Chapter 9 Decorative papers

A selection of papers were decorated related to the conservation theme on the Clean Air Acts 1956, 1968 and 1993.
From work completed in Chapter 8 I have now selected two main designs to work from, either to be used separately or combined.  They are the top ones on each sheet shown here - Design A and B

 

They are simple designs but through design development can be varied in appearance.

I am considering producing a wall hanging of three layers, to hang over one another, but because they will be displayed on an opening towel rail arrangement, different layers will appear according to how the hanging is opened. 

 

Colour

Colour is important, with different ones related to the three different layers.  Each layer is different depicting how the Clean Air Acts have resulted in an improvement in air quality.  The colour ranges will include light and dark tones, with some complementary colours.

Alongside the colours selected for each layer is an indication of the symbolism within each, using as reference sources - 'Brewer's dictionary of phrase and fable' and Sandra Meech 'Contemporary quilts: design, surface and stitch'. Batsford (2003) 2005.

 

Top layer:

Depicting the smog and murky colours of the Great London Smog in 1952, also has colours relevant to sunset, the dying end of a day (the need to end the deadly air pollution).  Clean Air Act 1956

Colours chosen:

Black: symbol of evil, falsehood and error (smog and black smoke)

with tonal change through darker to lighter greys

Hints of purple and yellow (sunset)

Purple: symbol of justice with its complementary colour

Yellow: can denote faith, constancy, wisdom or glory and in art, jealousy and inconsistency.

Turner used sunset in his 'The fighting Temeraire' (1838) a ship being taken to scrap

A hint of gold and is the metal that links with yellow

 

Middle layer:

Depicts some improvement in air quality.  Clean Air Act 1968

Colours chosen:

Tonal changes in grays with some white

Hints of blue and browns with greens

Blue: symbol of hope - for the future

Brown: symbol of stable inner harmony

Green: hope and joy

Copper is the metal that links with green

 

Bottom layer:

Depicts an even more improved air quality.  Clean Air Act 1993

Colours chosen:

Blue:  symbol of hope - for the future

with tonal changes through different shades of blue to pale blue and white

Pale blue: symbolises peace

White: symbolises purity and cleanliness

Hints of silver is the metal that links with white

 

Making a selection of papers for design development

Having selected the colours to be used, A3 sized papers were made for each layer.  Each A3 paper depicted a different colour, with line and texture and tonal variation.

The final piece will be made up with patterns but the elements in each layer are related to sky, clouds, smoke, chimneys, water and will include reference to the Ringelmann Smoke chart (which monitors the colour of smoke)

Various papers, colouring methods and mark tools were prepared resulting in the following

Here I am using PVA glue to attach tissue paper to cartridge paper for a bottom layer sample to give tonal blues. 

 

 

Top layer


Black inks with different water dilutions then sponged over with bleach.  Quink ink allows bleaching, the darker Khandahar ink is more resistant to bleaching

Oil pastel patterned base as a resist overlaid with acrylic paints, given a final layer of PVA glue

On plastic wallet, using a wave edged mask sponged black, white and gold acrylic

 

Middle layer:

Oil pastel cloud shaped marks as resist then painted over with diluted Quink Ink

Using thin plastic bags, painted one layer with acrylic gesso then sandwiched it together with another bag allowing to dry with creases 

Same layer as top layer but to use overlaying one or other of the next two

Using brown wrapping paper, frottaged using three print blocks and different green oil pastels. finally sponged using used teabags

Mixture of Winsor and Newton brown ink, frottaged brown oil pastels and wiped across with bleached cloth

Wave A3 sheet overlaying brown ink A3 sheet

Bottom Layer

Dry brushed blue and white acrylic overlaid with occasional sponge effect in white acrylic

Four different tissues to give a tonal range of blues to white attached with PVA glue, let to dry then brushed over with bleach

On plastic wallet, using a wave edged mask sponged watered down blue, white and silver acrylic

Bubble wrap washed over with waves of acrylic white gesso

I also made some print blocks and using acrylic paints and Quink ink, used the blocks and rollers to transfer on to white tissue paper, to use as they are or overlaying other papers.  I also did one or two monoprints.

Here are the print blocks and a sheet of tissue with several prints.  Some did not work at all well others were more successful.

Intaglio prints.  Two using card the right one cutting away tile

 

 

 

 

Design development for Design A

To develop the design I referred to the inspiration boards, working as if there are three columns depicting each layer top to bottom, left to right, producing initially a design per column or layer.  I used additional papers as in Chapter 8 as well as those above.

 

Each A5 sheet laid horizontally, in sequence left to right

Same sheets staggered and slightly overlaid

Same sheets laid vertically

I then made a further three sheets. all A5 using different combinations of papers relevant to the columns, layers, but attached then in book form to give an idea of being on the towel rail.  Cut each section across each wave and could alter the sequence. 

Top layer and front of book, each curve cut and book held together with purple wool

Second page or middle layer

Third page or bottom layer

Different sections opened. Top to bottom samples from top, middle and lower layers.  It also shows that the back of sections can be too plain.  Need to resolve this problem

 A third sequence of sheets were made but this time A4 size and incorporating the hints of colour between sections

 

Top layer with a tissue section and print (Not clear print) 

Middle layer

Bottom layer

Showing opened section the back of the middle layer and the bottom layer.  The back of the pieces show a pattern as well as the front.  Used OHP plastic sheets so the backs show through.

 

Design development for Design B 

Initially I produced A5 samples again arranging them to depict a top, middle and bottom layer for the wall hanging.

 

This time the coloured papers were incorporated into strips using the Fibonacci sequence and OHP sheets.

Each layer has the same width strips, 1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 1.  It was helpful to have a sheet to follow with lines marked on it, which could be place under the OHP plastic.  The hints of colour were also incorporated.  On the top sheet these were the complementary colours of purple and yellow.  Middle layer his was brown and green(under the wave effect) and some blue.  Bottom layer silver.

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Original coloured sheet made in Chapter 8 with Design B

This is the top layer and as well as selecting coloured papers I have also included some pleating and use of a chimney print

 

 

This is the middle layer, with the strips beginning to be more varied and interesting pieces

This is the lower sheet

This picture shows the sheets placed alongside one another.  The lengths on each sheet are allowed to extend above and below.

Each sheet overlaid and staggered

Each sheet overlaid vertically.  This is almost a smaller example of how I see the final wall hanging.  Each layer different lengths

Following on from these samples I then made some A4 examples, adding further pleating, prints, text and could add illustrations

 

Here I am preparing the lower sheet, gluing strips on with Prittstick.  OHP sheets were used again and another A4 marked plain paper used to align strips.  This time the Fibonacci sequence was 1,5, 8, 3, 3, 1 with some variation between each layer

 

 

 

 

Three sheets laid alongside one another; Top sheet, middle and lower sheet left to right

Three sheets laid vertically with strips going horizontally as well

 Here is each sheet showing more detail

Top layer with prints and text and added dissolvable fabric sample

Middle layer with pleats, prints, text, cloud effect and grid overlays (in gel pen) At the right edge is a layered cut away fabric from Chapter 7

Bottom layer with smaller pieces of waves overlaying another, chimney print, smoke effect and grid and dissolvable fabric waves from Chapter 7

In conclusion I think I would still like to produce a wall hanging of three layers.
I see the top layer being shorter than the middle which is shorter than the bottom or back layer.
Using Design development for Design B I could use either the final designs on A4 or those on A5 with the additional enhancements as on A4 pieces.
I like the idea of vertical strips, needing to keep to the Fibonacci sequence to ensure the strips look balanced, although each layer or repeats could be different sequences
I could either elongate the one design for each layer or repeat them
For example the top layer could be A3 in size, the middle layer 2 lengths of A3, the bottom layer 3 lengths of A3.
The width can be no more than 30 cms as this is the length of the towel rail rods
Where possible I want to use shear or fine fabrics, using manipulated fabric or dissolvable fabric and stitching.  One idea is to use the dissolvable fabric where chimney smoke should be to create grids as in a sample in Chapter 7, black metallic thread on the top layer, grey on the middle and white on the bottom layer.
Using the OHP indicates what the back of the layers will look like, hopefully with added stitch they will blend in well with each lower layer.
Finally rather than giving severe edges to each layer I could incorporate the wave design in design development from Design A so they each hang interestingly.
The text I might incorporate could be taken from the sheets below:



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 8 Research for Conservation Theme

Having studied the colour and textural effects of water and sky, this and the next couple of chapters are on studying a conservation theme, making compositions and designs for a wall hanging. 
The topic is Air pollution, in particular related to the Clean Air Acts.  The wall hanging will mostly relate to skies but there will also be a link to water.

Evidence of Research
I researched the topic of  Clean Air Acts from 1956, 1968 and 1993 within the UK.  These Acts were very much related to 'The Great London Smog' of  December 1952, which resulted in 4000 deaths and a further 8000 soon afterwards. There was a realisation that something needed to be done to reduce coal dust particles in the air at the time of fogs, and a need to build on earlier Acts.

According to Wikipedia  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_Air_Act_1956 it is suggested that this major event helped inspire the modern environmental movement.

Sixty years following this historical event, The Guardian published a series of photographs of the London smog
http://theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2012/dec/05/60-years-great-smog-london-in-pictures

What is 'smog'? Classic smog results from large amounts of coal burning in an area and is caused by a mixture of smoke and sulphur dioxide and in the 1950's a photochemical smog was identified.  Ground level conditions are especially harmful to senior citizens, children and people with heart and lung conditions, and as shown in 1952 resulted in death.
This definition is more fully given at http://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/smog.htm

Clean Air Act 1956
This Act aimed to control domestic sources of smoke pollution by introducing smokeless zones.
Air pollution was dramatically reduced:

• domestic emissions reduced because of smoke control area
• gas and electric usage increased, coal usage decreased
• cleaner coals had a lower sulphur content
• power stations used taller chimneys and
• were located away from urban areas
• decline in heavy industry

Clean Air Act 1968
This Act brought in:

• the use of higher chimneys for industries using coal, liquid or gaseous fuels, to allow better dispersal of sulphur dioxide
• further development of smokeless zones
• imposed reduction of particulate emissions

Clean Air Act 1993
This Act extended the earlier Acts:

• to eliminate 'dark smoke'
• improve furnaces and the height of their chimneys
• declare smoke control areas under the auspices of  Local Authorities
• and for them to adapt fireplaces in private dwellings, churches, chapels, charities
• regulations for motor fuel

The above is with reference to:
http://www.air-quality.org.uk
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1993/11/introduction

Ringelmann Chart
This was developed in order to measure the smoke colour.  It is a practical easy to use series of grids measuring smoke colour emitted from a chimney over a period.  I found a brief but comprehensive explanation of its use on the Soliftec website, which included three different types of grid, a picture showing its use and record card.

It is suggested that air pollution of this nature is not so great in the West, but it is clearly still important to combat it for those emerging nations ' While Europe has managed to drastically cut some, but not all, of the most noxious pollutants ... emerging nations experienced the opposite trend....  The World Health Organisation estimates that about 2 million people die prematurely every year as a result of air pollution'  So globally a lot has still to be done.
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2009/04/05/jun04.asp

This is the background leading to the collection of relevant information to help towards a wall hanging.

Visual Reference
From all this information I produced a Visual reference containing a number of images, some documentation and abstract terms.  In order to distinguish between different periods of pollution I built up columns, with a tonal variation both vertically and horizontally.

The photographs selected reflect skies, clouds, smoke and chimneys, water and the colours.
The left column the darker, blacker side of air pollution adding the smog, murky element for the wall hanging.
The middle column the greys and the right brighter column
I also made a topic web

Drawings
Several drawings were made related to collected photographs (mostly my photos, references are given to those from secondary sources).  The drawings show shape, textures, patterns and colour related to smoke, clouds and water.  I used coloured pictures and drawings linked to a possible colour scheme for the wall hanging.  The marks will help when coming to do stitching.
These first three are linked to the left hand column.

 

 

These next five are related to the central column

 

This final set linked to the right column

 

Words related to the topic

In the topic web there were a number of words related to the topic, from these and a selection of abstract words is the following list

 

Selection of compositions or designs
Using black card 10cm x 10cm a series of compositions or designs were made related to the words, especially to show the abstract words.  The words were added to the design.
The compositions were then reworked using coloured papers 15cm x 20cm.
Using scalpel, metal ruler and cutting board it is important to be conscious of Health & Safety, ensuring the scalpel is covered when not in use.  Ideally the ruler should have a ridge along its length to protect fingers when cutting.
The colours used are shown here, based on those already identified.

Here are presented in pairs first the black design then the coloured design:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These last two are based on stitch work in Chapter 7 

 

To date I have selected five designs i,j,k,o,and r from which I will need to select 3 to make A3 compositions in Chapter 9 and final one for my final wall hanging.  Meanwhile I've put together a collection of pictures, drawings, and a few pieces of stitch made in previous chapters and am thinking of having at least if not more free hanging columns of work, either completely loose or stitched loosely together using stitch on dissolved fabric.  I hope to incorporate some manipulated fabrics, possibly in cotton, the other fabrics being delicate such as scrim, silk, satin, organza, voile, chiffon, cotton scrim and muslin.

This picture is of my ideas without stitched pieces added

 

 

The following three have stitched pieces added (See how the grids show through the smoke at the top)

Also the dissolvable fabric piece ripples in the sea as a possible joining between columns 2 and 3 

 

 

 

An alternative to having several columns of work - I have thought about three overlapping hangings on one of those towel rails that moves like opening the pages of a book, revealing different stages of pollution or tones.  I know the back of the work would also appear but that may be intriguing.  Those parts worked in dissolvable fabric would almost be back to back.