Sally Jane Mayer - Wallpaper report

My first initial thoughts of the project brief was that i was excited and got inspired easily from doing my research file. I read the three styles we could choose from I had my eyes set on toile de jouy style as hortus botanicus (florals) I thought everyone will be choosing it and it all look the same. The trompe l’oeil I didn’t fancy it as it is quite a tricky one and with toile de jouy I thought I could become more illustrative as it came out of me in my previous project. I discovered the design group ‘designer’s guild’ style of toile de jouy which was mainly oriental and embroidered. The colours and embroidery really inspired me. I also like the way timorous beastie uses everyday modern scenes in his toile de jouy papers like the original everyday French scenes. Another image in designer’s guild was some curtains with blue teapots on which reminded me of home as my mother has lots of blue crockery around my house. I then thought well why not include my family into this by drawing them when I go home for reading week. I gathered plenty of research in reading week; I also went to my Nannas house to gather inspiration. There are a lot of object’s that bring back child hood memories to me. I came back with a half filed sketchbook. For my project I originally had the idea to create a traditional toile de jouy wallpaper but then my processes became more material based, I started to make small personal embroidery’s which then gave me the idea to create wall hangings. I had an idea to use just one colour of blue as in most toile de jouy wallpapers they use a single colour. My Nanna has mostly reds and pinks in her home so I thought why not use blue for my house and red for my nannas. I began drawing from my photos in my sketch book then I was told to go big and draw out of there, so I did some experiments of style with different mediums. From this I then photocopied some of them had the idea to involve embroidery and fabric into it as I was inspired by it initially from the designer’s guild wallpaper book. A Quote from ‘the papered wall, the history of patterns and techniques of wallpaper, ‘Ever since wallpaper became widely available its status has been questioned: is it background or foreground or the real thing’ There are many styles of wallpapers these days you can have the basic traditional printed wallpaper and flock or foil, also wall hangings which decorate a wall as well as a wallpaper. Some wallpaper‘s are now designed in 3D For example the design group Front have designed fake flowers reaching from the ceiling to the floor, which is pictured in Hollyoaks!
The brief is not to make actual wallpaper but a design, I am creating two wall hangings which would hang side by side they are small patchworks one blue and one red. A quote from ‘wall paper’ Lachlam Blackley’ ‘Wallpaper is back, no longer bland peripheral decoration, wallpaper today shouts out individuality.’ This quote is perfect for my project as feel what I’m producing has every essence of individuality as when I look around the studio I cant match up my project style to anyone else’s mine is very illustrative and material based. It also has personal elements as all research and ideas is from my family and family homes. Another quote from ‘wall paper’ Laclam Blackley’ ‘wallpaper is no longer limited to the traditional paper roll, so the more inclusive term ‘wallcovering’ is now widely used.’ This is theme main feel for the brief I’ve been given so I feel my idea for patchwork on walls is ideal, patchworks are usually found thrown over on beds but why not have it as a wallcovering where it can be presented and shown for its full potential to bring back nostalgia, family memories. With college I went to visit The Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester which they had a exhibition on about wallpaper called putting on the glitz which had all kinds of foiled wallpapers and coverings which were only available for the wealthy from the 17 to 18th century. In 1970 they were no longer made of guilt leather but became paper backed foils. They were still slightly expensive which restricted a costumer to just have a feature wall of it. The glitzy wallpapers were no longer just for the wealthy. In the exhibition they had 18th century decorated leather, 19th century Japanese and French imitations, foils and other metallic finishes from the 1960’s /70’s.
Before we went to see the exhibition we were taken to the basement where they showed us there collection of wallpapers from different artists and eras. It was very interesting. I found out that wallpapers don’t go as far back as textiles. In the 16th century there was no wallpaper industry. They used to have handmade small sheets that were made out of rag paper. They weren’t mechanical and were mainly pictorial hunting scenes.100 years after they began sticking sheets together before applying. The woodblocks had a black outline around. Some of the motifs were off centre. Today off centre is part of the design. There was a print by Roma it was Japanese and made out of woven grass, which looked like a textile. It was hugely expensive and very fashionable of its time. French scenic wallpapers were fashionable in the early 19th century; there was no repeat in the design. In rich homes the wallpapers would look rich and sultry in the candle light as they would have no electricity and very high ceilings. There were a few political papers which had the French revolution, scales of justice. They won’t really be found commercially these days but artists still do it like Robert Gobert. There was plenty of William Morris to be seen. Cabbage roses had gone and William Morris had become more stylish and expectable.
Going back to my project I had used some of the gesso Duncan had put out for us. It is a rabbit skins substance which I painted thin layers onto a board and when I was dry I drew and painted with watercolour over it which I was very happy with the finished result although the idea of gesso is to make it look antique and rough but I like the smoothness of the lines and colour I had created over the top of it and left it as it is. After the gesso I was looking threw a book I brought a new illustration book called ‘illustration play’ which helped me out a lot as I found an artist perfect for my project called Richard Saja. He works into traditional toile de jouy paper with embroidery. The people on the paper have embroidered clown hats and hair, stars on their suits and dresses which I find very comical. I also found Megan Whitmarsh who does embroidered people dancing to music which I think is very quirky and cute.
They gave me the idea to actually embroider my family and objects into the patchworks. I had also brought some material to include in the patchworks. I feel the market I would be selling to would be women around the ages of 30 and up as they would possibly put it in their kitchen or utility room. I could be advertising in a magazine like homes and antiques or ideal homes. I feel the project went quite well I have always been inspired by my mother’s crockery as they have been handed down from past generations and working with her blue plates and teapots was quite fun. I feel I could have pushed myself further if I had more time but I always say this. I didn’t really feel confident enough to do any screen-printing but I also felt it wasn’t relevant for the way my project was going. I like the personal part of it as my Mum and Nanna have always been a big inspiration to all of my projects they have lots of things that I find interesting and to my taste but in my next project I will try my hardest to move away from it and think more of a designer. Although putting my personal touch on it is what I do best. I enjoyed gathering my research I found quite a few artists I haven’t heard of that I find inspiring. I have quite enjoyed this project but also really looking forward to my next one.