Glasgow // Edinburgh

GLASGOW 

EDINBURGH

History of Your Life in 4 Objects // Present

My final object to represent the present is a watch given to me by my parents for my 18th birthday.

When you turn 18, it is an important age because you are no longer classed as a child.  My parents wanted to get me something meaningful and long lasting to remind me of this birthday, so they bought me a watch.  I chose which watch I wanted, so it wasn't a surprise gift, but I am glad I did because my parents' tastes are different to mine.   

The watch is designed by the luxury brand Gucci and it was manufactured in La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland.  Below are some pictures of the factory I believe the watch was assembled in; you can see the sign "Gucci Group Watches" in the second photo.  Gucci watches are sold in the brand's stores and through other jewellery brands; mine was bought from Beaverbrooks. 

A watch is important because it enables us to know the time.  It is constantly looked at by the wearer so they know the time and it is seen by others as a fashion accessory.  In the future, I would like to work within the fashion industry as a designer so I will need to know the time so I can be punctual.  The fact that the watch is made by Gucci is a reminder of the fashion industry and the possibility that I might work for a company like theirs in the future if I work hard enough.

History of Your Life in 4 Objects // Late Teenage

My third object to represent my late teenage years is a set of Karisma colour crayons.

A Level // Karisma pencil drawing

I purchased the pencils in my early teens but it was during my late teenage years that I used the crayons most frequently to complete GCSE/A Level Art and Textiles coursework. My older sister Jo used Karisma pencils to colour in clothing in coursework for Textiles too; as she was going on to study English Literature at university, she no longer needed her pencils. She gave them to me because she knew I enjoyed drawing and would need a good quality set of pencils for Art and Textiles.

My colouring technique pre-GCSE was to press on hard to form block colour so the pencils began to decrease in size rapidly. The fact that they had been half used by my sister also added to their shrinking size. I decided to buy a brand new box of Karisma pencils but sadly found that they had been discontinued. The pencils were made in a plant in England but it was closed in 2005 because the company wasn't making enough profit in Europe.  I really liked the soft feel and vibrant colour quality of the Karisma crayons; Derwent Coloursoft were an equivalent quality crayon available to buy but I disliked the rougher feel of the pencil on the paper.  Luckily, I was able to buy an unopened set of Karisma pencils off the online auction site Ebay. 
 
 Looking at the scanned picture above, most of the pencils are still really long despite the fact I've used them continuously for coursework at GCSE and A Level.  I remember lots of long days and late nights where I stayed up until 3/4am in the morning at my desk, surrounded by my pencils and a strong mug of coffee.  They have produced pages and pages of work that document my progression in drawing and in the education system.  Without them, I wouldn't have been able to produce the work for exhibitions and my portfolio.  In the future, the pencils will continue to be used to help me progress in design and my career.        
 

History of Your Life in 4 Objects // Early Teenage

 My second object to represent my early teenage years is a pair of glasses.

Losing my sight was quite a shock; it happened very quickly over a short space of time. At first I found it a bit harder to see the whiteboard in class. By the following week, the once sharp figures on the television set had turned into hazy blocks of colour. I went for an eye test and was told I would need to wear glasses constantly to be able to see again. 

This object was very important during my early teenage years as it gave me my sight back. It also changed my appearance; I used to hate how I looked, I longed for contact lenses. At the time, glasses weren't seen as fashionable (cue the line "Should have gone to Specsavers"...I did?) Nowadays, "geek chic" is fashionable and many people choose to wear vintage style frames (inspired by bygone eras). People who don't even need to wear glasses for their sight buy clear lens frames from clothing brands such as American Apparel in order to achieve this look.

  

I hope this object will continue to be seen as something desirable in the future instead of something that is a hindrance to a spectacle wearer. Contact lenses/ laser eye surgery are increasingly accessible, erasing the need for glasses. It could be said that they are becoming a luxury, an accessory that can be used to dramatically update someone's appearance/achieve a certain look e.g. vintage geek chic.

History of Your Life in 4 Objects // Childhood

My first object to represent my childhood is a photograph.

Many photographs are taken as a child grows from a baby to an infant to a junior. I have chosen three examples of this object to represent my grandparents; they were highly significant in my upbringing and only present during my childhood. Photographs are generally quite cheap to produce but because the subjects are no longer alive, the objects have great sentimental value.

These photographs were probably taken by my mum as

A) she was the only person who usually had a camera on her and 

B) she always made sure she took photos of anything of importance. This is evident from the series of photos above. From L-R: my birth, my christening and my Nana getting a kitten called Jasper.

At the time, these photos helped to create a record of me as I grew up. Now, I think the objects act as reminders of the past and people within it.

   

Fashion // Hepworth & Rothschild Inspired 2D Piece

During my second taster session in Fashion, I compiled a collage of different colour schemes based on two colours, red and green, in my sketchbook.  I used magazine cuttings of colours to see which different shades would work together before making a larger piece.  This piece also incorporated images and objects we had collected based on the two colours e.g. green cd case and strip of cardboard and a red sketchbook page painted red.  

I would have liked to have done more on this piece as I don't think it looks as good as it could have; I think it needed more objects and shades of colour placing on it because it looks quite plain.  However, I was running out of time in the lesson and needed to move onto making the bigger piece.

I worked with my friend to produce the piece in the photo below.  After looking at each other's set of 4 collages, it was clear we were both interested in the graphic, angular work of Eva Rothschild (in particular, her linear sculptures "Sweet Valley" and "Stairways").  Curved, circular shapes within the collage were inspired by Barbara Hepworth sculptures we had seen on our visit to "The Hepworth" gallery.  

We used objects we had collected within the piece (bag handle, cardboard packaging etc.) and stuck them alongside paint, different coloured tapes and magazine cuttings.  Colour was the most important aspect in our work; we decided to go for vibrant shades to imitate the bright colours we had seen in Eva Rothschild's sculptures.

After we had made the 2D piece, we fashioned it into a wearable piece which Libby modelled while I took photographs.  I really like the way the lines on the 2D piece are reflected in the sharp angles of the 3D piece.  My favourite photo is on the far right of the photo strip below; I love the way the curved dent in the shoulder makes the piece look like a smooth, stone sculpture of a bodice.

  

You can view the full set of photos on my flickr page: 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ella-northedge/sets/72157628088569181/

Fashion // Inspiration: "The Hepworth" Gallery Visit

On the first day of fashion, I made a set of 4 paper drawings using different papers to make negative shapes with ink and graphite drawings over the top of the collage.  My inspiration for the drawings came from sketches I did of Eva Rothchild's sculptures in the exhibition "Hot Touch" at "The Hepworth" gallery.

 

I picked out elements from the 4 collages and used them to create a further set of collages that focused more on colour.

 

Indian Summer

Experimental Photography // College

COLOUR

MOVEMENT

Gerhard Richter // "Panorama" Upcoming Exhibition

http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/gerhardrichter/default.shtm

  

I need to go and see this exhibition! While I was doing A Level Art, I looked at Richter's works for inspiration for my project. I love the photographs he coated in paint; the colours and patterns that the paint made as it was applied to the photographs looks beautiful.