A1 Contemporary Textile Techniques

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques

AIMS: ●

The aim of this project is for you to learn, understand and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of contemporary textiles techniques and processes.

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The skills you will develop will be varied, and among them you will develop a working knowledge of a variety of textile techniques including; embroidery, applique, felting, weaving and print as well as a range of contemporary techniques using materials such as bubble-wrap, plastics and tissue paper.

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This project will allow you to develop your imaginative and creative skills, you will be experimenting with/and manipulating a variety of materials to develop your ideas. You will then apply your knowledge and understanding by using a variety of media and techniques to produce experimental samplers and a final outcome (assignment 3).

DEVELOPMENT: ●

For each assignment, you should produce a series of developmental studies and research in your sketchbooks/journals to aid and support your final outcomes and assessment objectives 1 – 3.

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Knowledge and understanding of each textile technique (Assignment 1) should take place within sketchbooks/ journals supported by links to a variety of Artists/ Designers (Extended Homework Project) to support your personal outcomes.

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Before starting work on your main assignments (final outcomes), ‘design ideas’ and ‘samples’ should be completed inside your sketchbooks/journals.

OUTCOME: In this project you will have the opportunity to create THREE main (assessed) outcomes. These assignments (outcomes) are: ○

A1: Contemporary Textiles Techniques – An A1 presentation board which will display a variety of textiles techniques in response to the theme ‘Environment’.

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A2: Textile Artist Research – This is an 8 week project where you are expected to manage your time efficiently. It is in response to assessment objective 1, where you are asked to research a variety of textile artist’s/designer’s to aid and support each technique that you have learnt in Assignment 1. In each task you need to describe why you have chosen that particular artist, present samples of their work with analysis and explain how they link to your chosen direction in response to ‘Environment’.

Don’t panic, a guidance paper will be issued to you at the beginning of the 8 week period.

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A3: Personal Response (Exhibition Art) - This assignment will be explored and developed by you.

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques You are asked to create a piece of textile art for the upcoming Alexandra Palace Stitching Exhibition on the theme ‘Environment’. Your textile art could range from a framed piece of artwork to a cushion using a variety of skills and techniques explored in Assignment 1. You will have 6 weeks to plan, develop, document and create your final outcome.

1. In this assignment you will be introduced to 5 new textiles techniques such as weaving, felting, printing, applique, yarn wrapping, trapping of threads and machine embroidery.

2. Each technique sample will be displayed on your presentation board (see below) creating a variety of responses to your theme “Environment”.

3. Each technique should be supported in your sketchbook/journal where you need to document the following: ● A double sketchbook page explaining the process of the technique learnt. ● Drawings and visual images (including any artist artwork) that have inspired/ support the design process with annotation. ● A photograph of your sample including a mini evaluation.

4. Your links to Artists/Designers will also be documented in your Extended Homework Project (A2).

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques

The Environment offers a wide range of opportunities for artwork and has been interpreted by textile artists around the world in a variety of textile disciplines and techniques. In this project as stated above you will be introduced to a variety of textiles skills/techniques, in response to the theme ‘The Environment’.

In this project you need to demonstrate your ability to develop ideas in response to a given starting point. For example, for this project you might choose to study aspects of the built environment, landscape or seascape. ‘The Environment’ opens up a wide range of possibilities.

Start, by brainstorming possible ideas or starting points and present these findings through a mind map. A search engine such as ‘Google’ is useful when exploring key words such as Environment, Nature and so forth.

You may use a single/double page (one page to present your mind-map, the second page presenting visual imagery with annotation).

Remember: ● Be creative ● Make sure your presentation is neat and clear ● Consider the materials/techniques that you will be using. What themes can blend themselves into the world of textiles and the techniques that you will be introduced to?

References in your mind map can also be made to the work of other artists, craftspeople and designers.

Here are some examples that I have found. Some have chosen to view the landscape from afar, whilst some have explored elements within it from close up. Some have observed the effects of weather, growth and decay, whilst some have explored the nature within the environment.

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques

Technique: Felt Making

You will be introduced to: ● Hand Felting Techniques ● Needle Felting Techniques ● Felt Terminology Throughout the workshop you will introduced and guided through the felt making process, and given the opportunity to experiment with both techniques. You will then select one technique and create a ‘Sample’ in response to the theme ‘Environment’ to mount onto your presentation board.

“This piece of Artwork is in response to the theme Environment, where the Artist has experimented and developed textile artworks based on a variety of Leaves.”

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques This technique must be supported in your sketchbook/journal to gain marks for A02 (Developed) & AO3 (Record).

Here are some examples of how you can gain marks for these assessment objectives:

Useful links: Websites and Artists ● To begin, use a popular search engine such as ‘Google’ typing in keywords that relate to the technique and your theme: ○ Felt making, Felt making techniques, Felt making Nature, Felt making seascape.

Nuno felt making etc. ○ Use the ‘image’ link to find visual imagery to support you research and experimentation.

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques ○ Don’t forget YouTube is also very resourceful with plenty of online tutorials to help you understand the technique visually.

Technique: Weaving

You will be introduced to: ● Plain Hand Weaving Technique ● Yarn Wrapping Technique ● Weaving Terminology Throughout the workshop you will introduced and guided through the process of weaving and given the opportunity to experiment with both techniques. You will then select one technique and create a ‘Sample’ in response to the theme ‘Environment’ to mount onto your presentation board.

“This piece of Artwork is in response to the theme Environment; Red to represent the heat of global warming, white

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques for polar ice caps and blue for the oceans and rising sea levels.�

This technique must be supported in your sketchbook/journal to gain marks for A02 (Developed) & AO3 (Record).

Here are some examples of how you can gain marks for these assessment objectives:

Useful links: Websites and Artists

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques ● To begin, use a popular search engine such as ‘Google’ typing in keywords that relate to the technique and your theme: ● Weaving, Weaving techniques, Landscape weaving, Weaving artwork etc., ● Use the ‘image’ link to find visual imagery to support you research and experimentation. ● Don’t forget YouTube is also very resourceful with plenty of online tutorials to help you understand the technique visually.

Technique: Applique

You will be introduced to: ● Machine Applique ● Fused Applique ● Hand Applique Throughout the workshop you will introduced and guided through the process of applique, and given the opportunity to experiment with all techniques. You

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques will then select one technique and create a ‘Sample’ in response to the theme ‘Environment’ to mount onto your presentation board.

“This piece of Artwork is in response to the theme Environment; this artist has focused her artwork on leaves of different colours/sizes.”

This technique must be supported in your sketchbook/ journal to gain marks for A02 (Developed) & AO3 (Record).

Here are some examples of how you can gain marks for these assessment objectives:

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques

Useful links: Websites and Artists ● To begin, use a popular search engine such as ‘Google’ typing in keywords that relate to the technique and your theme: ● Hand Applique, Fused Applique, Landscape Applique, Applique artwork etc., ● Use the ‘image’ link to find visual imagery to support you research and experimentation. ● Don’t forget YouTube is also very resourceful with plenty of online tutorials to help you understand the technique visually.

Technique: Printmaking

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques You will be introduced to: ● Using textures/dyes to create a background ● Polystyrene Printing ● Stencil Printing ● Printing Terminology Throughout the workshop you will introduced and guided through the process of printmaking, and given the opportunity to experiment with two different techniques. You will then select one technique or combine two different techniques to create a ‘Sample’ in response to the theme ‘Environment’.

“This piece of Artwork is in response to the theme Nature; this artist has colour washed the paper, then used a block print to add the background pattern. To finish off the design the leaves have been stencilled on using acetate.”

This technique must be supported in your sketchbook/journal to gain marks for A02 (Developed) & AO3 (Record).

Here are some examples of how you can gain marks for these assessment objectives:

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques

Useful links: Websites and Artists ● To begin, use a popular search engine such as ‘Google’ typing in keywords that relate to the technique and your theme: ● Printmaking, Block printing, Relief printing, Stencil printing etc., ● Use the ‘image’ link to find visual imagery to support you research and experimentation. ● Don’t forget YouTube is also very resourceful with plenty of online tutorials to help you understand the technique visually.

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques Technique: Heat, Melt, Burn, Distort

You will be introduced to: ● Entrapping using bubble wrap ● Layers of fibres and threads ● Soldering Iron Techniques & Terminology Throughout the workshop you will introduced and guided through the process of fusion, and given the opportunity to experiment with all techniques. You will then select one technique and create a ‘Sample’ in response to the theme ‘Environment’ to mount onto your presentation board.

“This piece of Artwork is in response to the theme Seascape; this artist has trapped fibres, threads and tissue paper in layers of plastic.”

This technique must be supported in your sketchbook/journal to gain marks for A02 (Developed) & AO3 (Record).

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques

Do you have a smart phone?

If so you can use the camera on your phone to access online resources to help you with this assignment.

All you need is a QR code reader app, point your phone web browser to one of readers below: ● ● ● ● ●

http://reader.kaywa.com http://get.beetagg.com http://www.quickmark.com.tw/En/basic/download.asp http://europe.nokia.com/support/product-support/nokia-n80/phone-software/smartphone For iPhone users. Go to iTunes and search for: QR Code reader

Once you have a reader/ app on your smart phone. Simply take a quick snap of the code(s) below, and you will be redirected to the required resource, directly on your phone.

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques

AFL: Assessment for Learning. ●

Learn about the assessment objectives.

eGallery: ●

Take a look at some examples of work for this assignment.

YouTube: ●

Go to the Visual Arts YouTube channel and watch some amazing drawing tutorials.

Nouveau Calendar: ●

Keep up to date, and stay organised.

Colour Prints: ●

Request Colour print outs here.

Knowledge of Textiles – Environment A1: Contemporary Techniques

Weblinks: ●

A set of useful weblinks

Visual Arts FB page:

Twitter: ●

Follow us on twitter and keep up to date with news and events.