PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE – PPP3
Firheen Rashid
Liminal Spaces ² My chosen liminal space to use as a starting point for the professional practice brief during the summer was the space inside my wardrobes and what it contained. I decided to use the wardrobes as a metaphor of the space rather than the actual space itself. It is what was inside the space and the meaning of that which is what mattered to me, hence therefore I decided to focus more on the content of the wardrobes rather than the physical area. ² A particular reason of why I wanted to look at the wardrobes is because I have two different wardrobes, one with western clothes and another with eastern clothes inside. I wanted to distinguish the difference between these two cultures, around what patterns drew me towards a certain piece of clothing and how they were both very similar in terms of me and my identity of these two cultures being brought together and develop this in a way of material transformation. ² I intended to develop a series of images and visualizations which represented both cultures but taking a new modernized approach to this idea of religious/ cultural identity by using technologies and approach methods to my own practice such as the use of drawing, photoshop/illustrator and screen print.
² When photographing the clothing from the wardrobes, I captured them at different angles so that certain patterns would be seen in a particular way. It was very useful to do this as when I was compiling the photographs together, it was interesting to see the difference when the patterns were focused and taken at various angles. ² A constant theme throughout this project was pattern but using approaches which will showed a difference, to compare and explore the two wardrobes/cultures, through editing or manipulation, samples and development. ² Some of the methodologies and materials that I intended to use was digital photography, drawing, scanning, mark making, exploring print and surfaces.
Meaning of Pattern Paisley ² it became very popular in the west during the 18th and 19th centuries following post-mughal imports from British India however they are usually seen in the form of Kashmir shawls. It is often seen as representing the Zoroastrian symbol of life and eternity. And it is used widely as a decorative element in many cultures and architecture.
Florals ² With the exception of the garden and its usual reference to paradise, vegetal motifs and patterns
Repeat pattern ² Complex designs create the impression of unending repetition, and this also helps a person get an idea of the infinite nature of God ² The repeating patterns also demonstrate that in the small you can find the infinite ... a single element of the pattern implies the infinite total.
² These images from western wardrobe show the usual patterns that would be used such as floral and abstract however some of the patterns have similar resemblance to the more traditional wardrobe. ² Even though they are two different cultures it was quite unusual to see that once I put all of the garments out in front of me, at how I was drawn towards these similar designs as part of my own identity in terms of similar reoccurring patterns of repeat and florals.
Drawings from photographs
Repeated and edited drawing of part of floral pattern used in western clothing Traditional paisley pattern repeat drawing used in eastern designs
² Digital manipulation from photographs using repeat pattern and mirroring techniques in Adobe Photoshop, working with black and white to see how it would look when exposed on a screen
Colour Variations And Photoshop experiments
Fabric of society-2006 ² The art mongers came up with a concept of asking people to show them the fabric which they were most attached to and to tell them why. They did his so that they could be involved by choice and give a glimpse of who they were. The Art mongers then photographed each fabric on a fold and made a large digital composition, carefully mixing the patterns, where they attached each story an turned it into a mural. ² I found the concept of the art mongers intriguing as they collected peoples fabrics of what they though were personal to them and why and in contrast to my project which I saw as a personal project, only involved me and my own thoughts and identity, but it was how I interpreted that and put it across to others that mattered.
Photography Session
Light as a background
Black as a background
² The photography session was useful, as we were given guidance on how to photograph our work, according to what it was. I experimented with two types of background for my work during the session. The light background is the technique which I found most effective when photographing fabrics because the colour and pattern stands out more when it is put against the light and photographed as a close up. ² I used this way of photographing fabrics against the light for the website and GIDE banner to make them come across as professional and focused in certain areas.
GIDE BANNER 2014 ² Series of images (4maximum) ² Layout? ² Showing process? ² One design ² Statement explaining the project ² Make the fabric apparent and visual ² Show a process of my practice
Opportunities
² I am still currently working with an online scarf company based in Leeds, taking the role of editing images of their stock to use on their website, making them look professional for viewing on the website. Working with a company is a different role from my own practice as most of their sales are online and they buy their stock by choosing designs. I am hoping to continue working with this company and use it as an opportunity to get involved with the process of online marketing and sales, as well as the more design and edit side of things. ² They send me images to edit mostly during each season when they have a new range of scarves in stock and when the website needs updating. www.prettylittlescarves.co.uk
Summer print and paint workshop ² The summer print and paint workshop was a very interesting opportunity as I had not worked with any children before in terms of my practice or art and design background. It was a fun and exciting full on day and challenging at times as the children ranged from ages 6-11 and different abilities to work with, however I found it rewarding when the children said that they enjoyed their day and had fun. At some points where we were trying to work to a time as each table had to move to the next table it was quite difficult, however everyone had an opportunity to go around all the tables and try different things from tshirt printing, stencil cutting to messy paints. In the future I would maybe like to work with older children who would only need guiding and explaining rather than doing it with them or even for them as I did with some of the younger children.
Give a gift video v After the Summer play scheme workshop at Hamara I kept in touch with the supplementary school and volunteered at various events. Also as part of being a ambassador for the LMYF (Leeds Muslim Youth Forum) I took part in the give a gift 5K run/walk and helped raise money for the children’s heart unit and martin house hospice. The give a gift campaign wanted me to create a short video to use at their glitz and glamour fashion show event. They provided me with all the information that they wanted to be included in the video, such as photographs, text and sound via dropbox and email. The total hours to make the video came to around 8 hours and was a paid opportunity. I created the short video using iMovie on the Mac. Even though putting videos together isn’t really part of my practice it is something which I enjoy making and putting together and would consider doing more of this alongside my own practice.
Give a gift video Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlyQ37XJRQ&feature=youtu.be
Audience Rich 3-Day Workshop ² The 3 day Audience Rich workshop was a helpful opportunity to see my work and practice from a different persons perspective as I had to explain my project to a completely new audience, who had no background of what I do and what I do it. When explaining my work to the marketing students I felt like I had to particularly say why I chose this certain area to look at in terms of culture and religion and how I made that a part of my practice within art and design. Talking to a variety of marketing students who all had different interests was interesting to see as it allowed us to also see what they do. For example one of the students said that as part of her work experience she worked with visual merchandising particularly with lighting. Talking to the Keynote speaker Rich Wilson over the two days of the workshop really gave me an insight for making my work or ideas into a “brand” and about brand identity. When putting my work into a context of selling it or promoting it I saw myself as a designer rather than an artist professionally as I think that my designs could be used as wearable onto garments or scarves etc. ² The Marketing Student Jane who was keen to work with me was very helpful as she created a series of questions about the marketing and branding side which helped with my presentation on the third day of the workshop but also to narrow down the idea of what I wanted to come across within my work and how people would see it. She said she thought that my project was interesting and wanted to work with me as she liked the ideas of two cultures being bought together but as a new approach to design by creating new and simplistic patterns. ² Over all I was pleased with the workshop and with the outcomes it created for me, as in realising the concept of my idea much more and how it could be developed further during the extended practice module but also in the future when I decide to think about creating my own fabrics or even just branding in general. (see notes and print outs in sketchbook)
Audience Rich 3-Day Workshop
Presentation ² During the Audience rich presentation, I focused more on approaching across as a concept with narrowing down the project just focusing on Islamic religion and culture, this is something that I would take further to my extended practice rather than just focusing on the “east” or cultural background as when explaining to an audience it is much more understandable to explain when the concept is narrowed down, rather than saying the east or culture.
Website Examples of layouts and branding
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Close up of images Simple layout Clear Pages for different projects
LINK TO WEBSITE www.firheen.wix.com/design
Evaluation v
Throughout the project I felt it has been a firm platform for me in terms of my practice and where and what I see myself working towards in the future. As always being drawn towards working with pattern I think I have fully defined through this project why I use it as an inspiration from my own personal culture and religion. Even though the project was a more personal process of defining the patterns that I use, I feel that it could be taken into a much more wider context after the Audience Rich workshop by using the inspiration as a starting point but then taking the ideas, concepts and meanings used in traditional Islamic culture art and design. Then applying it to my own practice through using the screen print process and digital manipulation and then further applying it to a useable item, in this particular project the idea of the scarf made a strong connection with use of the liminal space and the wardrobe as it is an item of clothing which I wear with both eastern and western types of clothing.
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Creating samples onto cotton and chiffon fabric was particularly interesting as both fabrics react and work differently with the process as the chiffon would move around while printing whereas the cotton stayed quite firm to the backing table. I would develop this idea into making scarves further through the extended practice module and create more designs which would link in with the feedback from the Audience Rich workshops, showing the beauty of the traditional and cultural designs from the Islamic world from being used on architecture to something which is universal, neutral and wearable.
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I would continue to hopefully work with the opportunities such as the video making and editing for the scarf website. I however have considered after the print and paint workshop which I did during the summer to maybe look for an opportunity where I can run a workshop with maybe older children or around the same age range as the age range in the workshop varied.
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Communicating my idea or concept to a certain audience has been particularly vital as somebody who doesn’t know you will view your work at some point and it is how you put it across to others through either process, images or text that will have an effect on how they understand your work. This project has been reflective almost as well as the making and practical side of things because of questioning my ideas and processes, of how I got from one point to another.
Bibliography http://artmongersaction.org/fabric-of-society/ http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/i/islamic-middle-east/ Indian Textiles @ the V&A Museum The grammar of Ornament, Owen Jones (1856) Reinventing textiles, Vol 3: postcolonialism and creativity, Collett, Anne & Sharrad, Paul (2004) Digital textile design. / Bowles, Melanie & Isaac, Ceri (2009) ULITA exhibition, Leeds University Identity, culture and the postmodern world. / Sarup, Madan (1996)