In honour of #SketchBreak on Facebook and Twitter run by the
Design Museum, I have assembled a few
images below of my sketchbook work from 2007 up to present
day.
During the process of flicking through all my
black books of various shapes and sizes, I thought back to the mid 1980s
when I was at Manchester Polytechnic doing BA Hons Printed Textiles. I moaned about having to 'do' sketchbooks and yet 20 odd years on, I
have done a complete about turn and see my sketchbooks as the most
useful tool to collate my ideas, inspiration and design progression.
This change of heart is partly due to the fact that for the duration of my Textiles Degree,
the majority of our work was done on large A1 sheets and pinned on
boards rendering sketchbooks surplus to requirements. Fast forward to
2007 at the Manchester College, we did not have the luxury of our own
studio space so all work was done in sketchbooks. I adapted and found a
way to use them
that works for me - a mixture of photography, images from books, drawings,
tracing, quick sketches, maquettes and writing.
I used
to be very timid with my choice of sketchbook but now it's 'the bigger
the better'. I feel no pressure to fill a page or to make it pretty
for other people to admire, as this is primarily a vehicle to record
what is going on in my head and for developing new designs.
When I first start a page, it may have only one small picture and a
bit of writing but over time I add to this - and eventually pages are often crammed with information gathered from a particular
train of thought. One day I can think I have had an excellent idea
and then after digging around to check, I discover a picture of another
makers work who has pipped me to the post. In the picture goes as a
reminder to shelve that idea and turn the page in my head and move forward taking a different tack.
This is why I like to have as much research as possible in the form of photographs and books around me, so that I
always have a large amount of material for inspiration during
the inevitable 'back to the drawing board' moments Designers encounter.
My sketchbooks are a collection of things that inspire me at any given time and I develop and interpret these ideas or themes in my work. Land and seascapes, ancient artefacts, decorative ornamental designs, japonaiserie, textiles, sculptures, paintings and architecture in all their forms are in evidence - but the common element I am drawn to in all of these are pattern, colour, textures and line. It has dawned on me this week that I haven't travelled as far as I originally thought from my textiles days; the same aesthetic which was in my textiles designs continues today in my jewellery pieces. Applied Arts though gives me a chance to bring my inspiration to life beyond the page and the story about how a body of work has evolved, is an intrinsic part of its final success and (most important of all) its integrity - all of which is backed up in my sketchbooks.
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Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2009 / Starting point - drawings of a bronze Roman Pin
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2009 / Roman Pin - Bronze |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2009 |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2009 - Silesian wirework |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2009 - Silesian wirework |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2009 - Drawings inspired by wire netting on Hastings seafront |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2009 - Drawings of wire inspired by Hastings seafront |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2009 - Stones and mounts inspired by artefacts in La Seu Cathedral, Palma, Majorca |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2009 - drawings of knitting, crochet and chainmail |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2009 - crochet / dreamcatcher (inspiration for mounts) |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2009 |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2008 - Textiles neckpiece |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2008 - Textiles neckpiece |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2008 - Textiles neckpiece |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2007 - Barbirolli Square Fountain, Manchester. Inspiration for textures - water |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2007 - wet pavements - St Peter's Square, Manchester. Inspiration for textures. |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2012 - Smithfields Market roof. Inspiration for Manchester Craft & Design Centre 30th Anniversary exhibition, Crafting History. |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2007 - Yorkshire Scupture Park - Barbara Hepworth |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2007 - Yorkshire Scupture Park - Barbara Hepworth / Henry Moore |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2012 - Smithfields Market ironwork roof. Inspiration for Manchester Craft & Design Centre 30th Anniversary exhibition, Crafting History. |
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| Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2012 - Smithfields Market ironwork roof. |
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Jane Dzisiewski: Sketchbook 2012 - Designs for mounts inspired by Smithfields Market ironwork roof. The Crafting History exhibition which this work was made for has been and gone, but this sketchbook will continue to grow and evolve over time.
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Anyone can join in on Twitter using the #SketchBreak hashtag - and please see the Facebook album
here which Crafts Council UK has uploaded and includes sketchbook work by some of their other
Hothouse jewellers.
Really lovely and fascinating post Jane, thanks for sharing all your beautiful work
ReplyDeleteThank you Helen. It's been a love/hate relationship with sketchbooks for 25+ yrs - only to retrospectively and annoyingly discover, that the grown ups were right after all.
ReplyDeleteLike you Jane ,I was a student in the mid 80's ( Illustration) and our sketchbooks were part of our grades! I've always kept a sketchbook from a young age and I often use ideas that I noted down , sometimes over 25 years ago. I'm very happy I kept it up ,even when I didnt always feel like carrying a 'little black book' around with me, every sketchbook I have has at least 10 or 20 empty pages at the back! Thanks for posting ,beautiful sketches and I love reading about other peoples sketchbooks.
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