I have this thing with experimenting with as many items as I can get my hands on so I keep jumping from place to place><
Prof Ina mentioned the use of thread two weeks ago to create straight lines and I was very taken with the idea! But back then I only had cotton twine and I had to pick it apart to get my ‘thin’ threads- which were severely kinked and ruined the idea of straight lines. Also, I had to dye them by hand.
Horrifying flashback to the kinked cotton twine- I really liked the lines themselves but not for the systematic nature that I wanted to represent.
Systematic Lines:
I was inspired by Emma Kunz and Hilma af Klint’s really really straight lines.
(Taken from http://theartofmemory.blogspot.sg/2007/05/emma-kunz.html)
Emma Kunz deals with impossibly straight lines and very beautiful geometric and symmetrical shapes. I wanted to do something similar with my lines for the systematic lines.
“They Tens Mainstay” 1907 (Taken from: http://www.wikiart.org/en/hilma-af-klint/they-tens-mainstay-iv-1907) Similarly, Hilma af Klint does amazingly straight lines (by painting good lord) (Interestingly, here’s a link that I found where a designer used Hilma af Klint’s works as inspiration)
For methods of creating systematic lines, I went onto Google Images and Pinterest for inspiration and found an interesting artist who made thread-based line works.
(Taken from http://debbie-smyth.com/pins-thread/)
Debbie Smyth is a really cool artist who makes portraits out of pins and thread. She plots her lines carefully before placing her pins in place. Afterwards, she starts to fill in the spaces between the pins with thread so as to create portraits of her subject matter.
However, I felt that using pins to hold the thread in place (especially on such a small piece of paper) was not very good as it would take up quite a fair bit of visual space and I wanted the emphasis to be on the lines.
Thus, I decided to thread the paper instead to create my lines, instead of pushing pins in to hold them in place. This way, people will only see the thread woven in and out of the paper.
However, I realised in hindsight that I forgot to buy sewing needles. Which meant that I would have to thread everything by hand.
The back side of the sheet of paper I was going to use, all covered in dots that I poked in after plotting out my composition.
The front side of the paper where the neat lines would rest on. You can see all the dots that I plotted out (I poked out the dots with a thumb tack)
Halfway through the project. It took me about two hours to get to this point (because I had to stuff the thread through the holes using a paperclip and I had to constantly double check the lines to make sure that they were straight and in the correct positions.
(Check out a bit of video process!)
The finished product of weaving the thread into the paper! I really liked the way it turned out and how it was really straight and neat.
Just to show how messy the back is^ ^”
Sensual Lines:
Other than systematic lines with thread, I liked the idea of using thread to create thick, curving lines to evoke sensuality. Something that came to mind for me was braids. The curvy shape of braids to me is something that is very sensual and lush, which lead to my next experiment.
Braids:
I came up with a thin braid, but it was very thin and looked more like a skinny rope of sadness than a sensual braid.
I then decided to make a thick, long braid that I would coil into a curving line (like a snake) because it would create multiple small lines within the braid (that would then create a bigger line). Additionally, the texture would be a huge plus factor for me.
I needed the threads to be straight and perfect, but they kept tangling into little balls of evil.
A person has not experienced hell until he or she has tried untangling thread and setting it straight for six hours.
More tangles and tears
Here’s a video of me cutting and putting the threads together for one section of the braid. This took around four hours. (You can see me untangling the section at the end and you can even see the sun setting behind me)
Finally, I came up with this.
I really loved the texture that was produced (it felt really plush and thick). The shape of the braid was nice as well (although at this point I felt a little like a serial killer who had cut off his victim’s hair and twisted it into a braid to preserve it)
However, I did feel a little dissatisfied with the result as it came out a little plain.
Additionally, this method took really long so it will be very difficult to replicate within a week due to time constraints.
I started scrolling around Pinterest again for other ideas and came upon a work that led me to an artist on Behance- Christoph Bader.
(Taken from https://www.behance.net/gallery/12322563/limm)
This work was done digitally but I loved the idea itself because he managed to use thread in such a design and pattern that it looks sensuous (because of the sweeping curves- and somehow it looks very feminine, probably because it looks like a female body)
I really really want to do some experimentation on creating sensual lines like these but it will have to wait for a while as I get my other lines in order!
(Stay tuned for this experiment and to see if it’ll be a success!)
cool!