Fun with Fibers---How artists use and create textiles

We have a Fibers Studio in our art room where you can express your creativity by sewing, knitting, weaving, crocheting, making pom pons and stitching just to name a few Fiber techniques.

Fiber art is a style of art which uses textiles such as fabric, yarn, and natural and synthetic fibers-- (manufactured or human-made with chemicals like plastics--like the stuffing in pillows) .

Being made by hand and the materials used are what makes this  type of art Fiber Arts.

Natural Fibers can come from PLANTS  or ANIMALS

Let's look at some of the many ways artists use Fibers to create art.

Quilting-

the process of joining a minimum of three layers of fabric together either through stitching by hand, using a needle and thread or sewing machine.

Weaving

If something is woven it has been made by weaving.  "Woven textiles have a wide variety of uses from couch cushions to a pair of jeans or a backpack.  Weaving is done on a loom and there are a variety of types."



Basket Weaving is also a type of weaving and a Fiber Art

Embroidery the art or process of sewing decorative designs with needlework either by hand or machine

Cross Stitching

Sewing





Sewing can be done by Hand and Machine

Embroidery and sewing are two techniques that use needle and thread.

Knitting 

Knitting is a method by which yarn is worked on knitting needles to create a textile, or fabric.  Knitted textiles include sweaters and socks.  

Crochet
a handicraft in which yarn is looped with a hooked needle


Tie Dying and Batik
The color of textiles is changed through a process of dyeing.  This can be done with natural or synthetic dyes.
Tie Dye

Wax Batik

These two processes use a resist. The resist prevents the dye from coloring the fabric. The rubber bands and was block the dye and leave the pattern or design.

Wool Felting

wool felting is the process of connecting or blending wool fiber together.

dyed wool for felting

Paper is also a fiber material.  

Artists make paper out of pulp which is a fiber.

Artists can then create with the paper to make books, wall hangings, woven and sewn art works.

Next week we will open the Fibers Studio.  I can't wait to see what you create!

feedback

Sometimes it can be hard to tell next steps or if our work is finished.  You may look for feedback.

 feedback is information about our work that will help us improve.

There are two times to receive feedback. When our work is in progress and when we think we are finished with our art.

Your goal for your artwork is to be YOUR best quality, show that you cared and look complete when you are finished.

Feedback can really help you grow as an artist.

Let's look at how students gave feedback to a student named Austin.  Austin's Butterfly

start at .20 seconds

You probably noticed that Austin had to engage and persist to make this growth in his drawing.  Engage and Persist is one of our 8 Studio Habits of Mind.  

When we share and give feedback in our Studio, we will follow 3 RULES!

1. Be Kind

2. Be Specific

3. Be Helpful

Be Specific but don't but don't be mean.  Use the eyes of a scientist, what feedback would you give this student?

When you share your work and receive feedback, listen to the advice. Someone is taking the time to offer suggestions and trying to help.  Hopefully the advice they are giving is coming from a helpful place. Say thank you! If the advice you were given is not right for your idea, you can continue to think about it, not use the advice or use the suggestions you were given.  You can always try to make your art better at any point.

Will you be brave and share your work?

Will you use feedback to make your art better?

Will you make more than one draft?

Get in LINE --how artists use line

 

What can you do with a line? Artists use line to form shapes, create patterns and divide spaces.

Lines come in a variety of lengths, widths, directions and colors. Some lines are thick some are thin. Some lines are short some are long.

Composition VIII by Wassily Kandinsky

When a line is thick or thin we are talking about the weight of the line. Some art looks better with a thick lines while other times a thin line is just right.

 Artists use Contour lines! 

 A contour line is a fancy way of saying a line which defines the outline of an object.  Basically an outline!

Keith Haring

Let's look at ways artists use LINE.

Bridget Riley 

Bridget Louise Riley is an English painter known for her op art paintings. She lives and works in London and France.

The lines in Bridget's art create an optical illusion. What does Optical refer to?  Using thick and thin lines and changing the line direction can send different messages to your eyes and brain.

Solomon "Sol" LeWitt was an American artist who created art in a couple various styles.  Though his most recognized art used lines and shapes to fill large spaces and areas like rooms and walls.

Artists use lines to make patterns

In the south of Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in west Africa, near the border with Ghana lies a small, circular village of about 1.2 hectares, called Tiébélé. This is home of the Kassena people, one of the oldest ethnic groups that had settled in the territory of Burkina Faso in the 15th century. Tiébélé is known for their amazing traditional Gourounsi architecture and elaborately decorated walls of their homes.

Artists use lines to make shapes

Sonia Delaunay,  Prismes 1914.                                                                                 Rythme, 1938

Lines that close make shapes.

Piet Mondrian

Artists use lines when they draw

Pablo Picasso                                                                    Vincent Van Gogh

Artists use lines when they paint

Alma Thomas, Iris                                                                                                            Joan Miro,  The Sun

Artists use lines to make sculptures

Artists use lines when they create Fiber Art

Working with appropriated vintage photographs of artists, musicians, and politicians, Mexican textile artist Victoria Villasana applies a colorful layer of embroidery atop each image. Lines of color and bright highlights around the eyes seem to lend a sense of empowerment to the works.

Artists find lines when they take photos

Berenice Abbott

Now that we are familiar with the many ways artists consider line, let's look at one more contemporary artists that fills her work with line.

Shantell Martin

Shantell Martin is a London born /NY based mixed media artist best known for her free-form line drawings

"Getting deep into the flow of drawing allowed Shantell to let go of all thoughts, all fears, all insecurities .. anything that would get in the way of her being completely herself. Drawing gave her freedom and allowed her to create a space for herself."

"being yourself truly is the most important thing you can give your creativity."

As you watch this clip..........*It takes a lot of practice and experience for it to "just work"!

*Think about how you might store this inspiration in your creativity bank account?

"I come to a drawing with intention, a good intention to make something work"

-Shantell Martin

How will you use line in your art?

Will you use thick or thin lines?

What materials will you use to make lines in your art?