Inspiration: Billy Kidd

Looking through the internet for inspiration I decided to look at the use of withering flowers in art and design. I came across a photography called Billy Kidd who has a number of beautiful photographs titled 'Decaying Flowers'

His collection of images shows that there is something beautiful and purely natural in the process of dying and the idea of flowers such as the rose can be just as beautiful at its withering stage. 

I particularly like the use of the dark background, showing the dramatic variety of vibrant and contrasting colours forming on the withering flower. These photographs will be a great source for the development of my colour palette.

Inspiration: Lyndie Dourthe

After researching into distressed surfaces I began looking at techniques to create this effect along with bringing in my floral influences as well. For my florals to blend into my concept I have been looking at more darker and dramatic hues, looking at withered flowers and foilage to represent the distressed and decaying of rust moss and metals as well as the coming of autumn and winter through decaying floral forms and petals. 

With this in mind I began looking at techniques that could represent this. I came across the designer Lyndie Dourthe and her floral collection titled 'Botanica'. Using paper and fabric she creates these very realistic flowers with the use of inks and dyes to create a kind of vintage aesthetic but with a modern twist. Each flower is delicately hand-dyed and the colours are restrained but vibrant.

I particularly like the use of darker black or brown dyes on the tips of the petals and could easily be done with dip dying of fabrics or paper giving a dramatic effect. This effect also reminds me of a withering burn effect.

restrained, but vibrant

The delicate hand-dyed papers and restrained, but vibrant colors make each flower a work of art. - See more at: http://anthologymag.com/blog3/2012/05/15/paper-flowers-by-lyndie-dourthe/#sthash.KGwHfvJe.dpuf

The delicate hand-dyed papers and restrained, but vibrant colors make each flower a work of art. - See more at: http://anthologymag.com/blog3/2012/05/15/paper-flowers-by-lyndie-dourthe/#sthash.KGwHfvJe.dpuf

hand-dyed papers and restrained, but vibrant colors make each flower a work of art - See more at: http://anthologymag.com/blog3/2012/05/15/paper-flowers-by-lyndie-dourthe/#sthash.KGwHfvJe.dpuf

I also like the delicacy of the flowers and I could simulate this using various thin papers such as tissue paper and fabrics like silk and organza.

Using these techniques as inspiration I am going to experiment with my own use of ink and dyes to create similar ideas for my project as I feel this will work really well with my concept and the style of work that I want to portray.

More of her work can be found here: http://lyndiedourtheworks.blogspot.co.uk/p/natiralia.html

Inspiration: Alex Ramsay

Using Google images as a starting point I spent some time typing in a number of key words relating to my project and tried to find some interesting surfaces and artists or designers. 

While doing this I came across these beautiful jewellery pieces from the designer Alex Ramsey who purposely distresses the surface to give her work an interesting twist to everyday jewellery.

Using enameled colour she experiments with applying this directly onto the metal surface leaving behind some interesting textures and colour. She also experiments with layers of material, creating even more depth and shadow to the pieces.

This gave me the idea to oxidize my own metals as visual research for observational drawing as well as colour palette development.

Mark Making: Bleach & Salt

Today I continued with my mark making experimenting and how I could represent decay, rust and erosion like marks. For this I decided to look at resist techniques and I chose to experiment with the use of bleach and salt for this. These everyday household items are a interesting way to produce expressive marks and are a good way to produce interesting layers of colour. Using my research of the artist Micheal Chase I also experimented with my scanner settings to give the images a digital illustrative look similar to Micheal's own art.

This first sample was produced using acrylic paint and bleach. Using bleach leaves behind a interesting bleed affect that reacts well to the acrylic and reminds me of growth, bacteria or moss.

This second sample was done with artists ink and salt. This has a nice crackle effect due to the salt reacting to the wet ink, soaking up the excess ink leaving behind a interesting effect that has similarity to rust or erosion. 

I continued to develop these two techniques which work really well for my concept. I began experimenting with combining the two techniques together to create some interesting and very atmospheric samples.

This final sample was done with artist inks and both the salt and bleach effect. After this dried I continued further with this by scratching the surface of the paper for a more distressed look.

I am going to continue with this and work with other mediums and techniques that could possibly have a similar effect.

Inspiration: Micheal Chase

While searching for artists and designers that experiment with texture I came across the artist Micheal Chase. His work comprises of heavy image distortion, layering, and digital manipulation which when combined produce expressive and innovative art pieces. His work has so much depth and detail due to his use of photography and his research of decaying and temporary surfaces. Manipulation of these photographed surfaces and his experimentation of distortion and vibrant colours also leaves a wondering and ethereal mood to the artwork.

Looking through his website I also found myself drawn to his floral art pieces. I particularly was interested in the use of heavy textures on such a delicate object and the idea of turning the rust and distressed textures with the florals and foliage into something unique and beautiful with such an unusual surface.

I think this works well and the idea of two completely different subjects coming together in such a expressive way. This could be a possible direction for my project, giving my work a feminine touch. With this I am going to experiment with this through drawing and primary research of my own florals and foliage which I will then work from and manipulate in digital form as well as traditionally through textile print and embroidery. 

Mark Making

Looking at my photographs there is a lot of emphasis on texture. With this in mind I decided to look at doing my own interpretations of this by using mark making techniques and a variety of tools. Using items that can be found around the house as well as brushes and other artist tools, I was able to produce different textures and ideas for print and stamping techniques which I am going to develop for fabric sampling.

I think this one in particular works really well. By using acrylic paint and a textured piece of polystyrene I stamped the surface of the paper leaving behind this interesting texture. I experimented with colour and layering to allow depth to the work. Because of the colour combination the marks seem to blur together and leave a cluster of shapes similar to the rust photographs that I have taken.

I used the same principle as above for this painting but I used a bright yellow background so that the shapes that are formed by the stamp stand out more. Both the paintings seem to have a pixel-like quality to them but with a expressive twist. I am keen to develop these further possibly into repeat pattern ideas or manipulated more in the print and embroidery workshops. I am also going to carry on with experimenting with different tools to create texture so that I have a variety to work with.

Inspiration: Amy Eisenfeld Genser

Searching though various websites for inspiration I came across the designer Amy Eisenfeld Genser on the website Pinterest. Using paper and acrylics as her medium she creates these beautiful canvas where she rolls the paper into tight spirals to create intricate, three dimensional art works. 

Her work is inspired by coral reefs but they do have resemblance to my own photographs of the tree moss. I particularly like the use of the rolled paper and its three dimensional form, giving the impression of growth and making the detail look like it is jumping off and taking over the canvas.