Reflective surfaces

After over 7 weeks spent on this project, i decided today, that its time i sat down and reflected over everything that Ive done so far.
I started this project with the intention of working with technology and fabric with the hope of creating Movement on fabric surfaces with that approach. After delving into the infrastructural,skill and material constraints i decided against it. I then moved onto looking at different mechanism that i could translate onto fabric.The idea was to work with forms and triggers, that would cause changed to the surface that corresponded with the interaction the user would have with the piece/artifact.Once again, i stumbled upon many blocks for I was working with a picture of the final peice being an installation.
Issues of spaces, content, form, communication came up and i found myself in a slump.
In retrospect, i realise now that i was working against the process i usually follow in my work.Also, i was trying to work with forms/materials that i was not familiar with thus causing a whole set of new complications and problems.

I then moved on to actually working with the fabric itself(i should have done that a long time ago).I started dyeing different fabrics and using different techniques with the intention of understanding how different fabrics look having different techniques applied to them. This was not a very focused process in terms of colours for i hadn't yet decided on my pallet. It did help me though, in eliminating and choosing the fabric i would finally used.
I chose movement in nature as inspiration and did moodboards of the different types/kinds of movement occurring in nature and finally settled on Ice formations as my inspiration for colour and texture.What grabbed my attention in this particular mood board was the fact that the naturally occurring movement process is a gradual one where the real movement isn't visible but the final result is.
I now had set of colours to work with which helped my exploration slook related and part of the same series.The colours held them together.

While the central idea theme/ idea of Movement has remained constant through out the project, my approach and understanding of it has changed.Going from literal movement on and of the form, to implied movement on the surface of the fabric by using various surface creating techniques such as dyeing, bleach, and colour to a more visual sense of movement with the use of light.

A more detialed Time line

light*space continued

Here are a few inspirations boards of different kinds of lighting and spaces.
Most of these spaces are those that emerged from the previous mindmap.

light&space


light&formI


light&form II

light & form III

light*space*movement*form

I have reached the stage in my project where i have to decided what form my final outcome will take.having identified that my final products will be a large scale translation of my ideas and explorations Ive started looking at lighting of different spaces.

a mind map of the potential spaces for the final outcome/product

While researching various lighting techniques and forms, I also looked at Kinetic Sculptures and came across the work of Theo Jansen.He is a Dutch artist and kinetic sculptor.He builds large works which resemble skeletons of animals and are able to walk using the wind on the beaches of the Netherlands.
source- wikipedia
for more information about his work - www.strandbeest.com
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While doing my explorations, aside from dyeing I looked at Origami as a method of construction for it fits the theme of movement that is the central idea of my project.
Origami is an ancient Japanese art of paper folding.The goal of this art is to create a representation of an object using a multitude of folds; that allow for many patterns and forms.
I tried a version of the Spring Bomb on paper and i'm in the process of trying it out on paper. If its successful ill try and incorporate it into being one of the final pieces. I haven't yet taken a picture of my model but im posting images of other springs, to give one a sense of what it is.
contracted
expanded

Heres a DIY youtube video with very clear and coherent instructions to make your own paper spring .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4bMH8XCQrM

Explorations

Ive uploaded images of my latest explorations onto Flickr.
Do have a look and leave comments, if any

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29793039@N08/

Birds eye view

Apologies for being virtually inactive the past two weeks.
After my last review,i realised that i had to make some important decisions regarding my project.In terms of final form, techniques, materials etc.I also had to start channelising my explorations in that direction.
The long weekend, that followed was a pleasent surprise with an unexpected trip back home.Apart from the comfort and good weather it provided, it served as a good space to get my thoughts in place and set realistic goals for myself with regard to this project.
Further refining of my moodboard helped immensely. I had arrived at the previous one much too quickly.The new and final one emerged from the 20 moodbaords i was asked to make by panel.
This one has given me a direction and deals with movement in a more subtle and implied manner.

ICE FORMATION & RIPPLES
Contrary to fast processes of movement occurring in Nature, ice formation is a gradual process that leads to a crystallized form.Also, both ice formations and ripples, movement occuring is visible only on the surface.
It also stands as a beautuful example of implied movement, which is what my translations onto fabric are aimed at.To achieve a sense of movement without a physical or mechanical one.

My moodboard serves as a source of inspiration for my colours and textures.

Ive worked out combinations of colors to arrive at tentative colour palletes.
ive narrowed down to two, which i need to further refine.
Given that they are are subtle colours, i need create a pallete that has a few bold colours that will allow me to work with contrasts and highlights.

Revised Proposal

Project brief-
What
How can one work with the inherent fluidity/drapery of fabric to create and generate a sense of movement and intimacy, and in turn, re-evaluate the usage and application of it? How can one layer its surfaces with information that is communicated, while it establishes a relationship with the space it exists in and the viewer?

Fabric, by definition means manufactured cloth. The resources and techniques used to make fabric have a strong foot hold in motion and fluidity. Thus, actively and passively there is a continuing relationship between fabric and movement.

How can one accentuate this relationship and bring it to the surface?

Why
Textiles today stand as an integral part of our daily lives, and surround us in our constantly shifting environments.It serves as an essential component of the social hybrids formed by multi culturalism - be it in our homes, on our bodies, workspaces and relationships. Fabric also form an integral part of every single individual’s living atmosphere and has established itself in this very context as a “cannot do without”. It is increasingly being used as a medium to communicate one’s identity and personal preference – even as a projection of one’s lifestyle – a window into one’s personality. As a material, it holds great potential to be transformed and moulded into a variety of shapes, sizes and a multitude of techniques can be applied to it. Therefore, it also serves as a medium to establish connections and build relationships between spaces, people and our daily environment.

Being a part of this culture, and having to encounter diverse types of tranformations of materials and mediums,I choose to explore this area in further detail and work with fabric so as to accentuate its mouldable nature, and the fact that it could stand as a ‘language’ as well.

As a student of the subject, I believe that design is meant to enhance and provide one with tools/platforms/services that serve as metaphors of, and alternatives to daily life and interactions. I also believe that design allows one the space to investigate and question existing notions, ideologies and re-establish relationships with both the tangible and intangible.

Research questions

The research for this project will involve an enquiry into and ask the following questions:

*What are the various kinds of communications-e.g.-verbal, body language, sensorial, active and passive

*Can they be broken done into simpler forms of sequences, geometry and mathematics and further translated into patterns and imagery?

*What are the main nuances of movement? Attributes, characteristics?

*Movement on other surfaces/object-both internal&external that can be translated onto fabric

Smaller questions that intend to answer

*Is there an existing relationship between communication and fabric?

*If so, how can I translate this onto fabric?

*What are the different techniques I can use for the same?

*What kind of fabric is best suited for this translation?

*What properties of the fabric will add/subtract from this translation?

*Can a combination of techniques be applied to the surface of the fabric? If so, then which ones?

Approach/Process
*Collection of needed information(research)- interviews, books, articles, observations
*Filtering and making connections
*Material explorations
*Constant reflection of the process and ideation of the different concepts and ways of representation
*Adherence to a process that is open, explorative and evolving.

Materials
Different kinds of fabric
Paper (explorations)
Inks, paint, thread
Wires, metal etc

Resources
*NUNO
Kira Kira
Boro Boro
Zawa Zawa
Shimi Jimi
Suke Suke
Fuwa Fuwa
*Textile View Magazines
*New Textiles
*Wearable Art 1900-2000
*Understanding Media – Marshall Mcluhan
*Dynamic Textile Patterns –Designing with smart textile by Linda Worbin
Websites

Learning Outcomes

*a better understanding of materials
*an ability to translate information into diverse forms
*the effects of various techniques on fabric, in conjunction with others, as well as on their own
*An understanding of one of the many facets of textile design- surfaces and translations

Outcome
The final output of this project will be determined by the process
Proposed outcomes-
*panels
*installation
*application of the created surfaces onto products