My project is focused on portraiture and capturing an individual’s personality. I used graffiti marks as inspiration for layered and expressive backgrounds which acted as a contrast to the neatly drawn images of the faces. I originally started by drawing all ages , but as the project developed , I found myself favouring the elderly and showing them in a youthful manner.
My project focuses on Alcohol and its impact. Through experimentation I was able to produce a range of collage-based pieces that reuse alcohol packaging to provide a base for painting. I kept my paintings small and only used elements of the face, to prevent the viewer from becoming distracted and allowing the collage to still be seen.
My art project is focused on the long term strength and resilience that forms as a result of pressure. Pressure in one’s mind is invisible yet it has undeniable physical and mental effects on a person. Despite being viewed as negative, I thought it was important to address how it makes a person stronger and builds resilience.
My project focuses on different aspects of wildfires. As it explores various stages that occur before, during and after a forest fire. It also looks at the impacts on wildlife and the environment.
My project was initially based around the subject of identity, specifically the concept of the importance of having a distinct identity in the 21st century. Due to my personal experiences with my identity and finding it over the years, my focus on the superficial parts of my identity (i.e. My physical appearance) has often caused me to lose sight of important factors in life such as the internals of my person, such as my interests, passions and opinions.
I believed that to develop this project I needed to use reference images of people in their most confident state, in ways that highlighted their defining superficial features. I intended to convey vanity and obsession with only one aspect of the identity with the abstraction of colour from my earliest work, displaying the subjects as one dimensional, and vain.
My project is about the anatomy of the human body, my work was inspired by artists whose work was based on similar themes. To observe this I looked at a range of skeletons and used books on muscle anatomy.
My project explores the idea of conformity and how minority influence and conditional love leads to misrepresentation of oneself. My art uses female models, as research suggests that women are more likely to be impacted by conformity than men. I wanted to show models as their true selves and I have done this using dramatic tone creating an atmospheric feel and a sinister connotation.
My project idea is about fast-food marketing and advertising. I wanted to explore the ways and strategies that fast-food chains such as McDonalds use to persuade people into consuming their unhealthy products such as the use of bold and vibrant colours, persuasive slogans, and commercial advertisement. Through my project I wanted people to realise that they are slowly jeopardising their health by consuming such meals
In this project I explored what it is like living on the everchanging coasts of Britain and how people have adapted over the years. I wanted to investigate how the characteristics of coasts around the UK have been shaped by their history and how these traditional aspects of coastal living have been sustained throughout centuries of change.
I am going to reflect on how much technology has really shaped the way of life and whether traditional aspects are still essential in keeping the atmosphere of coastal towns. The main materials that I have used in my project are oil paints and wax crayons, this decision was informed by looking at how materials and traditions have remained through thousands of years in coastal living, these materials reflect the hard-wearing nature of the coast.
Wax and oil are water resistant which reflects the strength and reliability of boats and other materials that are vital in the running of coastal towns. The hard work of people and the equipment is what keeps the traditions alive.
A-Level textile design encourages students to work with a wide variety of skills and processes across the fields of textiles, fashion and interiors. This includes printed textiles, constructed textiles, embroidery, fashion construction, weaving and fabric manipulation. Students are introduced to different techniques which they are then able to develop into personal outcomes. This can be clearly seen within the variety of imaginative outcomes produced by the students.
Learners are encouraged to explore both historical and contemporary techniques and to support their work with research into a range of suitable artists, designers, and trends. They are prepared for industry or Higher Education and all the students from this year are continuing their education by pursuing degrees in fashion and textiles or progressing onto the art foundation diploma course.
I hope that you find the work inspiring. I am very proud of what the learners have achieved this year, particularly due to the additional challenges that Covid has presented.
Clare Buchanan, A level Textile Design Tutor
