Shapes and Patterns on fabric.

Large scale fabrics. I think it is more obvious now especially with the bottom image that they some kind of anatomical form. The colours do help actually give some kind of context to it, especially the pink. It is a stereotype that work for this well, as I can flip it on it's head and turn it into a more positive representative colour.  The last image is my favourite , the one nearest the top still seems a bit radome in the composition of the shapes the image below makes a bit more sense.


Colour palette , aesthetically works well and I like the brighter yellow mixed with the darker hues, add a good variation of tone.

Study task 9- Synthesis. emendments

In a practical investigation carried out by practising illustrator Megan Naylor – Wardle, she attempts to investigated the wider picture and how women are objectified, but with the overarching aim of celebrating women’s bodies and being a woman, eliminating the objectification.  Throughout the investigation she also tries to establish what feminism is, by employing the feminist theories to her approach and process such as ‘The Male Gaze’ (Mulvey, 1975) and of how women’s bodies are viewed in society. Naylor –Wardle’s aim to try and eliminate the stigma attached to women being objects of heterosexual male desire by showing women’s bodies as functioning being and creating imagery that goes against the latter. She begins her investigation by considering the parts of a women’s body that are sexualised such as breasts. (see figure 1)

   - Figure 1.

From this she starts to study more into the anatomy of the female body. This is a part of a women that is rarely represented, but it is what allows women to do extraordinary things such as to grow and give birth to new life. It is also a key part of what makes a woman.

Throughout this investigation Naylor-Wardle also tries to establish an opinion into what it means to be a feminist. Dismissing the image of ‘The Default Man’ (Perry,TheDesentOfMan,p14,2016 ) that women sometimes adopt to be taken seriously, and replace. As such, the process she uses to create her images, fabrics and embroidery can be interpreted as traditionally female, however it’s about taking ownership over them and re appropriating them to fit into a different context of celebrating the female form. With this employing some the practical theorises such as Shannon Downey (Downey, S. (2017). She also uses print and pattern to break down the images with the intention of making them slightly obscure and driving the viewer to decipher what is depicted. The reasoning behind doing this is so the patterns could potentially be used in a more commercial context, hence spreading the wider message. Print and repetition is an effective way of mass producing imagery, whist also being ascetically pleasing on the eye and is very versatile. Although Naylor – Wardle’s investigation is highly experimental, the shapes are sometimes too abstract to read what they are. The larger whole image pieces seem to translate more strongly as there is a less confining space, and there is a more information. (see figures 2 and 3.)

 - Figure 2

 - Figure 3

There could have been more thought to colour as well. Using again a traditional female colour, pink, mixed with others again makes for a successful aesthetic but there needs more context behind it. Considering more colour theorist and studying the connotations behind different colours could have added another level to the concept. At the end of her project, Naylor –Wardle states the opinion that feminism is a theory that is all inclusive. That just because society labels certain activities and actions, as feminine, it is by no means the definitive view and just because you may partake in these and you are still a feminist. It is about having the freedom to do want and be who you are without the attachment of gender stigmas.

Shape and pattern developments.

Backtracking a bit and using the same colour pallet as when I started the fabric experiments.
I have been finding that I am using a lost of the same shapes and that they are still communicating as clearly as I would like them too , so I have decided to quickly go back and paint some of the sketches out using block shapes and a little detail. I found that as I was doing this my process I was thinking more about the shapes and where they fitted , not just making them aesthetically pleasing.
The image here is a good example, you can tell a bit more that is  it an internal structure but yet it is not obvious at a glance.

Stich shapes .

I am really happy with the way these have worked out. I have made an adjustment to the colour pallet and used yellow to give the image a more positive feel. I also works well with that darker green. Because the shapes where so simple I was able to play around with the stitching more and create patterns that way. I was still time consuming but still a quicker process. However I think that these shapes are not really saying much about the female body. I think instead of having a snake section of an image I should try and go bigger so that there is more space for information. Hopefully this way the viewer will get a sense of what the image is communicating.

I decided to add pink on the experiment below because I thought the the colour pallet needed additions and I need to make it more obvious that the piece is about gender so I am going to try and get colour to help me do this. By choosing pink as well , again a feminine colour in societies eye, I hope that I am sticking to my aim. Embracing the stigmas that society has given us owing them for our own benefit and creating work that can help to change that.

Fabric samples.

More fabric samples using a different motif. I am trying to  pick the best lines or shapes from my initial drawings and intend of cutting them out of Lino I have saved time and experimented with painting them on using the printing medium. It is not as slick a process and screen printing but is much quicker and I can really play around with colour and shape more. I am going to continue this more as I like the experimental nature of and I am producing outcomes quicker and this is allowing me to have time to stitch into them if needed.


This image here is similar to the last and I think that it has worked successfully again , but I am finding the process of Lino and then screen printing quite time consuming for this particular brief and I think that the pieces need to be quick and fast.

Bolder shapes too, I thinkably simplifying the shapes I could create some good graphic based patterns that look less hectic but still communicate my intended aim of celebrating the female body.

First fabric experiment.

Taking part of the observations I did from anatomical drawings I decided to cut a Lino to then transfer into digital format then  screen print it onto fabric. The reason for doing this is because I really wanted to try and create a patterns motif with the intention of when people see it they see the pattern first them desirer the image further to understand what it is.

I wanted to screen print it onto fabric because I really wanted to try stitching into it to add that extra bit of detail and to see what kind of effected it would have on the image. I do think though that now I have done this it make the image quite complicated but it dose give darker tines to the image.

I also really like the concept of stitching being a stereotypical female activity. Girls and women in the past used to do it loads in order to prepare them for a life managing the home, but I think switching the context around and using it to communicate a social message is rebellious and braking the traction that it is a domestic art form that is only acceptable for women to do.

Liking the colour pallet and I think that the blue is a good colour to use for the idea but some elements in the image where there is cross over are hard to see , so think more white space may be needed.

I really like the aesthetic of it too, if adjusted could be used of commercial products? would help spread the wider message and have a current and popular topic that individuals can relate to.

Synthesis study task 9

Throughout this investigation Naylor-Wardle also tries to establish an opinion into what feminism means. Dismissing the image of ‘The Default Man’(Perry,TheDesentOfMan,p14,2016 ) that women sometimes adopt to be taken seriously in patriarchal society , and replacing. As such the process, she uses to create her images, fabrics and embroidery can be interpreted as tradionally female, however it is about taking owner over them and re appropriating them it fit into a different context of celebrating the female from. With this employing some the practical theorises of practitioners such as Shannon Downey is a Chicago based artist, feminist and fabric artist.

Historically sewing was considered women's work, preparing girls for a domestic life. But this is why Downey states is why she loves it so much. Not because of the domesticity of it but the history of community it has surrounding it. 'I feel fortunate to be able to use this medium to talk about politics and social justice freely. I feel like I owe it to the women who come before me who couldn't.' Downey (date viewed 1/3/2017) http://moorewomenartists.org/badass-cross-stitch-activism-stitching-shannon-downey/.

Naylor-Wardle also uses print and pattern to break down the images with the intention of making them slightly obscure and driving the viewer to decipher what is depicted. The reasoning behind doing this is so the patters could potentially be used in a more commercial context, as McIntosh states ‘postcards, picture books, greeting cards… magazines’ (McIntosh, White Privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack,(1988 hence spreading the wider message. Print and repetition is an effective way of mass producing imagery, whist also being ascetically pleasing on the eye and is a very versatile. Although Naylor – Wardle’s investigation is highly experimental, the shapes are sometimes too abstract to read what they are. The larger whole image pieces seem to translate more strongly as there is a less confining space, and there is a more information. (see figures 2 and 3) There could have been more thought to colour as well. Using again a traditional female colour, pink, mixed with others again makes for a successful aesthetic but it needs more context behind it. Considering more colour theorist and studying the connotations behind different colours could have added another level to the concept. At the end of her project, Naylor –Wardle states the opinion that feminism is a theory that is all inclusive. That just because society labels certain activities and actions, as feminine, it is by no means the definitive view and just because you may partake in these and you are still a feminist. It is about having the freedom to do what you want without the attachment of gender stigmas.

Legs- it.

Illustrates my point perfectly. Women are still demonised and objectified within a highly male dominated institution for being women.

The Daily Mail published this article after Nicola Sturgeon and Teresa May met to discuss another potential Scottish Referendum. Why do two of the most powerful female politicians have to be objectified in a way which demonises women.  Owen Jones ( a well know left wing supporter) in the video below try to give some explanation as to why the Daily Mail may have decided to do this. He states that the Daily Mail in the past has demonised certain groups for example the NHS, Refugees, LGBT rights and Muslims. '...Hates Britain. ' that it hates what it has become and is a paper that is an '...open sewer.'  Jones claims that there is something happening in this country. He pin points one significant event BREXIT.  The majority of people voted to leave the European Union and won. But I strongly agree with his next statement that it wasn't just the state of the EU that made people tick the leave box. It was about the NHS, Immigration and this is where MP's in control of the leave campaign decided to lie, for example the campain bus which claimed a large sum of money would go to the NHS. Which in an interview later given denied it. The Brexit vote was also an opportunity to re shape Britain. A 'Conter revolution.' a back lash against the majority and women and the rights that they have fought for.  This is a symbol of what is to come if we don't stand up to this group of people , so this video below is essentially Jones call to arms.

This whole issue also links back to what I was saying in my essay about how female politicians  almost have to adopt  this male passoena in order to be accepted as equals by there male counterparts, but as soon as they start dressing in a feminine way this happens. It really baffles me how people can objectify these two powerful, strong women , but could this be taken as a threat ? that because they have so much power to some men feel that it is an oppression of there masculinity?  We are in a really unique place at the moment in Britain with two female leaders. This is a great move forward and shows a changing world but there still seems to be that call in western society for women and minorities to be brought down and suppressed.

Shannon Downey- artist.

Shannon Downey is a Chicago based artist who self titled feminist and fabric artist.
Historically sewing was considered women's work , preparing girls for a domestic life. But this is why Downey states is why she loves it so much. Not because of the domesticiy of it but the   history of community it has surrounding it. 'I feel fortunate to be able to use this medium to talk about politics and social justice freely. I feel like I owe it to the women who come before me who couldn't.'

She want to make stick a big cultural challenge aimed at everyone.

Even though from another interpretation of this could be that it can be seen as going back into the old ways of domestics and as a step back.
I think that there is a stigma of women who claim that they are feminists are against doing what are seen as feminine activities or actions, and if they do so are said not to be feminist. I think that this is wrong. Feminism should be about embracing everything and the freedom to do activities such as sticking and not have this stigma attached to it. Freedom for all genders. The image below was created by Downey to take to a women's march taking place when Donald Trump can into power.

I really like the powerful yet simple message this sends out.  And I think is a good symbol of women's rights. But I think that this technique dose need to be excited right in order to come across the right way.