Flashback: Decorative Arts - Year 1

To begin my new blog, I have decided to include the work that I produced in my first year of the Decorative Arts course at Nottingham Trent. 

Coming from a sixth form college, I was both excited and nervous to begin university. At college I studied both A level art and textiles, so therefore was already beginning to gain the knowledge of material, processes and techniques within the making and design industry. However the knowledge that I already had was only a small margin of what I was yet to learn. 

In the decorative arts course, the following materials are explored:

• Textiles/Print
• Ceramics
• Wood 
• Metal 
• Plastics/Resins
• Glass

Within the first year of the course, I worked in print, textiles, ceramics, metal and glass. Some of these materials were new to me and therefore I faced a lot of challenges whilst exploring them, however all of these challenges were only to enhance my learning experience and to make me a better maker/designer. 

Below, I have included a few images of the work that I produced in my first year. On reflection, the materials that I enjoyed working in the most were print and ceramics - these materials I have gone onto work with again in my second year. 

Print Workshop: using a silk screen print and pigment dyes to transfer leaf motifs onto paper.

Print Workshop: A series of collagraph prints showing a leaf motif using intaglio inks to print. 

First Presentation: My first presentation of year 1, displaying both my print and ceramic work. 

Presentation 2: Second presentation of year, showing my metal and embroidery work, exploring the theme of shells. 

Drawing: Working on some sketchbook work using coloured inks. 

Final Presentation: A close up of my final presentation of year 1, glass pieces including glass jewellery.