Evaluation of Origins unit

During my time in both knit and weave i have tried to experiment with many different techniques and engage with the workshops as much as possible, to get a good feel for each area. There were a lot of techniques to explore with knit and i found i could experiment with different textures and colour well, producing a variety of samples more instantly than in weave. Weaving has been slower but satisfying, because it takes more time and planning than knit i feel my samples are more considered and developed in weave. I have also become more confident with my use of colour as i have progressed through the unit.

(development collage from sketchbook, using photocopy of earlier drawing and pro-marker)

The two initial weeks of drawing and the friday sessions have helped me think about drawing in a different way. I have been looking at mark making techniques and ways of capturing the qualities of the subject as opposed to purely representational drawings. As i have progressed through the unit i have worked on collage techniques to translate my initial research into knit and weave patterns and have focused more on colour proportion and composition. I feel i have been successful in making connections between my research and sampling. I think i could have done more drawing throughout the unit and worked with a wider selection of materials to create more expressive outcomes, this would have helped me develop ideas further. 

(knit sample - fairisle design with floats cut and brushed)

Ways of finishing the samples and developing them further once they were off the machine/loom really intrigued me. I looked into this a bit, brushing, washing and dyeing different samples but i would like to explore this more. I have also been introduced to different yarn qualities and learnt to use materials sensitively, considering their properties. I feel i could have  given more thought to this to create more interesting textural samples; it is something to develop in the next unit. 

(back of a weave sample on striped warp)

I have found producing a mood board and working into a sketchbook helpful in gathering my ideas together and making connections between them. Group discussions and tutorials also helped me to progress with my work; it was interesting to see how others used their sketchbooks.

One of the things to build on in the next unit is contextual references. I looked at some in this unit but researching more would broaden my knowledge and inform my work for the better.