Print Print Print

To put it simply, digital printing has always scared me. Me and Technology have never been friends, especially not me and PhotoShop, but print this week has been ok! CAD is something which i'd really like to master.

Here's my collection of print samples (using my very basic PhotoShop skills)

The first three prints were made up of layers and layers of the same drawing to create what has resulted in being quite a mad print...

The following print stands alone as a sample for the simple reason that i'm not quite sure it work, but anyhow is an experiment on combining two completely different drawings...

I like the following two prints- I think it works in both hues of greens and purples (but still hurts the eyes a little)...

The final three I created are attempts at creating more structured prints that would work as repeats...

 Overall, i've enjoyed my taster into the world of digital print. (I still think i'm more of a messy, get paint all over your hands worker though!)

Pop-Up Drawing, Round Two...

The second solid week of drawing to inform our second technical blocks (mine being Stitch) involved some more experiment drawing methods like a collage class with the lovely Tim and a day which involved inventing new products from our collection of objects (hence the cutlery made of branches)...

Branch cutlery!

Branch cutlery and a matching mug and saucer, made of a waxed leaf (naturally)...

Dissection of a branch...

Drawing asif to create stencils...

More inventions based on my collection of branches and leaves...

Cutting, sticking, painting and basically making a mess to re-create 'textures', in my case ones found within nature, proved one of my favourite drawing days so far (largely because i'm still a child)

My intentions are to reflect on these textural collages in stitch to create some more abstract samples.

Knitting Knitting Knitting

The first of four technical blocks went well (I think!)

Here are some of my more successful outcomes, created using the magical and wonderful knitting machine that is practically a godsend if you're wanting a jumper/scarf and QUICK.

Obviously, I got rather obsessed with mixing two or three colours together...

Examples of laceholing and playing around with tension...

Laddering/striping combo!

My favourite samples! Colour pallett to the left drawn from burnt orange autumnal leaves and the branches they were attached to, and the right based on some lovely plants uprooted and stolen from a rather posh garden in Chelsea...

Experimenting with single, double and tri-colour stripes.

Whilst machine knitting was okay, hand knitting was a rather different story. Staying up till 1am watching ''How to cast on'' tutorials isn't my idea of fun... But I got into the swing of it eventually!


An attempt at knitting with string- it went okay apart from the casting off part which I just can't seem to get the hang of and remember!

I actually managed to cast off this sample! (After a great deal of struggle and some help but never the less)!

This sample was an attempt at merging both knit and pearl stitches with a really thick yarn- maybe too thick to knit with on reflection...

All in all I really liked knitting, and was really surprised at all the different techniques a person can try on the knitting machine. I'll definitely be considering this as my chosen specialism!

Surrounded by yarn...

The past couple of weeks have, for me, consisted of yarn, knitting, more yarn and even more knitting... and i've been loving it! Machine knit is a dream come true: so easy to get started and there's loads of room for experimenting with colour and texture. (Hand knit is a different story but hopefully this week i'll get to master that too.) My 'Pop-Up' collection, which has worked to inspire my work in the knitting technical block, was based on an 'organic' theme- think tree bark, flowers, autumnal leaves etc.  I was drawn to the colour pallet the natural world has during Autumn and Winter, like burnt oranges and dark purples. I created some drawings, wrappings and windings based on my collection...

These are a few of my favourite drawings...

The following images are my attempts at using paint and ink in experimental methods such as drawing with twigs and using a straw to blow the paint around the page...

I like the more abstract appearance of the plant in this drawing, rather than it looking completely life like as in the image below...

Using a twig and ink, I tried to draw a bundle of berries I had collected...

I'd like to use this image when it comes to print!

And here are a selection of wrappings and windings drawing from the colours of my objects...

I'm sure i'll be adding to my Pop-Up collection and body of work over the next few weeks, and i'll be trying to push what I do based on my objects even further during stitch, print and weave!