Georgia O'Keeffe

Here is my version of one of Georgia O'Keeffe's flower. I have chosen Georgia O'Keeffe. Because i like and enjoy drawing flowers also they're a inspiration to me. The reason why i am doing my own version of Georgia O'Keeffe is because in my lesson on Tuesday's i have Fine Art.

Evaluation

For my methods of research. I used both primary and secondary such as: getting information on 'Nature' and images. At the start of my art and design course. I began drawing from observation, which was a big plant and little objects around it. This helped us get the main idea of shading, shape and different media. Like soft pastels, charcoal and using ordinary pencils (2b, 4b,). I first started with a 2b pencil. Because am more confident when using a pencil since it's easier to rub out mistakes also easy to shade, dark and light areas. But instead of sticking to the basics. I began to challenge myself and use something completely different, which was soft pastels. Soft pastels were quite a challenge for me. Because they're easy to smudge and leaves my work messy. However, they're easy to blend in with other colours, leaving it a good effect. Furthermore, they're nice to shade with. The hardest media i have come across is charcoal. Because it's a really dark media, which leaves work messy also. I find the charcoal very ruff to work with as well. 

I developed my research by collecting objects in my garden based on Nature. Such as: Leaves, twigs, flowers. Then, once i collected these items. I began to mount them up into my book and begin to make a 'Mood board'. Secondly, i looked through magazines, photo albums to find images on nature also i looked on the internet to draw different kinds of animals and their textures. Once my mood board was complete. I decided to continue making more mood boards, so i can get more ideas and more inspiration on nature. Furthermore, my next task was to make 2 visual sheets, taking inspiration from the mood boards i have created. Once my visual sheets were completed i began to create a 'Repeating Pattern'. By using 2 ideas from everything i have done, in my sketchbook like my mood boards, visual sheets and other various things i have put in. My design for repeating pattern was, one butterfly in the middle and then flowers around it. Once i completed my design. I decided to colour my design in felt tips. Because they really bring out the colours, good and bright. But then i decided to colour my design in paints. Because am really imaginative and creative with paints.  

My first experimentation was 'Poly Print'. I did find poly print quite hard. Because we had use a square piece of polystyrene and cut different patterns onto the piece. Also poly print is something i have never done before. Which was hard to do, because polystyrene is foamed and rigid. Once i cut patterns onto the piece, i then put different Gouache paint onto a pattern. Then carefully, placed the polystyrene onto my page and then taking it off. Which then left a poly print on my page, then i evaluated it. The second experimentation i did next was 'Batik'. With batik i did feel more confident. Because with batik it's very easy and simple, all you do is use a tool called 'Tjanting' it's similar shape to a handwriting pen in my opinion. However, you then put the tjanting tool into a tub which should be at a high temperature for it to be able to heat up the wax. Once the wax has heated up and turned into a liquid, you then use the tjanting tool and place it into the wax. When you have a good amount of wax inside the tjanting tool, you then begin to draw a pattern onto your page. Lastly, for your design to stand out. You can use 'Brusho inks' which is just like paint but its liquid paint. Use the brusho inks over your design then your design will begin to show. But for your design to be a batik, you need to iron on to your design, which then will melt the wax on the page and then there's your batik design.

One poly print artist did catch my eye and that is Diane Bamford. Because she has a very creative style, what people have never seen before. For example: She made her own design of poly print called 'African mask'. In my opinion it's very unusual and interesting, it always catches your eye and make you study it. Because it's something you don't hardly see everyday.  In my work i would like to do similar work to what Diane Bamford does. Because it's new to me and i like to work on interesting things. My chosen batik artist is Lee Creswell. Because her work is all based around fine art, which is one of my specialty. She has really influenced me not just on fine art but also on different ways of media, shape and texture. Also when i get into my 2nd year at college, i would like to re-create one of her pieces into my sketchbook. And study more on her and the work she does.

My finished piece did relate to my final design i did. I stuck to the same idea also the same colours. The only problem was that, when it came to putting my final design together to make the 'perfect square'. I used scissors instead of the guillotine, which left my squares with rigid edges. Which i couldn't stick down my final design until i had perfect edges. So i had to start again by photocopying my design (4x) then cut the squares with the guillotine. Eventually, my design fitted perfectly together and it was complete. Maybe i could have changed my design to make it more outstanding and interesting. Because i think the design i did wasn't too appealing. So next time when i try repeating pattern, i will challenge myself and try something completely different. 

I strongly believe i tried very hard to make my sketchbook complete and outstanding. Furthermore, my time given was good and managed to get things done on time.

From everything i have done in my sketchbook, are things i have never heard of or done before. Such as: Poly print. I did like creating the mood boards. Because it's putting all your inspiration onto a page, which is something i would do. With the visual sheets we did, i wouldn't want to do that again. Because i found it hard to use texture for a insect, for example: butterfly made with the leave texture. I got quite confused with that, but then again it was interesting. Batik was good and simple for me. Because i already know how batik works and the equipment you use for it. Since i learnt it at secondary school. If we do get the opportunity to use batik again, i would defiantly take that chance. As before i wouldn't want to do poly print. Because it was hard and isn't something i would like to do again. But from everything i have done and learnt in my sketchbook was a experience and interesting. Also some stuff i would do again in other projects and various activities.

Design a pattern

Once I layered the fabric fibers (2x). I then began to add coloured fabric fibers on top to make a pattern. To do with 'Nature', I thought of animals at first. After I decided to think of animal pattern and came up with tiger pattern. Afterwards, i wanted to come up with a different idea instead of animal patterns. 
So i went with something basic and easy, which is leaves.

Textiles

Today in textiles, we began making felt with fabric fibers and different variety of coloured fabric fibers. Here is the steps on how to make felt.
- Firstly, you need to pull small and thin layers of the fabric fiber on top of each other. 
Make sure you do that again but the other way. For example. 
First downwards then second go across.
- Afterwards, place the net over the fabric fibers and carefully sprinkle the water mixed with washing up liquid over them. 
- Once you have done that. 
Then carefully press down on the fabric fibers so they join together.
- Then take the net off. 
Then grab one of the sides of bubblewrap, begin to roll it all up and then gently start rolling it for 4 minutes. 
- Unroll the bubblewrap and take the felt you have created. 
If your felt has lost it's shape, you can pull it back to it's oridanlly shape. 
- Finally, you need a bowl with a small amount of hot water. 
And get some cloth, wrap your felt into the cloth and carefully place it into the bowl. And leave it for a minute, once minute is up. 
Take them to the sink and rinse them out with cold water, so it gets rid of the washing up liquid. 
Then place onto drying rack to dry.