Week 7: Thermochromic Ink

Thermochromic Ink!

The term thermochromic comes from the Greek word “thermos”, meaning heat and “chroma”, meaning colour. Something that is thermochromic changes colour as the temperature changes. In fabrics, a special dye acts as the thermochromic agent.

Thermochromic dye can be used in different ways. You can make images disappear, or you could make designs change colour by layering thermochromic dye on top of normal dye.

R  E  F  L  E  C  T  I  O  N

Again, this is another technique whose existence I knew of already, but whose workings I have never really understood! I’m really glad that not am I only exposed to so many new ways of manipulating materials, but that I also get to try them out!

Thermochromic ink can be used on many different products and materials, and I think that it lends a little magic to the world! I remember the first time I saw a mug that changes colour with hot liquid poured in. I wasn’t surprised, given the technological advances of our time, but I was pretty amazed. Another friend of mine has a phone case that changes colour with just your body temperature. You could then “draw” on the case or make prints with your fingers, that disappear in just seconds.

In the experimentation, I tried printing the two colours together on one sheet creating a design, almost like the mountains / seas / volcanoes / sky. The printed design is still kind of visible after heating it. I’m not sure why, maybe because of the material?

I think trying to just paint directly on the material or canceling more areas to create negative space that is not covered in the thermochromic ink would be interesting to try out in the future.

Week 5: Smocking, Elastics

This week we learnt a really cool technique, smocking!

What is smocking? 

Smocking is an embroidery technique that is used to gather fabric. Usually, this is done so that the fabric can stretch. As you can see in the picture of the little girl below, this technique is used widely in making dresses.

However, this technique also allows fabric to be gathered in a really cool way to create patterns. This form of fabric manipulation may be tedious, but the results are super rewarding!

 

R  E  F  L  E  C  T  I  O  N

I’ve seen textures made by smocking before, but didn’t know that they were produced by sewing the fabric to create folds.

After a little bit of googling and trying it out, I grasped the basic idea of how to do this technique. Soon, I was engulfed in finishing my pattern. It is really satisfying to watch the fabric slowly form into something mesmerising.

I experimented with using a leather-like material, and what I discovered is that the thickness of the material resulted in a sturdy form. I imagine that this would be useful in making shapes in garments or artworks. It makes me wonder what it would be like to do smocking on a flimsier material!

Week 6: Knitting

KNITTING

MATERIALS

  1. Knitting needles (or chopsticks haha)
  2. Yarn (or other materials)
  3. Time

EXPERIMENTATION

With the yarn that I had, I tried knitting with different thickness. I also tried crocheting again. In the past I did crocheting for my A levels, and made balls that are stuffed. I recreated that to the best of my memories.

I would like to explore more materials, as you can virtually knit or crochet any string like material, be it plastic, fabric or whatever. As long as you have it in strips and it is malleable enough, you can knit with it and I think the results would be interesting!

 

 

APPLICATION

Compared to knitting, I think that crochet is relatively more forgiving and unbounded. You can make virtually anything. You just have to figure out how the structure works in your brain. Other than the usual scarves, hats and mittens, knitting and crochet can be used to create unusual textures for fashion, for example.

REFLECTION

It was fun getting to know how to knit, since I was previously only familiar with crochet. It is very therapeutic and addictive, and I find it hard to stop knitting once I start. I do it everywhere, as I eat, as I walk, as I do other things. I usually can’t multitask, but with knitting my hand moves automatically, so my brain can focus on other things. How fascinating!

 

Minimalism Show – Olafur Eliasson and His Room For One Colour

O L A F U R   E L I A S S O N

Wait – Is that LPD? 

Olafur Eliasson isn’t an unfamiliar name to me. I have previously been accustomed to his works, even though to be honest I don’t remember which work exactly was first. But one that stood out is The Weather Project, which was done way back in 2003.

Created for the Turbine Hall of Tate Modern, London, this site-specific installation employed a semi-circular screen, a ceiling of mirrors, and artificial mist to create the illusion of a sun. Aluminium frames lined with mirror foil were suspended from the ceiling to create a giant mirror that visually doubled the volume of the hall – along with the semi-circular screen mounted on the far wall, its long edge abutting the mirror ceiling. Backlit by approximately 200 mono-frequency lights, the semi-circle and its reflection created the image of a massive, indoor sunset seen through the artificial mist emitted into the room. By walking to the far end of the hall, visitors could see how the sun was constructed, and the reverse of the mirror structure was visible from the top floor of the museum.

I loved this work, how simple yet so impactful it was. I loved how it completely transformed the space, I loved the grandness of it, the size of it. The atmosphere it created, and the environment it created. The way it influenced how people interacted with it, with each other.

People lied down on the floor, watching themselves in the mirror above them. It was interesting how at some parts the audience created something for themselves as seen above. An interaction that would not have existed if it weren’t for this installation.

Olafur Eliasson is well known for his large scale sculptures and installations. He often includes elemental materials such as light, water, and air temperature to engage with the viewer’s perception of space.

In this video, Eliasson talks about the formation of an idea, and likens the space ideas comes from to a treasure room. He talks about how sometimes words can amplify an idea, but sometimes, letting intuition flow in, the idea can be delivered more productively.

As someone who overthinks and is indecisive, I tend to put a lot of words into my work, feeling the need to justify everything so that everyone can understand me and my work, and it is difficult for me to be concise.

The video opened up my thoughts about how ideas can be delivered. The body reacts instinctively, and through understanding it and its host – humans, we can understand the essence of interaction better.

M I N I M A L I S M   S H O W

The Minimalism Show was very enjoyable. There were so many works, and it was intriguing to see so many ways a minimalistic approach was interpreted, by the artists, and then the audience. It was hard to choose a favorite, since I was really captivated by many. However, Eliasson’s Room For One Colour was one that solicited an immediate memorable response from me.

I think it’s fun to explore the museum with no expectations of what works I would be discovering. The element of surprise changes the experience completely.

Upon entering the space, you immediately notice that your sense of vision has been altered, in a very surreal, but familiar way – as if a filter has been put across your eyes.

We are familiar with filters – something that alters the image you see through your camera, most widely used in your phones. This is a common, familiar image that you see through your phone camera. However, this experience was analogue. It was physical. I was suspended in disbelief as I looked down on my grey – yellow skin.

“WHAT IS GOING ON” I couldn’t help but state this out loud.

The intense yellow lights altered our vision this way, and this was a new concept to me, that this could be done. The novelty, the non expectation, and having friends inside as visual subjects enhanced my experience of the space.

I realised that the body is engaged in a way that is the most instinctive, and it is really simple, yet very impactful, and I feel that Eliasson is successful in delivering that idea to his audience.