Reflection - Unit X

Looking into the entire unit X, I have found it challenging to work in a group of 4 people with completely different skills, but a great experience at the end. Making compromises to showing some leadership skills to the group has really pushed me forward in decision making with group collaborations e.g. discussing the colour combinations on the fabrics to the embroidery designs.

In the beginning, I found my team a bit unorganised with the time management, but at the end we all managed to work together by organising the times for meetings, visiting gallery, park and attending tutorials.

It was something new to me consulting to the group members each and everything before making the bags and asking them again and again what are the up to with the making or the presentations, where I have shown some of my leadership skills, which I think encouraged the group to work together by sharing ideas and conclusions to the problems.

However, instead of asking everything to the group members, I decided to make a variety of samples with different techniques and colours to show it to the group, so that they can see what the outcome looks like and choose the best ones, which I could take further in the final manufacturing.

My example of showing different samples with a technique.

Throughout the project, I have worked closely with every group member but especially with Christie, maybe because we share almost the same textile background e.g.  I helped her in buying some fabrics and doing the screen-print and she helped me in the final attachments of the bags.
Altogether, we shared each other's research, drawings and ideas of choosing the wood, eyelets, fabrics, colours, type of threads, etc.

However, working together with different practitioners have inspired me and broad-up my mind to use my skills in a professional and productive way. Also, working in this professional environment has made me aware of the needs of the perfection of the products from the precise measurements of the products to the neat finishes.

In conclusion, I feel confident in working together with a group of people. Moreover, I feel bold and enthusiastic in knowing that I am capable enough that I can use my skills to make the products which could go out in the market.

Final Product

Threaded Together

After having both bags from Yu shin and Fiah, coming to the final stages of the bag making. I and Christie worked together during the last week to do some final attachments like cutting the fabric with the right measurements which I have already figured out by doing a sample piece, attaching the fabric and stitching the bag with cords.

However, I and my team decided to photograph the bag in the Whitworth garden to show the relationship of the spring, the feminist casual bag with the Whitworth garden itself.
Therefore, I photographed Yu shin with the bag in the Whitworth garden as shown below:

Bag modelling by Yu shin and photographed by me.

Products on the exhibition

Overall, the way I have worked during this project has challenged me and opened-up my way of working in a professional way. It has also encouraged me that I can practice my skills in the production of everyday products. 

Final product preparation

Moving forward into the actual bag making, but before that, a lot of sampling and testing needs to be done to vision what are the right measurements and elements we need for the final product.

Therefore, we started sampling our fabric fittings according to the right measurements of the wooden bag cutouts by the 3D and interior designer.

I and Christie were glad about the final look of the screen-print because we have never done screen printing by over-laying the screen onto the print to create the bigger printed fabric.

It was challenging for me to do embroidery over these big pieces of the fabrics with the industrial Jukie machine, but in the end, I managed to do so. 

Overall, I think my embroidery work has made the print lively. 

Sampling the fabric on the final wooden bag by me. 

The reason to create this sample fabric piece was to check the sizes of the inside fabric and to match the wood holes with the fabric holes.  

There were some issues with the measurements e.g. the distance between the holes of the wooden bag was too tight, therefore I and Christie had to inform Yu shin and Fiah to make some changes in the measurements.

I and my team were delighted with this sample piece, we thought the calico fabric itself looks good with the wood as it was complimenting the wood colour with the calico. 

Interim project presentation (sampling and testing)

Sampling and testing 

Using the skills which we had as designers, we have started to make samples to test varieties of possibilities for the actual manufacturing of the final product. 

I have created different samples to test eyelets, hair-pinning technique, embroidery by using Jukie machines over the sublimation print(by Christie) and some other samples of tailor tacking foot. 

My test samples of tailor tacking foot, hair-pinning technique and eyelets. Sublimation print and the cording tester piece by Christie.

Sublimation print by Christie and machine embroidery by me.

Interim project presentation 

After sampling and testing, we have presented our work to the Whitworth.

Presentation at Whitworth art gallery

The presentation went well, and we took some amazing feedback from the staff. The tutors and the Whitworth staff members loved the way we have used embroidery over the sublimation prints.
Therefore, we will take this technique further on in making the final product as well. However, they suggested us to make different sizes and styles of bags according to different seasons.

Product research and inspiration

Inspiration

Looking forward into the Whitworth project, as a group, we have analyzed the gallery, shops and the Whitworth garden like asking the staff about some interesting facts about the Whitworth art gallery.

After sharing some ideas as a team of four, we ended up in the conclusion of making a casual bag for women inspired by the Whitworth garden. The reason to choose the Whitworth garden is that we all were fascinated with the natural feel and colours of the garden. 

My research on the Whitworth garden and the colour pallet.

Communicating with the team members, I have created these two colour pallets inspired by the Whitworth garden. as a group, we decided to go with the pink colour pallet as it was more colourful and feminist. 

However, we all made our own drawings of bags (from casual for spring tonight out bags for winters) at the beginning to see what type of ideas we create inspired by the garden. 

My drawings of bags.

Also, some of my primary research has also helped the group to show some ideas of threading up the soft and harder materials together like attaching the fabric to the wooden pieces for showing a natural effect of the garden.

My primary research of women bags

Retail Analysis and Comparative retail (Research)

The Whitworth Art Gallery and Manchester Art Gallery Shop 

I have visited the Whitworth and Manchester art gallery shops to compare the product range. The ethos of the shop has been described below in words;

1. Welcoming 
2. Homey 
3. Warm
4. Pleasant 
5. Peaceful
6. Organised 
7. Artistic 
8. Elegant 
9. Cosy
10. Delightful
11. Friendly
12. Playful
13. Stylish 
14. Contemporary 
15. Enthusiastic 

Current Product range 

I have seen in both galleries' shops following are the most things to sell;

• Kids toys (balls, soft toys, wooden toys, etc) 
• Jewellery (necklace, earrings, bracelets)
• Ceramic (bowls, plates, mugs, spoons, etc)
• Cushions (weaved, embroidered, printed, patched work)
• Stationery (pens, pencils, paper clips, stationery bags, sketchbooks, etc)
• Greeting cards
• Postcards
• bags (clutches, stationary bags, accessories bags)

Whitworth Art Gallery Shop 

Manchester Art Gallery Shop

Materiality 

I think the products are been selected by looking towards the best quality and the price range. Also, the prices are not too high as all sort of people visit's the gallery from students to well-experienced people who are interested in buying good quality and contemporary products from these shops. 

Also, I think the finishing of these products is very neat and sharp.

I think, there was a lot of woodwork in the Whitworth shop but not much in the Manchester art gallery shop. However, the use of ceramic is almost equal in both shops.
The Manchester art gallery shop has a wide range of jewellery from a price range of £15 to £650, but less in the Whitworth art gallery shop.

Pricing

Cheapest

According to the seller and the shop tour, I have found out that their cheapest product to sell is charcoal pencils and kids toys worth £1.

Mid-range 

As I was talking to one of the sellers of the Whitworth art shop, I have found out that their ceramic pieces were the mid-price range products as they start from almost £30. 

Most expensive

I think their most expensive products in the shops were their special editions, which are made by designers and they were minor in quantity. They were mostly single prints displayed in good quality frames. Also, Whitworth editions are shown below;

Whitworth special editions

Bestsellers

The shop's best sellers were mostly objects for kids in the small baskets, which are cheaper in price and also handy as shown in the image below;

Small baskets of products for kids in the Whitworth shop. 

In addition to this, their best-selling products were also, toad bags and charcoal pencils because a lot of art students visit the gallery, who carries sketchbooks and other stationery around.

What type of people visit's the Whitworth art shop?

According to the group discussion and sellers' point of view, we have found out some key points as shown below, of the people who visit the shop;

1. Students - from the nearby universities, art students from across Manchester and all around the UK. 
2. Tourists - people who might visit the hospital and likes to come to the gallery to buy greeting cards and gifts.
3. local citizens - people who might visit the Whitworth park, from the hospital, who might be interested in textiles. 
4. artists or designers - who are interested in textiles and its history

A key point for the retailing analysation

There were products in the shops, which was inspired by the current exhibition in the gallery. People might like to buy things, which represents 'the Whitworth art gallery'. This might makes the audience feel personalised and touched with the gallery itself. 

Pilot project (Research)

Planning and Making

For unit x, I’m doing the ‘Whitworth threads’ project, in which we had to make groups. My group is of four designers from different creative fields, which includes the following people;

• Embroiderer - Me 
• printer - Christie Rawcliff 
• 3D Designer - Yu Shin Park
• Interior Designer - Fiah Ali

We have been told to do a mini project in a week, to identify each other's skills in making and collaborating as a group. 

The brief of this project was to make something, which we can put on the table. However, as a group, we decided to make something inside the table, which could be functional and decorative at the same time. We all come up with an idea of making different things, from a bowl to a candle holder. In the end, we decided to make a bowl which can be attached inside the table so the piece itself will be the part of that table. There was no specific reason for making this table, as a group we just wanted to make a model of an actual product. 

SIDE TABLE - Woven basket by me, wood table by Yushin and Fiah and hand painting on the wood is by me and Christie

Our tutors have told us, we should have used heavy yarns, which could help the materials to hold tightly when someone will put materials like fruits and accessories inside. It looks fragile; therefore, I could fill up the weaving till the edge of the middle circle. Also, they have given us some nice suggestion of making the basket washable as well e.g. like a person could untied the knots of the basket and wash it up and then they can knot back the basket themselves, which will be interesting to do.