The Final Exhibition!

Before the photographs were added

Testing out what the photos would look like without the frames as instructed by tutor.

I didn't like the effect because the photos look really detached from the pieces.

I included pictures of the test piece becasue I wanted to show that this method and idea can be put into many different forms, not just the ones shown.  I thought that having the same person modelling in all the photos would look too repetitive so I  added some variation.

I am pleased with my final outcome as I feel they ended the projects well.  Although there were come issues with the final finishings of the piece.   When I was moulding the leather around the wooden moulds I leant the pieces of my lap.  The dye from my jeans transferred onto the surface of the leather making them look very dirty.

I researched ways of taking of the dirt on the internet and some tips looked promising;

Spray hairspray and then wipe off

Rub in toothpaste then wipe off

and nail varnish.

I used these methods on a test piece first.  None of the product worked full but hairspray worked the best, removing some of the ink.

Unfortuanly I went ahead and sprayed some onto my final piece and it created an unsightly dark patch and did not remove the ink either.  I i were to do this project again I would be very careful about he surfaces that I worked on, making sure my workspace was always clean.

Screen print workshop....

From looking at the Proenza Shouler collection, I decided to test methods of quickly creating pattern and texture to the surface of the leather.

During this enjoyable workshop I used photocopies of my favourite samples of weaving.  I liked how the scanner picked up the texture of the leather that had been woven through.  Interesting idea of texture on texture.  To exploit this I blew up the picture and had it made into a screen.

Practising at first with with paper and plain white cotton and light polyester fabric I thought they made quite nice samples on their own.  I then moved onto screen printing onto actual leather, and to my amazement it worked quite effectively, giving a clear image. 

.I explored with marbling browny tones on the leather so that the screen printing was not so obvious to add subtle detail. 

I then moved onto using the special die which poofs up when heated.  This produced some very interesting effect on the leather.  

One of my favourite samples was when I used a black ink on the leather and then when heated turned into multiple colours rather like the colour of oil on the road.  If I had time I would explore this idea further.

Even thought the print looked affective on this scale I don't think it would be possible, with the facilities  in the workshop to make smaller detailed screens which I could use on my jewellery pieces.

  

Brit Insurance Designs of the Year @ The Design Museum and my New Idea!

I went to the design museum to see if I could get any inspiration for processes and form, and also thought it would be interesting to see other areas of design.  Here are some of my favourite pieces....

Amplify Chandelier by Yves Behar for Swarovski

Inside each paper faceted shade there is one LED light shining though one crystal making the pattern and colour hit the paper giving the illusion of big crystals.

Lanvin S/S 2010

I like the mix of metal and leather like in the sculptures by Cathy de Monchaux.

Giles S/S 2010.  

I was interested in the leathery scales which looked quite complicated from far away but up close quite easy to make.




After visiting the design museum I wanted to be more innovative about my idea and I how I think the design should be practical as well as beautiful.  So looking back to my idea of having 'Transferable' jewellery from furniture to the body seemed somewhat pointless and very unusable, not a clever idea!  Also  having to look at the 2 aspects separately can get overwhelming and not focused.  So I came up with the idea if combining the body with your furniture.  Jewellery that extends from the body to your home.  So when the person is using or interacting with the item such as a chair or table then they become joined together with it like they are wearing it and it is wearing them.  

Designing for a chair or chair design is quite a broad aspect.  I think chairs are  very important in out lives and are always in need by everyone everywhere.  They take so many forms and shapes which are constantly being redesigned by contemporary designers, a chair will never go out of fashion.  So I think  this idea has a lot of scope to it as there is a need.  When people sit on chairs there is a lot of contact made so I think this would be the best item of household furniture to use for my design.  I still would like to keep the one off crafted image for my piece, an intricately made item.


I am interested in looking at ways of attaching the piece to the body and the chair, using ties or clasps or moulding so that everything can slip or clip into place.   

Photograph by Yulia Gorodinski, which I feel represents my revised idea.

Japanese Photo books from the 1960's and 70's

Really nice woven collar to used for protection again the snow 

The shape of the protective pieces is really unusual.

Hiroshi Hamaya - Snow Land

Ikko Narahara - Europe

Ken Domon - The Children on the Chikuho

Kikuji Kawada - The Map

Yutaka Takanashi - Towards the City (Volume 1)

After looking at the Japanese armour, I came across this book which catalogued photos books from the 1970's and 60's I really like how the photos are put together and the interesting textures and landscapes, very playful with the contrast and repeating a photo for more impact.

Japanese Armour.....

The Japanese used amazing techniques of braiding and attaching leather together,  the produced very beautiful armours that functioned more than just protection.

I really don't like this one, the colours and the obvious techniques makes this
look too 'arty-crafty' the kind of thing that I have seen in old leather
how-to-do craft books.  I don't want my final piece to have this effect.
I am glad I have figured out what makes the leather have this style
so that I can stay well away and try harder to keep my work looking
contemporary and completely new.

For this sample I used super soft leather and cut it into quite thick strips
 to that it would gather before it went in to the small punched holes.
I like this piece because its quite gentle and subtle and I like the
 many layers which all act as one piece.

These samples are my favourite and the most effective.  I used soft leather
 and cut it to the right thickness that is would be scrunched into the holes.
 I think the colours work well because the strips blend in with the background.
I also like how close the piieces are together so it looks like one solid sheet
of textured ruched leather.
I photocopied the sample aswell to see if it would pick up the texture of
the surface. I think it makes a nice image which I might later explore in a
different medium.

For this piece I used the same technique but I weaved in a random pattern,
still trying to maintain the solid effect.  I don't think this worked as well as
the original as it doesn't give as much impact.

I produced my own sample of weaving and braiding from looking at the armour, some of them I like and some of them I didn't.