering patterns using the computer. One can select programmed fonts or draw freehand. Colours, font size and orientation of letters can be varied, as well as overlaying words on top of each other. The central image in this page shows words overlaid on a freehand drawing. Another feature  of the computer generated images is the ability to generate very regular, attractive patterns such as those on the top right and bottom left by repeating words or letters and then varying colour, font size etc.

 

3. LETTERING ON FABRIC

I popped this in as an extra as it is relevant to this section. I recently took part in a challenge with one of my Australian embroidery groups on the theme ‘What’s in a name?’ This arose from the fact that the group calls itself tba (to be advised) because some years ago the members could not agree on a name. My piece was based on the Shakespearian quote from Romeo & Juliet “A rose by another name ….”

I chose a piece of pale green linen for the background, and then decided to add some references to tba in the background to add colour and interest, as well as adding another link to the challenge theme. However I did not want to take away from the principal design by overdoing it. I decided to make a template of the letters “tba”  in string, cover this with mauve paint and stamp it on the fabric in an irregular manner. In the end I used the “wrong” side of the fabric as there was too much paint on the other side and outlined some of the letters with machine stitching. I then decided I needed some colour contrast so placed the string template under the fabric and rubbed over the top with deep pink pastel to give the final multi-coloured background  for the design.

 

The final piece is shown below – it has an appliqued rose, the quote worked in stem stitch, and a cross stitch border over the tba background. This piece was part of our group’s display at a recent exhibition. (Sian you can take this as a compliment that I am looking for ways to make more complex surfaces now, and also using paint, pastel rubbings etc!)

Module 4: Loosely Lettering

CHAPTER 1: Media Research

Inspirations

The word “media” (plural of medium) can have a number of meanings. In the present context it relates to various means of communication that reach or influence people widely (Oxford Dictionary & others). In art, the word “medium” refers to the substance(s) the artist uses to create the artwork (http://arthistory:about.com).

In this module my inspirations are drawn from the use of cards and other  stationery items as a means of communication. This started with the Christmas cards which arrived at my house during December, some Get Well messages I received in January and February and then various items associated with my daughter’s wedding in March – invitations, cards to wish her happiness for the future, thank you cards, place cards, photographs etc. On my travels I also picked up several post cards that were being used to promote community events such as exhibitions, plays, museums & symposia. I was also intrigued by the use of bags as advertising (communication) tools – ranging from the paper bags containing my bread and mushrooms, as well as larger tote bags from places where I bought clothes.

My other inspiration was the art nouveau theme which my daughter used for her wedding in Glasgow, based on the architecture and designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The celebration was at a beautiful Mackintosh-designed house called House for an Art Lover. I would like to to experiment with the theme of the Glasgow rose and Mackintosh era in some of my work. 

The colour scheme I am thinking of using is also loosely drawn from this sources  - rose pink,  leaf green and mauve – but the pink (red)  and green also reminds me of the colours of Christmas where this journey began.

Photos below:

1. Assorted greeting & promotional cards

2. Wedding themed items

3. Assortment of bags

Items of Stationery

My initial idea for my final piece is to create a wedding album/book containing a selection of memorabilia and photographs. The cover will be decorated with something emerging from this module.

There are a huge number of styles and methods that can be used to create and assemble a book. This photo shows a few examples including a traditional leather bound book made 40 years ago by my cousin, a stitched book of cloth and textured paper (which I made recently in my local Embroidery group), a spiral bound sketch book, a book with pages held together with cord, an old concertina file for recipe cards with a cloth cover, and a folding booklet of postcards.

       I also recently purchased  “500 Handmade Books”  (Editor Suzanne JE Tourtillot, Lark Books, 2008), which is a wonderful source of inspiration and design ideas. I will decide later which style to utilise for my final piece, depending on how the design concept evolves.

Lettering Research
a. Font style variation
There are a myriad of styles of lettering/fonts that are used in the media. I started by taking the word ROSE and printing it out in a selection of fonts from my computer. The word  takes on different personalities or moods depending on the style selected – relaxed and free flowing, formal and stiff, bold and brash, flamboyant and fun (see examples below).

My daughter used a Mackintosh style font for her wedding stationery. This gives  interesting  effects because the letters are a mix of elongated  and shortened forms. When they are shortened ( for example the “O” in rose), a dot is added to fill the space. With the letters A, E & H, the cross bar  is moved up so the appearance is not symmetrical. This gives an interesting rhythm when the words are strung together. Mackintosh used similar effects in his furniture designs, for example backs of chairs were often elongated to change the visual impact.

b. Text size & placement

This sheet shows some interesting effects using letters taken from advertising, such as fitting words to a shape, overlapping letters, varying the font size & placing lines close together with colour changes.

c. Mixing letters (words) and pictures
This is particularly effective for storytelling. The picture shows 3 examples: a short section of the Bayeux tapestry (c1070 AD) with the text in Latin illustrated extensively with pictures, since a large proportion of the population could not read; a small extract from the Book of Kells c800 AD with decorated letters and other small images which add to the story; a modern advertisement for a bank, where the decorations on the letter A add to the overall promotional message.

d. Other languages, different characters
If you cannot understand the words you tend to just form an impression of the shape and flow (rhythm) of the lettering. The pictures on this sheet sheet show some interesting effects seen with Egyptian hieroglyphics on papyrus, ancient Greek carved into stone, printed Russian text and variations of Arabic script. I particularly like the pattern formed by the printed Russian text where the words are hard to distinguish and the Arabic picture bottom left, where the artist has repeated the characters in different ways across the page.

e. A Rose in different languages
These examples show  combinations of the rose image, the word rose and different languages to give varying effects.