Hello!

I don't know if anyone cares/noticed/is confused/is even reading this as I haven't given anyone the address yet, but I decided to start this to document my foundation year. Partly for myself, so I can look back and see how I felt about different things, and partly because when I get excited about a new project at college, I want to be able to show friends what I'm going on about :)

I've written about 8 posts, but haven't posted all of them because I don't have photos of everything yet. Hopefully I'll keep it quite regular and post about each project.

Love,

Katie

x

September 3 - Paper Manipulation 3 - Paper Garment

This was my favourite of the paper manipulation projects. We were allowed to use black, white or brown paper and dresspins to develop a garment on a mannequin. This project was intended to be an accumulation of the two previous paper projects, and we used photos as inspiration. (There was also a matchbox project, but I've lost the photos and it wasn't that exciting anyway).

I used newsprint paper for most of my garment, as it's a lot easier to control and shape. I also used some textured wallpaper, which I originally used merely because we didn't have any plain lining paper left, but I think the visual and textural effect of the textured paper against the newsprint is definitely a bonus! 

I was intent upon creating some kind of hooped skirt, and spent around 4 hours screwing up newspaper and wrapping it round in a circle, it wasn't quite how I'd wanted it, but I think it turned out alright in the end.

Suspended with thread in case you were wondering!

I also had to include my little obsession of paper cranes, and I'm hoping I can reach my aim of 1000 this year. I should probably start counting or I'll never get there...

This is the final dress. We photographed them in the lovely studio, which is something I've never done before and I really enjoyed it. I didn't realise how simple it can be to produce professional-looking photos (when you've got the equipment)!

September 2 - Paper Manipulation - Paper Room

So on the Friday we were told to buy ourselves decorator overalls and lining paper, and to bring in our decorator's paintbrushes. We were also told to wear shoes that we were comfortable climbing in.
Naturally, we were terribly excited and dreamt up ideas involving rolling around in paint and climbing trees.

Jess and I in our overalls

Our actual task was a little disappointing compared to our fantasies, as we were told to 'change the space' of the life room (a room with no natural light where we do life drawing) using only lining paper and masking tape (which later evolved to lining paper, masking tape, duct tape, pins and a staplegun, thank goodness).


You might think that this idea has a lot of potential, and perhaps you're right, but with thirteen  students in one room, the illusion of a magnificent installation is soon broken. We started off sitting in a circle coming up with ideas and making a vague plan, but our main course tutor (Tony) told us that we had to get on with doing it because that would work much better yada yada yada. So we all started making walls and attaching strips of paper to the wall and causing chaos with no real idea of what we were aiming for. The result was that we did 'change the space', but I know I wasn't particularly proud of it, and most of the others were going a bit mental after being cooped up in the room for three days.


Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked; here are some 'abstract' pictures of our disappointing masterpiece:

Then, we finally got to wear our decorator's overalls! Alas, there was no rolling around in paint involved. Earlier in the week, we'd been given the task to produce 10 patterns each (also part of some later project that we have yet to discover). We projected these patterns onto the walls of our fabulous creation and took photos of it, then painted the patterns on using black, white and grey paint. Not only was this pretty frustrating (course tutor number 3, Leslie, is a huge nagger and wouldn't stop shouting for at least 4 hours straight), but paint goes through the overalls so they weren't even worth wearing! I've kept mine, I'm sure I'll find something to do with it eventually...

September 1

Life drawing of a man called Terry. Actually, this was fine because I've done life drawing before, even if it was with an overweight woman rather than a reasonably toned man!


PICTURES SOON! I keep forgetting to photograph them..