Studio Practice

First 2 weeks of ideas/sketches

These are the sketches I have done over the past too weeks. During this time I been more focus on putting my ideas on paper and slightly touching onto them as i keep on developing and exploring new ones. I wanted to focus on the documentation of the ideas over fully exploring them as I had a lot i want to explore, having them all down in one place will make it easier to keep track of them and see which ones I'm more interested in and ones I'm less interested in.

A un-sketched idea;
I had the idea of putting tattoo designs onto images of skulls. This came from the symbolism of 'the need for protection against danger' and something to do with mortality (Edit - I don't fully remember why i wanted to do this, other then a similar reason as to the cat tattoos)

I was inspired by traditional Japanese cat tattoos, these tattoos often had other symbolism and images within their fur, kind of like the cats themselves have tattoos as well. I though on making ceramic cats that have these tattoos/design on them, both for finding the tattooing meaning interesting and as i want to work with ceramic more this year.
From the sizing of the car, they reminded me of small things you can put in your pocket, like worry warts/worry people as well as good luck charms (and lucky cat statues being a thing in Japan, also being a thing, also inspired me in this idea), I wanted yo explore other forms i can do this in other then cats, keeping the idea of these figures having tattoos on them. These are a bit like good luck charms/other charms depending on the symbolism behind the images on them.
I also looked a bit at the idea of making a small plush doll, keeping the same idea as the ceramic ones but being more of a comfort item, something soft you can have in your pocket that you can hold when everything is getting too much or you need some small comfort.

These can also be a way someone who cant have tattoos can also have the 'power' (symbolism/meaning) behind the symbols, these people are more likely to be children.

Here I was talking about using my own style while creating these images, different ways i can make it my own instead for mimicking traditional Japanese tattoos. Such as the image being on it own but more detailed, different colour use or making it more simple.
I also put a small note on a Japanese doll called Teru Bozo, this is an item that a classmate told me about while i was showing her the previous page. My ghost like figure sketch remained her of these dolls.

This is some sketches i did inspired by Trauma tattoos/Minor tattoos. My idea with this was to make a ceramic bust and add these marking onto it, and during the glazing process i planed to use an oxide to make them stand out. I needed to speak with the technician to see if there was a colour options that is more blue or black to fit with how they look in person, as i am only aware of a green one. And if there wasn't those colours, if there was a different glaze i could use to get the same affect. I then planned to drape fabric over bust as a way to 'hide' these markings, this is symbolizing how people more likely covered these marking as too keep there jobs (the idea that a Minor who has a lot of these tattoos is more likely to die - something to do with a lung condition that happens with long exposure to the mine dust - black lung?)

This is some research sketches i did base on Criminal Japanese tattoos (of the Edo period). I do not know what most of these mean.

These are some small doll/men designs i did inspired by criminal/traditional Japanese tattoos as well as trauma/Minor tattoos.

This idea came from a very small talk i had with Julian where he said about taking photos of people tattoos. These sketches are some design ideas I had, where i would emulsion print/other way print the photos onto ceramic slabs. I looked at both plain as well as using lace as both a border and covering the whole thing. I looked at the idea of lace as I like the detail work that is found in lace and enjoy making small details in my work as well as the relations to a talk we had with Liz about the working class and lace makers. Lace also has a connection to the local history of Nottingham (and working class people of Nottingham) as well as the building I am studying in.