Final Screen Print Samples

This is how my final collection of screen print samples turned out. 

I enjoyed print- it was interesting to experience the contrast between the digitalised process of CAD and the  busy, messy, hands-on nature of screen printing. I realised they are both similar in how layers are relied on- in digi print, its 'layers' of photoshopped motifs, and for screen print it's layers of stencils and colour. 

I was really pleased with my digital prints (you can look back at them here http://hannahhappymaking.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/my-digital-print-designs.html !), and I feel like my final screen prints are also successful in conveying the sense of fun, energy and excitement of my 'Box Clever' research. I decided to apply sections of foil over the top of some of my prints to link to the shiny nature of lots of my objects, and I'm pleased with how this helped to give them their own identity. If I could repeat the process again, I would have loved to have had more time to experiment with the layering of my stencils, as I ran out of time to even use everything I had cut, let alone explore the full potential of each design. The time pressure resulted in some ink spillages and slightly messier areas that might not have happened otherwise, but it was a good challenge to work with the process and learn to adapt and shape my ideas in response.  

I know for sure that colour and pattern is my thing! Now I just have 1 final technical block: stitch. Then I'll have to decide which area will be my final specialism. I always thought I had a leaning to print...but we'll see!

Inspiration: Sarah Raphael's 'Childhood Cube'

Sarah Raphael's 'Childhood Cube' was in the creative gallery of the Museum of Childhood. Made in the millennium with input from primary school children, its filled with lots of little models and decorated with swirling patterns- to me, it was a playful, innocent, fun celebration of life through a child's eyes. 

Going with the idea of taking reference for my print work from hybrid imagery of my objects, this cube sculpture, with its randomly juxtaposed elements made by lots of different children and all pieced together, is another fun bit of visual inspiration. I like the crazy, patchwork feel it has due to all the separate parts being viewed at once, and I'll be experimenting with this feel in my digital prints. 

artwork reference:

Raphael, S (2000) Childhood Cube Mixed. Media sculpture/installation. London: Museum of Childhood

Box Clever

Taking inspiration from the idea of 'playing around', that came out of my Rough Guide research, I put together my box of things to play with for our second project: Box Clever. The week of drawing I just did was all based on the objects I collected for my box...so here's a view of what's inside!

My objects

Close up

I wanted to collect things that made me happy, and made me want to pick them up and play with them! My box in 6 words would probably be: fun, bright, crazy, energy, interactive, playful. I chose a clear plastic box, as I wanted the contents to be visible from the outside, intriguing people and inviting them to open it up. From the curious glances directed my way when carrying my box in on the tube each morning, I think it has had the desired effect. 

Everything and the box

Some of the objects are actually toys I shared with my brother when I was younger. I have many happy memories of us setting up brio train tracks all over the house. Lots of the things in my box move, or are meant for movement. They can be blown or shaken or wound or stacked. It felt important to me that the objects weren't just static and still- the whole idea of 'playing' involves involvement! This made it quite interesting to begin drawing from my objects, as I was thinking about how I could manipulate and respond to them as I drew.

Everything IN the box

I decorated the outside of my box with some sparkly streamers and stickers. This has given it a bit of a celebratory, child's party-bag kind of feel. I like that the box unfolds in different layers as it opens- suddenly you are faced with a whole spread of quirky little things. I've had fun putting my box together...now hopefully I will have fun deriving design inspiration from it!

We all love to play

When I was at the Museum of London last week, I passed through the 'Pleasure Gardens' Gallery and overheard a sweet little conversation that helped feed into my 'Box Clever' collecting. The space is filled with mannequins clad in elegant Georgian dress and when I entered, there were two little girls running around very excitedly. 

"Which dress would you wear?"
"ummm....THAT one! but with THAT hat. Which one are you?"
"This one looks like a princess-"
"-Over there, he's her Daddy"
"Oh, this one is me by the way. Actually, no THIS one is me!"

I couldn't help stopping and listening to them as it was so cute. 

"Mum, why can't we touch anything?"

As I'm basing my Box Clever collection on the idea of things to play with, it made me realise how touch is so important to playing. In the next room of the museum, there is a walkway of recreated Victorian shops, and it seemed the one most people really stopped to look at was the toyshop. Whatever age we are, I think we all love to play. We love things that are tactile, that we can interact with, that have moving parts and make us smile. So that is what my box has ended up being full of. Fun things, slightly silly and crazy things, things that you can shake and blow and press and twist around- things that I hope those two little girls would have enjoyed having a laugh with.  

My box- overview (October 2013, author's own)

Inspiration to start collecting!

How fabulous is this paper installation at the Saatchi Gallery?!

Marcelo Jácome’s Planos-Pipas

I went and saw this installation the other week, just as I was considering which objects to begin collecting and including in my 'Box Clever' collection. I felt like a little child again, standing surrounded by all these colours suspended above me! It reminded me of a kaleidoscope, or a mass of kites tangled together. Constructed from hundreds of bits of paper covering linking wooden structures, you can't help being amazed at the sheer size of it, and how bright it is. It filled me with a child-like excitement and awe, which was the perfect mind-fame I needed to start collecting my box of toys and things to play with. I want my box to have a similar effect when people open it: to make them think 'wow! this looks fun!'