This project
has seemed backwards from our usual units. We had to come up with a context
before we started sampling. I did not find this useful, because although I made
the decision to make scarves I feel the work I produced equally fits an
interior context as shown here:
I feel this way
of working does not suit me very well because I feel like the fabric I
create is more just a design to be bought and for the individual to decide its
purpose, so assigning my ideas a product felt strange and limiting.
However deciding a final context did help
some of the decision making such as materials and in terms of keeping the
length of time each scarf took to make down, in consideration of keeping costs of labour
reasonable and the overall price. Also choosing a “high end/designer” context helped me refine my
fabric choices and to inform my scarf designs forcing them to have simplicity.
I enjoyed doing visual research and allowed
it to fully inform decisions such as fabric and techniques used. I found myself
feeling more confident with this element of the unit than I have done
previously and look forward to practising it over summer. I enjoyed the
activities that allowed us to meet new people and see a variety of work, as I
have mentioned in earlier posts, had I done these maybe a few weeks before
having to make the decision of whether to collaborate, I think I would have
done and enjoyed doing so. As for tutorials and feedback, I felt I was
challenged as an embroidery student with little to no contact with even a
textiles tutor, or other embroidery students during tutorials. However this did
not deter me from taking part in feedback sessions and attempting to give
feedback on things I felt I knew little about. It was nice that 3D and graphics students
asked my opinion on their products as a fresh pair of eyes to their work and
the processes available to them. Finally
I really enjoyed the experience of putting up the exhibition at the Federation
House, helping people decide the best way to present their work and coming up
with creative solutions to achieve that.
I feel I have developed massively in terms
of contextual understanding, taking time to refine my use of colour (which
would otherwise been much more eclectic) to suit the style of the high
end/designer shop as well as making sure I use high quality fabrics. I feel
like I better understand the importance of dying fabrics myself instead of
using shop bought, which also comes from the desire to create a high
quality/designer product.
My primary motivation for decision making was my visual research, when
it came to making decisions about refining my work I was then motivated by my
context. I also feel I considered the three words “personal, intelligent and
playful” given to us in the brief as well as the idea of “limited edition”.
I am pleased with the choices I made regarding my materials and
processes, they made excellent functional products. If I had more time and
money I would like to have expanded my selection of designs that played with
scale. Also I would have liked to develop a label or packaging for my product.
Although my digital skills have improved since last unit, I feel designing
packaging for myself would have been difficult in the time limit.
In the future I will be more confident in creating a final
product in order to visualise a context but intend to take full advantage of sampling
during future projects. I would also like to collaborate in future projects and
might do so in order to brand myself.
