Further development ideas

This sketch described an idea I had of creating large timber frames (between 6-10 ft high) that would house directional light and be covered with fitted calico that was printed on the reverse. This would only allow the light to expose the prints on the exterior for the spectators.  They would sit on interlocking concrete slabs that would be detailed with images from the craft foam. This may be to time consuming but really feel I am now on the right track for the final.

Repeat pattern

Repeat pattern designs for cement slabs.

Tower block

I feel that this is a good description of the living conditions within the tower. People stacked upon one another continuing for 20 plus floors.  Original I intended to use silk screen to show this but feel the effect of the craft foam help to create a more claustrophobic atmosphere. 

Printing with craft foam

This is another experiment with the craft foam which I found to have beautiful results.  The sharp and crisp lines ties in to this project well. There is a level of depth to these prints which you do not get from a lino print which is created from the texture of the PVA. On fabric I found the effect to be especially intriguing as the texture of the calico lends itself especially well to the depth of the print.

Printing on brown paper

I thought the brown paper would not only have less tooth than sketch book paper but also thought the colour was reminiscent of some of the buildings original facade. 
It did have less tooth though the particular paper I bought had water proofing on one side.  This created air bubbles between the screen and the paper that didn't allow the ink to pass through.  Though I do feel that the effect added to the sense of decay and dystopia the we are left with today.

Problems with home printing

I forgot to lift paper for the prints I wished to complete at home.  I needed newsprint and some heritage paper but seens as it was unavailable I made do by cutting the blank pages from the end of old sketch book. 
I couldn't understand why the images kept appearing grainy and it was only after I had created a few that I realised the fault was not with my technique but with the tooth of the paper.

Figure drawing

By looking at classical sculpture it allows me to judge the proportions of my falling figures better.
The reason for simplifying the figures is so it translates better on to the concrete making the narrative of how not everyone fits the mould clearer.
I intend to only look at figures that are in distress or in a violent pose to highlight the anti-social behaviour that often gos hand in hand with these types of building's.
I chose classical sculpture as I have been told that art students used to practice drawing sculpture before they were allowed near live models. The nude poses allow better understanding of the structure of the figure.

mid module

I found that my research was throwing up more questions than answers in particularly when it came to the history of modernism and the prefab. Really feel that my sketch book is not reflecting the volume of research I have done so far. This started out as a wide field and it expand more and more. I prioritise my research and had to be brutal about what I intend to read further into or drop.  I looked in to connections between Fritz Lang 'Metropolis' and the Dunbar number as well as many artists however the hardest part of the research was the materials.

Trying to find a concrete retardant was not easy as the practice of exposing aggregate is uncommon in Britain, never mind making a pattern from it. The French seem to know best so had to get some rough translation and took a lot more further research to really try to fully understand the use of concrete and retardants.  I believe I know have a rough idea of what to do so now feel it is time to experiment.  I made a mix of concrete and put in to two moulds to which I then used folded chicken wire in place of a rolling tamper (which cost a fortune) to try and push the larger stones of the aggregate down.  I then used a asitate stencil on one, as the retardant would soak through paper and left the other exposed as to reveal all its aggregate.  I sprayed on the retardant then waited the 24 hours before removing from the moulds. Unfortunately however the cement I used had been sitting open for over a year which means it had went off and cause the blocks once removed from the moulds to crumble. Having had more experiments now I feel as if I have spent far to long on the concert retarders and feel this will take far longer to perfect. At this stage I am calling time on the retarders.

I have took photos in London,  Glasgow,  Cumbernauld and Stirling of modern brutalist architecture and find a surprising number are made from pre-fabricated concrete or metal which all interlock once on site.  I feel this will aid me in my work as I have often used repetitive multiples before.  I feel that the next step is to try and create a mould that interlocks with others to form an architectural structure. I made a paper template which should have fitted but once I traced round it, cut it out and sanded they didn't quite fit in to each other.  I also made the window surrounds to thin and there for delicate which meant getting it out of the vacuum formed mould was difficult and led to parts breaking.  I feel overall however that this could be really successful and plan to take this further. I feel that this would also help to show this universal size that would fit all people's lives that the likes of Le Corbusier and frank Lloyd Wright were in search for. 

Next I am doing further experiments in to concrete, look at shuttering to create a shuttering styled mould to create better interlocking structures, and narrowing down the images I will use in order to create a silk screen.

Dropping the retardant

Though I am quite sure if I put more time in to using the retardant I would be able to perfect it I feel I have already spent far too much time on it and can not really afford anymore.  At this point I will be focusing on the human element of architecture and the use of foam sheets to describe this.

Habitation unit

Le Corbusier came up with terms such as 'habitation unit' and 'machine for living' to try and described what he was trying to create. When others took his ideas thay did not take all the principles that went with it,  some of which had dyer consequences for the residents placed within. This trying to find the one size that fits all may have started with the best of intentions but along the way forgot or ignored the fact that people are not all the same. Below is some quick sketches that attempt to combine the habitation unit, the machine for living and the lifes that didn't always fit the mould. Like a factor products line I intend to show most of the figures standing up right, tall and proper like the uniformed building's that thay are in. However I will make some of them appear to jump, stretch and crouch to show not all fit the mould.

I have created a mould from foam sheets, that were good due to there ease to cut, non absorbing and cheap in price. The first small example I have created from this with concrete has worked out great and and am being to feel positive about the route this has taken.