Typographic Interpretation / Specification You have been given three texts. Read them all and choose one of them to work with for this project. Your chosen text is the content for the project.
Chosen Text Knots. My earliest schooling in knots was received from two uncles, who are whaling captains. One taught me the reef knot when I was three years old, but a little sail-boat model he promised to make me, when I learned my lesson, was never completed, for he crossed the bar soon after. Years later my aunt gave me the model of a whaleboat that he had made for her, and which had travelled as far as the first Paris Exposition; and so the score was settled. My other uncle taught me to sinnet. Had agreed to make me a whiplash, but as he prove dilatory, or so it seemed to a boy of my age, I secured material and, with a little coaching, made the lash myself. When I was seven my father gave me a pony on condition that I master the Halter Hitch. Before I had reached the age of nine I was proprietor and chief canvas-man of a tworing circus that was widely, even if somewhat conventionally, advertised as the “greatest show on earth”. the tent was made of carriage covers that had been more or less honourably acquired, but the centre poles had been pilfered from the clothesline. Besides the canvas-man I was also trapeze performer, bearded lady, ticket seller and ringmaster. It was in the first of my several capacities that I required a knowledge OF SPLICING AND THE use of the sailors palm and needle. My uncle at
this time being away at sea, I found a teacher at the wharfside and cut out seamed and roped the tent with the assistance of Daniel Mullins (now captain Mullins) and several other boys of the neighbourhood. The circus presently took to the road, but it went into winter quarters abruptly and disbanded because of a misunderstanding over a piece of borrowed costume which the older generation deemed inappropriate for the street parade. In a knot of eight crossings, which is about the avereges-size knot, there are 256 different ‘over-and-under’ arrangements possible....Make only one change in this ‘over-and-under’’ sequence and either an entirely different knot is made or no knot at all may result. Quoyle- a coil of rope. A Flemish flake is a spiral coil of one layer only. It is made on deck so that it may be walked on if necessary. Love knot. In the old days a love sick sailor might send the object of his affections a length of fish-line loosely tied in a true-overs knot. If the knot was sent back as it came the relationship was static. If the knot returned home snugly drawn up the passion was reciprocated. But if the knot was capsized-tacit advice to ship out. Strangle knot. The strangle knot will hold a coil well...It is first tied loosely and then worked snug.
Themes/ Ideas Generation
Memory/knots/scouts/ badges/patches/flags/ semaphore/sailing/boats/ sea/nautical/symbols/ nostalgia/childhood/ whale/lovesick/captain/ childhood/rope/sewing/ love/travelling/circus/red/ white/sea
Nostalgia
-A sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past.
Patch Research/ Inspiration
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These are the initial experiments I have come up with for the response to the brief, they involve embroidery something I’ve been wanting to experiment with for some time, along with video making and knot tying.
Types of Knot
Strangle Knot
True Lovers Knot
Flemish Flake Reef Knot
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Initial Patch Experiments (One word manifesto)
My initial experiments show the use of my chosen word, nostalgia I found the text quite nostalgic an the content of a nautical theme with knot tying made me think of buy scouts which lead me to idea of making some sew on patch design. I have experimented with the idea of illustrating the knots, however they are very rough as the knot illustrations aren’t finished I took too long to make the rope pattern brush. I have also played with the idea of semaphore flags and could perhaps do an alphabet of patches for the different flag colours.
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Development of the patch designs
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Using the idea of waves to create the notion of sea sickness with the anchor to reflect the nautical nature
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The Flemish flakes purpose is to be walked on, hence the lines behind the knot to represent the deck of a ship.
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I have experimented with turning the knot into a love heart to show the connotations of romance.
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I took the initial designs and experimented further with colours and type setting. I have decided to take further the idea of illustrating the knots into patches from the text. I have also experimented with the two word quote ‘love sick’. I have tried to use quite loud colours as from my research this proves conventional of the traditional embroidered patches.
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Final Patch Designs These are the final patch design I will take further to embroider. I have managed to fins a good balance of having the loud colours but with them still looking aesthetically pleasing. I feel they are working really well and I’m looking forward to the next step which is actually embroidering the patches. The patches will be 7cm in circumference as from research this seems to be the average size of the patch.
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Packaging Designs For Patches
A PATCH 3 INCHES IN CIRCUMFERENCE, When your feeling like youve been walked all over.
A PATCH 3 INCHES IN CIRCUMFERENCE, FOR WHEN YOUR FEELING LOVE SICK.
A PATCH 3 INCHES IN CIRCUMFERENCE, For the one you want to be eternally bound with.
A PATCH 3 INCHES IN CIRCUMFERENCE, perhaps for the one thats got you feeling love sick.
Flemish Flake
Love Sick
Reef Knot
True Lovers Knot
3 INCHES
Noticing my designs were very much a sell-able item I have designed some packaging for them to go into, the label would fold over (4.5 inch wide by 3.5 high) and be a thin card stock
Flemish Flake
Love Sick
Reef Knot
True Lovers Knot
3 INCHES
The designs themselves are nautical in nature with reference to waves and vintage nautical conventions such as colours and shapes.
3 INCHES
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Patches in Packaging (Mock up)
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Reef Knot
True Lovers Knot
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The patches fit well in to the designed packaging, I will attempt to mock up some actual packaging when I have the patches made. The blue shape represents the plastic in which the patch will sit.
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