Mock FMP

Mock FMP

Ink Illustrations and Exploration

11/02/15

Throughout the majority of this project, I have been exploring with ink and techniques of applying it in different ways on different types of paper. I have explored with mixing media, such as materials, (ink and charcoal) graphic design, illustrations, paper stretching, garment making, and installation design.

At the beginning of the project, I started looking at the imperfections and demands related to the fashion industry, and how it was impacting society, however, I changed my plan when I began to get more interested in flowers and fashion illustration. To begin my new idea, I looked at Jean Paul Gaultier and other quirkier designers like him. 

Taking this image, Alphonse Mucha, and William Morris as inspiration, I began coming up with idea for poster designs for fashion shows. I liked the idea of having unusual designs mixed with something that is considered traditional, in William Morris' case, and Alphonse Mucha's posters that included a focus on perfect women, and so began experimenting with making the poster on photoshop that, rather than being perfect and realistic, would consist of block colours to make a realistic image. 

This process was very time consuming, and since I had been planning to do multiple posters using this technique, I realised that I wouldn't have enough time to make them and would also not leave any time for development work. Realising this, I once again changed my idea, however, was using the idea of making posters still. 

I began looking into using ink after having researched into Bauhaus and looking at Wassily Kandinsky. At first, I was creating illustrations using very fine lines that were very controlled.

After looking further into how Kandinsky worked, I decided to work on a larger scale and try loosening the movements I made and move closer to making an automatic painting than something controlled. Wassily Kandinsky painted to music and made paintings using shapes that the music inspired him to make, rather than thinking about something he was going to pint, however, I still wanted to use Fashion as a basis for my work, so I looked at the first image I had replicated using Photoshop and made a very loose painting using ink. 

I preferred this style of working, and began to experiment more with this style of working, using less lines and such to see how the same image would look after development.

After this, I began to look into using different coloured inks and also using different images rather than replicating the same one over and over again.

I realised that, whilst using other inks, the colour wasn't as strong as when using black ink, and almost looked watery. I also came to the conclusion that the paintbrushes I was using didn't hold enough ink to make a crisper line, as I didn't like the effect of going over a line to fill it in, since you could see the build up f colour, however I did like the raggedy edge the paintbrush left at the edge of a crisp line where there wasn't enough ink.

After the experimentation, I looked through the pieces I had done and liked the pieces with less lines in them than the ones with more lines. 

It was suggested to me to use a fluffier brush, and rather than using a nylon brush, use a brush that had soft hair, and to also try paper stretching. 

Paper Stretching: A technique in which you dampen paper and put it on a flat surface, pull it so that there are no creases or lumps, then hold it in place using gum strip or something alike. After it has dried, if done right, it should be completely flat, and will not retain as much liquid as before the paper was stretched, and so line quality looks better.

After doing paper stretching, the line quality did improve, however this technique is also a long process, and one stretched, the paper seems a lot more precious, and then puts on pressure to not waste it. 

When I started using the stretched paper I started looking at the pieces I had already relocated, as I thought it was some of the strongest portrait illustrations so far, and began to replicate them onto stretched paper. After this, I took into account the pressure using stretched paper put on me, and so loosened up and tried to create a couple of pieces, using Wassily Kandinsky as a reference, and painted to music and interpreted it onto the paper, rather than having an idea of what I wanted to paint in the first place.

After these experimenting, I moved back to a smaller scale, and also started looking at and observing human form and the human form when moving. 

I continued to use the same technique of applying ink, but started experimenting with other materials, such as coloured ink, charcoal, chalk, and also started adding in other materials like small craft gems and pearls. I tried other application techniques, such as using string or wool, a fountain pen, and a small glue spreader.