February 3, week 4

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Prior to this class, each student identified 2-3 songs that they find meaningful. Use one of the song (or a collection of songs) as a prompt to create the final weaving design. Students’ objective is to create a visually striking weaving that is a result of an effort to capture and express the elements students find meaningful about their chosen songs (musical motif, historical context, emotions, memories, feelings the songs elicit etc). The goal is not for others to recognize the song or to understand the personal connection, but for the design to reflect an engagement with an idea. The song serves as a launching pad and an inspiration for the creation of the weaving. Do not get stuck on the idea that this is a literal translation of the song and that you can not veer away from the song if an idea that pops into your head calls you! The song is a PROMPT. What I care about is that you have a plan you are excited to execute. I care that you make a cohesive and intentional weaving. Your weaving will be an abstraction of a complex experience.

Requirements:

  1. The assignment is NOT to make cloth. The task is to create a standalone weaving piece that embraces the unique qualities of woven and manipulated yarn and exhibits the personal touch of the creator. It should be evident that the piece was intentionally crafted by hand. Do not attempt perfection but rather pursue intentionality, playfulness, and problem solving.
  2. The weaving must be 36 inches long and the width of the loom. Justification must be provided for any deviations from the requirements, as there must be a clear reason for doing so. Students are encouraged to have an opinion about what they are making.
  3. You must be excited to make this weaving.
  4. Attention to detail and intentionality in the weaving process is a must (such as the finish of the edges, loose yarn ends). The visual choices made should not be random, and if they are, they should work visually. A hanging method must be devised for the weaving. Some traditional options are dowel rods (hidden or exposed) and found wood branches.

IN CLASS DESIGN TIME
15 minutes
1. Reflect on how the meaningful song makes you feel and write down the emotions, memories, and thoughts it elicits. Be concise and use keywords, phrases, or symbols.

15 minutes
2. Jot down any shapes, colors, images, or patterns that come to mind when you think about the song. Consider the mood and tone of the song and how this can be reflected visually.

If feeling stuck, answer the following questions:

What associations do you have when imagining the song as an image?
Does the song feel hard or soft?

Does it have high or low contrast?

If one were to draw the song, what quality of line would be more appropriate: crispy or fuzzy, straight or curved, solid or dashed, thin or thick, soft or sharp etc.?

Does the song have texture?
What colors dominate? What colors are in the background?

Write down more terms that summarize what you find meaningful about the song. Be explicit in translating the song into terms that can be expressed visually. For example if the song makes you feel happy, go beyond that… What kinds of shapes, colors, textures express that for you? When do you feel happy?

20 minutes
4. Sketch initial, small thumbnail designs for potential weavings. Sketch fast and without judgement on printing paper as many ideas as you can. If you need to look up images online to help you sketch, do that. These sketches must be driven by what resonates the most from your writings from sections 1, 2 and 3.

20 minutes
5. Identify one idea from section 4 and expand it into 5 different versions by changing the scale of formal elements (ex. color scheme, line quality, proportions, placement within the rectangular format). Vary the elements in a playful manner. Sketch large, almost to scale on large brown paper.

6. Continue exploring ideas visually and expanding on variations for the rest of the class. Do not settle for the first combination of elements in a drawing. Raise your hand when you are ready for feedback.

Homework for February 5th
DUE: dyed fiber must be brought to February 5th class dry, labeled with color recipe and in ball format
*Follow instructions in Technical Learning: Samples: Acid Dyed Yarn
Synthrapol is a speciality, ph neutral detergent; if it is not available in the cabinet, use any dish soap you can find in the dye lab
*Each group dyes the assigned colors and number of skeins and roving/batting listed in Technical Learning: Samples: Acid Dyed
*Images documenting the process must be pinned to Pinterest by each student. Images cannot be same from students in the same group.
*Legible labels with color proportions must be documented with permanent marker on fabric tape or on a separate piece of paper attached to the dyed fiber
*Students are expected to work together as a group, NOT individually; students should agree on a plan of action at the start of the session (who will document, who will calculate, who will clean, who will make sure that the floor is not wet, who will make the hanks/skeins, who will put eight figure 8s on the hanks/skeins, who will measure etc)

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DUE: 16″ of Weaving Sample must be completed by following videos in Weaving Technical Resources:  Creating Shapes, Color Hatching. By now, students must complete the following, at minimum:

*plain weave with one color; heavily beat one section (using fork) to see the difference between balanced weave and weft faced weave (this should have been accomplished in class)

*2 picks + 2 picks, 1 pick + 1 pick
Weaving Plain Weave with Two Shuttles/Colors (2 picks, 2 picks; 1 pick, 1 pick)

*3 rectangles of color with slits
Weaving Three Rectangular Shapes with Slits Between Them

*3 rectangles of color with weft interlock
Weft Interlock – Schacht Spindle 
Weft Interlock – with Rebecca Mezoff

*Tapestry is built like a brick wall

*Meet and Separate with 3 and 4 colors
Meet and Separate (tail to tail, head to head)

*surface embellishments of choice (choose from Surface Embellishments videos)

*2 found materials woven with plain weave

*create a shape

*practice clasped weft (start at 4:14)
Clasped weft – diamond shape