Empty and Full - Linear and Non Linear

My initial expectations of the project were abit lost, choosing my combination of words and thinking of a topic to start me off I found difficult. I started thinking about shapes and pattern and were we see them daily in buildings and all around us. Taking this on board and thinking of a starting point I went to a mosque as the shape of the actual building and colours interested me then when you enter the inside is beautiful. Rich colours of golds and reds and intricate detailed patterns all up the wall and from there i started drawing really focusing on the small detail that make up the whole picture.

Whilst working through my sketchbook I really focused on my drawing as I feel that wasn't my strongest point in the last project. Trying to further my project I also started looking at henna art and how its applied to the body as the patterns and designs all link and flow from each other. I really like how in the henna they take the big curved floral like shapes and fill parts of it with more structured lines but leaving sections empty to give it more depth. My sketchbook has been the base of all my ideas just working through my drawings and thinking of how to turn them into samples.

 I chose Machine Embroidery for my Workshop, all through college machine stitch has always been my strongest point and what I enjoy the most. Whilst in the workshop I have learnt how to use the machine in different ways and to achieve more texture as well as just the pattern which has helped me to develop my ideas and samples further. My samples have come from my drawings and both combinations of words for example I have used dissolvable fabric for the empty and full with sections of heavy stitching and empty spaces then putting colour behind to give it another element.

My colour pallet came from visiting the mosque and a henna artist I found from researching, the main colours seem to be deep browns going through to a rustic red with hints of blue and gold. These all work well together as the the small hints of blue showing through the deep brown and red make the work look more exciting.

From looking at all my samples together it has made me see how i can develop them further. I feel I need to make them bigger and expand my ideas on a wider scale and stop just look at the small detail but think of how I want it to look as a whole. If I was to start this project again I would look at it in a different way, I would still want to go down the same path but think bigger from the start as I can see how different the outcome would be.

My research and the references I have looked at for this project have definatly helped shape the way I have worked, I got my colours from researching and the way I have taken parts of the pattern and produced my own really helped me with my sampling. From looking at other peoples work I do find similarities with aspects of drawings and ways of thinking but at the same time each piece is individual in its own right.