For this weeks workshop, we did 'drape'/'draping'. I had never tried this process before so I was really intrigued!
Our first task was to do some observational drawings on a set up that our tutors put together for us. I have never been a huge fan of standard drawing like this, but I gave it my best shot. We had 5 minutes on each drawing, just so it was really gestural. My process when drawing is looking at the shapes, and how each piece interacts with eachother. Mine are below:
From this, we then had to turn our drawings into 5 mixed media pieces. We had an array of materials to choose from. I instantly went for 3D materials - I have learnt, throughout my foundation, that my initial reaction to a lot of tasks has been in a 3D sense. I think that is my preferred way of working. This is really funny to me as I remember talking to my tutor, at the beginning of the course, about how I was so adamant I worked in a 2D way!
My first one was with tissue paper and string - I saw a shape, from my drawing and wanted to recreate it with folds, and tying the string through it.
From there, I then took the same two materials and did another version of this technique. Again, to represent a shape I had seen in my drawing.
From there, I looked at what other materials I had. Everything I had used so far was quite 'dry' - what about adding something a bit more fluid. I chose some ink and paintbrushes. I wanted to see what I could do with the two. Again, with another shape in mind, I created this outcome.
I wanted the ink to highlight the movement of each piece of tissue paper - I painted over sections to show this.
I then took my last two into a more 2D sense. My first page was with ink and the paintbrush. I started to recreate the bottom of the easels with the marks, which I much preferred as a piece. See below:
But then I continued to add marks and created this page:
I do think the first page was more successful but I wanted to push the limits and see how far I could go with these marks.
My last mixed media piece was with ink, a paintbrush, and then some drawing utensils:
I really like the contrast between the thin pen lines and the thick brushstrokes - in some of the close-ups, I think they could even come across as surface patterns.
From these 5 pieces, and with our project concept in mind, we went into 'drape'. As I am looking into using space, I chose two boards to start with. I collected some materials and with pins, started to arrange them. To begin with, I was inspired by one of my mixed media pieces - the motion I saw in it. Going from one side to another - see the photo below.
I had to be careful with what materials I chose. I added some where the colour was too bold, or didn't compliment the others, and it just didn't look 'right' - see the brown material above. I think with this process, it is about pushing the limits and recording yourself at each stage. I did this with photography.
This version of my piece, see above, has to be my favourite. I like the way everything has been arranged, the colours, tones, materials, all compliment eachother and as an outcome, I feel looks really exciting. I think the black material at the bottom is so interesting, contrasted with all the other 'soft' looking fabrics.
When making the 'drape' in this workshop, in my mind was my concept. As I was adding each fabric, I kept going back to the idea that each piece was a person, a woman more specifically. As I twisted, and turned them, really manipulated and pushed each material to its limit, I still ended up with such a beautiful outcome. I really relate this to the way women fought for their rights, their place in society. Numerous obstacles, people, etc, standing in their way but they did not let it stop them in fighting for what they deserved.
I really challenged this outcome, adding in such a variety of colour and thicknesses. I wanted to push it even further. I don't think these are as successful, but it was fun adding in brighter shades and tying around the string, etc, to see what it would look like.
I got a sense of togetherness - see the folds. Each piece interlinks with eachother in some way, linking to that true sense of equality, and feminism. Community and being unified.
As the session came to an end, I had some spare time. Normally, drape is made up of big pieces of fabric. What would happen is I cut these up, and arranged them in another way? I did this with a white sheet I had and this was the outcome. I like it actually. I think the white makes it really interesting, and makes you really look at each section, where it goes, etc, to try and differentiate them with the white boards. I also love how I have cut it up, not with much thought, more with the intention of getting different sized pieces, and the fact I have string coming down. From some angles, this looks really isolating. Instead of an idea I want to develop, this was more of a feeling I wanted to get out - I had been questioning what would happen if I cut up the fabric and draped it that way, so I 'got it out of my system'.
Overall, this workshop was a learning curve for me. I went into it very hesitant and worried about what I would produce, if it would be of any 'substance'. It was a process I had never tried before but really interested me. I think I want to take this idea of drape a little further, and link it to some other ideas I have had since starting the project.
Some pages from my sketchbook, documenting the workshop:
