ATV2 Part 2 Project 1

 Exercise 2.1 Selecting

Reviewing my folio of work from Part 1, I was looking at the pieces that had the most interesting marks and texture. After reviewing all my pieces these are the six that I felt would give me the most inspiration. 

Reviewing my selection there was a mixture of soft, rough, erratic, repetitive, gentle and flowing marks. I then began to source papers to work with which I felt would work well to create an interesting base.

I quickly realised I had to much choice in paper. I felt overwhelmed and my head was swimming with ideas. I took a step back and reflected in the different paper qualities and which ones would work well with the pictures I had chosen. 

Exercise 2.2 Paper Manipulation Library

I first began to experiment with sugar paper and brown paper. I started by scoring the black sugar paper to create rough patches on the page. Although it was difficult to capture in a photograph, the effect is more visible when moving and bending the page. I focused on texture again this time using a coarse sandpaper to rub in a circular motion. Again this was hard to capture in a photograph but when you rub your hand over the paper you can feel the scratched rough surface. To add to the sample I chose to hold the paper over the paper until burnt marks appeared I then poked through the burnt makes creating uneven, fragile holes. 

The next material I wanted to work with was plastic, I sourced acetate and bubble wrap to work with. Beginning with the acetate and sandwiching it between baking paper and heating with an iron. I loved the fact that the effects were unique, and I was never sure what effect could be achieved with different amounts of heat. I then developed the surface further by adding fruit netting. This also reacted to the heat, changing its appearance as the heat melted the plastic netting. Adding additional heat to this surface also created small holes which added to the aesthetic of the surface.

This next let me onto a working with another form of plastic I sourced some bubble wrap, I used the same technique of heating the plastic with the iron. This time I wanted to incorporate creases, so I folded the bubble wrap and applied heat to seal into place. Developing on this idea I wanted to see if I could change the structure of the bubble wrap by adding tracing paper between two pieces of bubble wrap and heat to seal the paper inside. This was not as successful as I had hoped, as I was hoping the tracing paper would help to hold the creases in the plastic. But unfortunately, this was not the case, maybe this was due to the plastic being to heavy for the tracing paper. 

My next set of material I chose to work with baking paper, after I had used it in creating the plastic surfaces it seemed a shame to waste it. I began by concertinaing a piece of baking paper, then using a pin to pierce several repetitive holes through the layers. Then unfolding the sheet to reveal a repetitive pattern across the sheet.

This led onto me next sheet, this time I used tracing paper again concertinaing the sheet in a diagonal fashion across the sheet and then in the alternative direction. Once the page was unfolded it created an interesting criss-cross pattern across the paper, as the creases made white lines in the tracing paper.

 I then wanted to merge the two materials together and create a layering effect, using the brown paper as the background and the tracing paper as the front page. I sporadically punched holes in the tracing paper in order to see the brown paper coming through. Not adding adhesive to the whole sheet of tracing paper, meant that the tracing paper slightly lifted from the brown paper giving more depth. 

The final piece I developed the layer concept further this time using three layers , this time using crosses pulled back to reveal the tow layers underneath. Tearing the top layer back further to show more of the tracing paper and brown paper. The baking and tracing paper were both fragile and easily to tear, which added to the aesthetic.

In hindsight I would have liked to have experimented more with layering, reflecting on the previous piece. Maybe looked at tearing and layering the material or looking slashing through the paper in lines. Using a different textures and weights of paper to see what effects could be achieved.

I next wanted to work on a creating a more 3D texture to the surface. I began with scrunching a piece of watercolour paper and using the rust water I had be saving for a moment just like this. What I found interesting the way the rust residue settled on the crease lines making darker rust orange lines, highlighting the texture.

The next technique I wanted to try a technique I had used before with fabric but not paper. I began by making the paper moist and collecting a selection of beads. I began wrapping the beads into the watercolour paper. I used copper wire hoping it would react to the water and paper and leave a residue behind. But unfortunately, this was not the case. Perhaps if I had soaked the wire in salty water before using or experimented with what liquids it reacted better with to make marks

 While I was using the rust water I wanted to see how what sort of marks could be achieved. Although they did leave marks I do not feel that they were successful as the marks are not very clear and it resembles a tea being spilt across a page.

 

I received a parcel in the post and as I ripped it apart, I felt inspired to create something. With the interesting texture of the corrugated cardboard. I began by ripping small sections to expose the corrugation underneath. This left me with an interesting surface to work with. As the cardboard had depth, I wanted to try scratching into the surface. Observing one of the images I used a source of the jumper, I wanted to recreate the marks. I felt a fork would create a similar mark, so I dragged in fork across the page creating diagonal lines across the surface. Although it was a simple mark to create I feel it was incredibly effect surface.

My final selection of surfaces I focused more on my image selection. Using graph paper and printer paper the weave the two papers together, creating a weaved surface. 

The next surface was more experimental, I covered a sheet of tracing paper in bondaweb. I then place the tracing paper and bondaweb over a candle flame and water the surface react to the heat. Causing it to bubble and make the surface white. This reminded me of the image of the bag with the sponged surface.

The final surface I wanted to use the image of the flower I had selected and look at what qualities I could recreate on surface. I used the mulberry paper to rip rough petal and repeatably covered a page of handmade paper in them. On reflection I felt that the mulberry paper was not the right paper to use, as it created a more feathered effect. I then tried the same effect using brown paper which resulted in a better finish.