GROUP EVALUATION

Group Evaluation

Contemporary Typography Group 7

Our ultimate vision was to create a typographic piece that relied on the sense of touch rather sight. We linked our work historically and contextually to samplers, and war maps. We individually created typographic samples that each explored personal memories. A memory can evoke emotional senses and give a sense of security to an individual. We thought that the most appropriate media to illustrate this idea would be a hand-made security blanket. The use of white on white symbolizes the purity of the memories. To advertise the idea to others, we have photographed the blanket in use, hopefully encouraging people to take their positive memories further.

The blanket is a starting point, a physical example of how this concept could be interpreted.

We started off by researching into typographical samplers, as the idea of combining stitching and typography was something that we were collectively interested in. We wanted to explore the idea that fabric lasts longer than paper, and then started thinking about things that people always want to preserve. We worked individually on 30x30 cm fabric squares using different stitching techniques to create various letterforms. We put the 15 final squares together to create a single blanket. We used photography, which allowed us to to clarify our idea through advertising it in the form of postcards.

Throughout this project, all of the members of our group have made solid effort to have equal input into the project. The final work clearly illustrates how we have used our individual skills to create a collaborative piece. We have used the blog to share research and ideas and to organize the project.

The final Blanket

Final Postcard 6

Final Postcard 5

Final Postcard 4

Final Postcard 3

Final Postcard 2

Final Postcard 1

Postcard Production

To illustrate and clarify our concept we have decided to

produce a series of postcards to encourage others,

to " Wrap up in memories". This is a production shot

of the postcards being produced.

Working on the photo shoot

Production in pictures...

Here are some photographs to illustrate the making of our lovely blanket.

From the stitching of each individual square to the final product...

Moss gravestone letters

These are pictures taken of a gravestone that had fallen on its back. There is moss growing in the groves of the engraved letters.

I think this is really special- living letters on a fallen gravestone.

Patchwork kneelers

Here I have tried to make the images of the kneelers ‘come to life’ in a textile form. The images have been printed onto fabric and I then made a mini-mini-patchwork idea from them.

Brightling church

This one is my favourite- 'A Prisoner of Hope'.

I recently visited one of my local churches, it was very idyllic, the perfect little country village church. On the modest wooden benches there was a rather large assortment of kneeler cushions. They were each individually hand embroidered with a large variety of imagery from a harvest scene complete with combine harvester to a nest full of feeding baby birds, my favorites however were the personalized ones- the ones with people’s names and dates on them. I am not sure if they were made specifically for the person named to kneel on during service of if they were made in memory of them. They are however each completely unique and very special.

Again, I love this idea of labelling and the use of text being very informative and straightforward.

Sara Fanelli

Fanelli is an incredible illustrator who takes famous quotes from the likes of Leo Tolstoy, Albert Einstein, Socrates, E.E Cummings and Oscar Wilde (to name but a few) and incorporates them into her fantastical illustrations and ‘monsters’. Her work is so very individual and inspiring, she has an astounding imagination and her use of text within her work is what makes it so very special.

Breeches Corduroy

I saw this picture in a fantastic textile magazine called ‘Selvedge’. I just thought it was a lovely way to illustrate the basic function of text. Labels and labelling for information- there is nothing to distract you, no hidden message, just a small bit of text that tells you all you need to know about this particular pair of corduroy breeches.

Poor.Old.Tired.Horse

This is an exhibition I went to back in June 2009. It was about 'art that verges on poetry'.

It was a very interesting exhibition and it made me think about how poetry is normally something you read from a book and it is generally written in a pretty standard typeface. This exhibition explored ways of incorporating the poetry and what it was saying with sculpture and imagery, making the text almost more emotional and meaningful. It was a very refreshing way to read poetry!