Sampling unit:
Ordered Opposites: Rural/Urban
Evaluation of Project 1:

When we were given the brief for this project, I was a little confused by the idea that it would be split in to two projects, however initially I thought the theme of “Ordered Opposites” was quite thought-provoking. I chose the Knit workshop, as although I quite enjoy surface design, I am more of a constructive designer, and have been interested in knit for a while, and thought that I would be able to link it well with my theme in terms of colour, texture and pattern. After finishing my last project and receiving clear feedback, I knew that my weakness was carrying out various research methods, so I decided to just plunge straight in to the research and decided on the theme of “Rural:Urban”. To help me develop some research for this idea, I made a brain storm in my sketchbook:

This helped me to think of things to look up, find, and sketch, but also sets the theme for my sketchbook. Because “Rural:Urban” is a very broad theme, I decided to include some sub-sections which I can work towards and eventually pick one to develop samples for, once I feel I have appropriate research. These sub-sections are, “Order:Chaos”, “Hard:Soft” and “Coincidence:Deliberate”. I feel that what I have improved up on is my research. I did some internet research to begin, just to get in to the mood and kick-start my theme. I then visited the Museum of Manchester, where I read about the industrial revolution of Manchester and Liverpool, which spurred me to visit the Museum of Science and Industry.

I used the visual imagery I collected from these visits to include in my sketchbook, and to work with colour palettes. I also used the time I had over Christmas to visit Liverpool, and also Newcastle and Hartlepool, where I used different techniques to collect research. On my train journey to Hartlepool, I took photographs of the rural areas to then draw from, but also the disused “Steetley Magnesite” industrial site, which provides fantastic history and imagery:

Hartlepool is a small town, but during World War II, was the only source of Magnesite in Britain. I also took photos of the farms, beaches and some movement photos:

I thought this was quite a valuable image as it links a rural settings with an urban theme (the train) speeding through. It also provides a good, tonal colour palette, as I have used in the sample. I also used my time in Hartlepool, a quite rural place, and my time in Newcastle, a larger, more urban setting, to create mark making:

I think this was a good idea because it provided me with direct imagery of how i felt walking through these places to then project in to my knit samples. By this point, and as i begin to get more comfortable in the knit workshop, I have decided upon the sub-section of “Hard:Soft”, a theme which has ran throughout my sketchbook and samples in my used of yarns, colours and drawing techniques.
Another aspect I believe I have improved upon is linking my samples and drawings, throughout my researching, I have continued to do sampling alongside it, whilst also learning more techniques each week. To present my samples, I will include some in my sketchbook, but have also created lots of sample stories to present them, which I have made print outs of:

To create the sample stories, I looked for my used of colour, theme and connections with my sketchbook. In the first part of this project, I believe I have achieved a successful body of research and clear samples, which link to my visual research. I have also found that you can never have enough research or sketches, and that samples are a very important part of a project, I look forward to developing my samples using mainly my colour palette that I have chosen from a postcard I collect at the Museum of Science and Industry:

As well as this colour work, I believe that my next workshop, 3D Construction, will provide a more challenging second part of the project.

Sampling unit:
Ordered Opposites: Rural/Urban
Contextual Research: SANDRA BACKLUND

To help inspire my knitting workshops, I have researched Knitwear designer Sandra Backlund. My personal style of designing, and the theme I am working with involves quite structural techniques.
Backlunds work with Knitwear is all about structure, be it quite robust, or soft.

These garments remind me of building structures and are very patterned within the textures, especially with the symmetry of the right hand side piece, with what looks like chains decorating the front and on the arms. These pieces also remind me of my sub-section theme of "Order and Chaos".

In contrast to this Urban themed style, I found this garment by Backlund, which I feel represents a more Rural theme:

This garment has gorgeous neutral tones, and the texture is quite fragile and a bit disorganised compared to the Urban style pieces. From the knit tutorials, we have learnt "hook ups" and how to create more 3D texture and holes in the knitting, which I feel I can link to this piece.

Another piece of Backlund's work which caught my eye was this quite futuristic garment:

In-keeping with my sub-section theme of "Coincidence and Deliberate", I like the structure of the arm pieces, but also the way the yarn hangs from the shoulder pieces. It also inspires the idea that using different materials to create 3D structure can be done.

Sampling unit:
Ordered Opposites: Rural/Urban

I have chosen my project title to be "Rural/Urban". I have made up my own Ordered Opposites as I feel there is a lot i could research, and there are lots of visuals I can collect.

I am hoping to eventually find enough evidence to narrow down my theme to either: "Order/Chaos", "Hard/Soft" or "Coincidence/Deliberate".

After my decision I did some internet research to get myself in to the mind set straight away:

Here, I looked at stereotypical Rural/ Urban scenes. I also did some colour wraps to assist me in my knit workshop, which we began shortly after. I used the techniques we learnt, and began to use my internet visual research to inspire the colours and details in my samples:

This unit is all about sampling. With my theme I will look at the colour palette i will eventually come up with, as well as looking at texture and shapes in my drawings/paintings/mark making and will put the techniques I will learn in to practice. My next step is to do more research by visiting museums and sites to inspire my work.