In this stage we are asked to look more closely at textures. To recreate the qualities of an image - not just to copy it.
I have collected together and am going to look through my texture exercises from Project 1, also other relevant drawings that I have done since.
From these I am going to select a few drawings that I would like to develop further - describing the texture of each in words; collecting yarns and fabrics that would match the qualities of each piece; deciding which approach would be best to express the effect in each drawing.
Texture 1 : Smooth
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| Bulb of garlic: pastel |
I felt the best word to descride the texture was smooth - other words could be: unwrinkled, flowing, peaceful, rhythmic, undisturbed and uninterrupted.
Yarn and fabric choice:
I chose a smooth, creamy background fabric - calico.
The thread being used is stranded cotton - this has a nice sheen to it and a wide range of colours.
I will use 3 colours in a similar colour range - cream, light pink, mid pink - to create a subtle effect.
Technique:
The stitch used is split stitch allowing one colour to seamlessly blend into the next.
Finished sample:
The colours flow smoothly from cream through to pink.
The surface is uninterrupted and undisturbed.
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| Smooth - split stitch |
Texture 2: Distorted
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| Tin can - charcoal |
I felt the best word to describe the texture was distorted - other words could be: deform, bend, buckle or misshape.
The shiny surface of the can distorted the reflection.
Yarn and fabric choice:
I chose a loosely woven, creamy background fabric - muslin.
The loose weave will allow the threads to shape and move the fabric when stitched.
The thread being used is stranded cotton - this has a nice sheen to it, which will contrast with the matt cream background fabric.
I will use red - to create a rich effect against the paler background.
Technique:
The stitch used is running stitch allowing dark and light effects to show as the stitches overlap.
Finished sample 1:
The red thread became darker as the stitches overlapped and lighter where they didn't, creating a distorted optical illusion.
The surface started to buckle as the stitching became heavier.
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| Distorted sample 1: running stitch |
Yarn and fabric choice:
I chose a loosely woven, creamy background fabric - muslin.
This worked well with the first sample - the loose weave distorted when stitched.
This time I used 2 different threads: Tapestry wool which has a matt finish and a fine crochet cotton with a sheen.
I will use 2 shades of green - this time the rich effect is created by the difference in thread rather than the colour.
Technique:
The stitches used are lazy daisy and running stitch.
Both will distort and buckle the fabric as they are stitched.
Finished sample 2:
The surface started to buckle as the stitching became heavier, the lazy daisy stitch was able to form holes in the fabric as the weave pulled apart.
The 2 contrasting threads - one shiny, one matt, created a good textural effect.
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| Distorted sample 2: lazy daisy and running stitch |
Texture 3: Bumpy
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| Pebble dashed wall: watercolour, bleach, soft pastel |
I felt the best word to descride the texture was bumpy - other words could be: bumpy, irregular, thick and uneven.
Yarn and fabric choice:
I chose a woven, beige background fabric - linen.
The looser weave of the linen will allow the thicker threads to be stitched more easily.
I will use 2 different types of thread: matt tapestry wool and stranded cotton - which has a sheen.
I will use a range of complimentary colours to create excitement and tension.
Technique:
The stitches used are lazy daisy stitches - these will be stitched randomly, and in different sizes, across the fabric surface.
Using the wool first, followed by stranded cotton will create a lumpy, bumpy surface.
Finished sample:
The 2 contrasting threads - one shiny, one matt, created a good textural effect.
The stitch used created bumps on the surface.
The complimentary colours - purple and yellow created a good visual effect - a lumpy, bumpy visual look.
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| Lumpy sample: lazy daisy stitch |
Texture 4: Ridged
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| Corrugated card: oil pastel |
I felt the best word to descride the texture was ridged - other words could be: corrugated, furrowed, ribbed, rucked and wrinkled.
Yarn and fabric choice:
I chose a woven, beige background fabric - linen.
The looser weave of the linen will allow the thicker threads to be stitched more easily.
There are 2 threads being used: a thick twine and silk thread - the twine will be thick, bulky and rough in texture, the silk will be smooth, shiny and lustrous.
Technique:
The stitch used is couching - the yellow silk thread couched over the beige twine will create ridges on the surface of the fabric.
Finished sample 1:
The silk thread created a beautiful shiny stitch, reflecting light - creating shadows where the ridges met.
The stitch used created ridges on the surface.
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| Ridged sample 1: couching |
Using the same background fabric and twine, the couching thread was changed to a metallic thick thread.
Finished sample 2:
The metallic thread created a different effect from the silk; the light sparkled, it was a rougher more textured finish.
The stitch used created ridges on the surface.
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| Ridged sample 2: couching |
I found another good example of a ridged texture from one of the exercises - this time it was from a printing sample.
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| Printing with a bottle top |
Yarn and fabric choice:
I chose a woven, beige background fabric - linen.
The looser weave of the linen will allow the thicker threads to be stitched more easily.
The thread being used is crochet cotton- this has a sheen to it, which will contrast nicely will the matt beige background fabric.
Technique:
The stitch used is buttonhole stitch - the buttonhole stitch applied to threads stretched across the surface in rows, creating a crocheted fabric.
The 'fabric' will be applied to the base of linen at intervals to form ridges and waves.
Finished sample 3:
Light and shadow was created due to the shine and texture of the stitches.
It made a nice texture sample - but possibly not the best way to create a ridged texture.
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| Ridged sample 3: buttonhole stitch |
Texture 5: Crusty
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| Slate wall: photo |
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I felt the best word to descride the texture was crusty - other words could be: crisp, hard, crunchy, rough, knobby and lumpy.
Yarn and fabric choice:
I chose a woven, beige background fabric - linen.
I liked the close weave and the colour of the fabric.
The thread being used is stranded cotton - this has a sheen to it, which will contrast nicely will the matt beige background fabric, and has a variety of colours available.
Technique:
The stitch used is French knots - these will sit on top of the surface of the fabric, creating a crust.
A similar colour range will be used in the thread choice.
Finished sample:
The stitch created a crust on the fabric surface, it was crunchy and lumpy.
A similar range of colours used gave the sample the look of a surface that was crusty - the colours of the top of a freshly baked loaf of bread.
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| Crunchy sample: French knots |
I had intended to use a bigger variety of materials to create these samples - but somehow the stitches made with thread, won.
The beads, plastics, buttons etc stayed in their bags.
I enjoyed planning out and thinking the samples through before I started working on them - sometimes my ideas changed as I was stitching, eg, the red sample for distorted, this was not what I had planned to create at all - but I liked the way it turned out.
My favourite sample was the last one - I loved working the french knots, and creating the colour changes. The sample took far too long to make - but I enjoyed the process of stitching it.
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The finished pages:
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| Smooth and Distorted Stitch samples |
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| Bumpy and Ridged Stitch Samples |
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| Crusty Stitch Sample |
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