model pre-pics

....progress.....with tutor/self analysis

Looking into the life of my character has lead to the instant translation of her occupation of crochet and the fact that it is her life. Being this, a symbolic approach using the occupation as structure in a symbolic fashion. This early translation into my design invloves a large leaning tower narrowing towards the top to naturally look large and overpowering.

This tower is the shape of a crochet hook with an embedded stair. At the top of the tower is a small crawl-into space where the reflection/unit 7 is situated. In the proffession of crochet this point where the hook bends back is where the yarn in collected and pulled through loops and is essentially the point where decisions and actions are performed. In my design this is used as her point of reflection to scale down the point where her decisions are made.

Another Early translation to the design is the wrapping of yarn in an evolved fashion to represent another symbolic reflection that the yarn in crochet holds the finished crochet together. The wrapping of the yarn to represent the 'stitching-together' of her life by her profession.

The symbolic translation into my design continued into another phase where the segmented and layering of units/rooms surrounds the tower as a protective layer and to embrace her career. Her career is the centre of her life.

At this stage the design as a lot of symbolic features...perhaps more so than what is needed. The yarn wrapping over and around has only a symbolic use and does not read into the design well enough. Also the character does not have a real pressence in the design. It is just this and this and that, which which shows that...therefore a design process of the character's presence and her life's essence.

Ok so...trying an option of the yarn becomming more of the design and structure itself as a meaning of her life's essence becoming more than just a wrapping effect around the tower. Developing the design more concentrating on the essence of the yarn.

Here also showing the presence the yarn and its invading effect from inside the design within the bedroom unit.

Its Bold presence from being a symbolic image to become the essence of the design as a means to holding her life together

Now having being further developed from a feature to now starting to create more of a presence as her life's "structure". The design now needs further depth into this "structure" and presence as more the character and not an item.

Adjacent to this design thus far...a second variation shows at an early stage a similar early translation as being too symbolic but has more meaning into a phase of her life. Trying to represent the nature of her time within the orphanage.

Detailing through the entrance of the orphanage-like unit includes a further abstracted crochet resembled hook piercing through thus invading into her life early in her time at the orphanage. Similar to that of the first variation a yarn wrapping structure also invades the design.

Unit 7 this time is a voide represented as a tower through the external height and not identifiable from the outside (just like her life inside the orphanage as a 'nobody'). This void has no definitive means of access only that it is dark with a slit of natural light. Reminiscent of her life within the orphanage of her fear of darkenss and a single candle lit source of sight. This a major part of the interaction outside of her inner self and thus her point of reflection in the design-unit 7.

This design, like the first, will undergo further transformation and exploration into trying to achieve the main concepts of character presence and her life's essence.

...to be continued...

Okay...now going back to the sketchboard some basic exploration through darkness in her life and the linking together of her occupation and fears. Also exploring flow through the design...

Exploring flow and direction, wrapping. Also demonstrating darkness and its potential to invade her life.

Now with a clean grasp on a design through the essence of my characters fear of darkness, her presence has depth and meaning. also combining this thought with wrapping and layering of structures. A basic "crawl-through" corridoor of darkness is the central core of movement flowing through the design.

Junctions wrapping around one another representing the wrapping of fibres within the yarn. The wrapping structures supporting the whole design and holding it together. the main structure sitting ontop of the dark core where the only source of light is at either end encouraging movement and essentially getting acustomed to darkness which is always under her.Having light penetrate the building through open feneatration and directed throughout the design. The light upper structure and dark under foundation of core movement.

Finally showing distinct wrapping and trinsition of light and dark, heat and cold. The superior love and happiness of light stacked on lonely, gloomy darkness. A potential final variation.

...to be continued...

Moving from the first final variation similar features are used to furhter explore light-dark, heat-cold, as well as the flow of darkness and its ability to control her life. Continuing with the idea of the controled emotion of her life overcoming thus becoming superior to her fear of darkness. Being the under foundation of ther life hence the mains tructure containing the units. Unit 7 once again situates within the trench of darkness. This trench once again is waist deep and needs to be crawled through upon entering but then opens up into a tall narrow space with no light except form the entrances. this space inturdes upon her life but is concealed by the building structure.

Equipped in layering and folding of the structure and twisting like yarn.

Expressing the detail of the light guided through the main structure of the design above the dark trench below. Similar to the design before this. A real presence or light-dark and heat-cold can be felt.

Finally finishing with a design that combines thedark trench intruding into the centre of the house units but at the same time it is controled and concealed from the light. The only light is at the entrace through the trench, encouraging flow and direction through the design and overcome the fear for there is space and life where there is dark and fear. Throughout the design walls bend around one another and lock together supporting her life inside the building. Fenestration through panelled glass provides not only the light source but locks with walls and penetrates the dark trench providing interest. Another potential design to become a final variation. The model form of each design will now be attempted and explored further with strong intent to develop each solution even further.

...to be continued...

Preliminary Submission - Horse Latitudes

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C h a r a c t e r # 7

R i g a

C r o c h e t W o m a n

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3 DEFINING IMAGES:

CROCHET PATTERN

CITY OF RIGA

ALONE IN THE DARK

T h i s I s H e r S t o r y

Velna Ollendorff is a 47 year old woman who lives in Riga, Latvia. Her parents were both killed when she was 5 years old during the Red Army invasion in mid 1900’s.
Velna then lived in an orphanage throughout her childhood. During this time she learned to hate war and violence and the word love. The affect of her war-swallowed parents had made her afraid of everyone one and everything. She looks around corners before walking; she keeps a lit candle at night and never trusts anyone. Winter was also something she feared because of her lack of clothing and linen. With very few personal belongings and no friends, Velna used to sit on her weary mattress and crochet blankets and clothes for herself. The yarn and crochet hook was given to her by the owner of the orphanage and is Velna’s most prized possession.
By the time she was 18, Velna had a large pile of crocheted clothing and blankets. She had begun to get used to coping with her fear of winter and started to give clothing and linen to other young children within the orphanage. In her early twenties, Velna became the caretaker at the orphanage helping the children cope with the effects of being parentless and to essentially be there friend.
Velna would teach the children what she knew in basic mathematics and how to crochet. The children loved Velna like a mother and played games with her such as marbles, and chase. By the time she was 25, Velna had decided she needed to explore the world outside of the orphanage. Leaving the children behind her and packing all her clothing, linen and crochet hook. Velna headed across the Riga River on her old worn shoes she was given on her 21st birthday by the orphanage. Dragging along her large rope bound roll of linen hanging from her shoulders, the summer heat caused her to frequently stop along the road. Eventually she spotted a little craft shop just on the edge of the city where she earned a job as a professional Crochet maker.
Slowly earning money, Velna was able to rent a unit in a nearby apartment building where she started to build up her assets and make her own life. Working all week and on weekends and also taking over ownership of the shop, she made a name for herself as one of the finest crochet makers in all Latvia. People would come from all over Latvia to order lace and doily’s as well as personal crochet items such as small people, flowers and socks. The Queen visited the little shop to personally purchase some Irish style crochet lace which she then promoted crochet as an imitation of a status symbol. The Queen also took lessons from Velna to learn how to crochet herself.
At the age of 45, Velna sold the shop and bought a modern building in the centre of Riga where she developed a fabulous style of lace. Velna then owned a professional line of Crochet lace called Ollendorff V, which became a luxurious item throughout European homes.
Today, Velna Ollendorff is a poor orphan turned rich crochet designer at the age of 47 living in the heart of historic Riga.

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Research for "Crochet Woman" of "Riga"

My Research

Understanding the identity of the "Crochet Woman"

• Crochet is the process of creating fabric from yarn(fibre thread) using a Crochet Hook
• It is the pulling of loops through one another in which the yarn constructs the fabric
• Unlike kniting, one loop is active at a single time and a crochet hook is used instead of knitting needles
• A Crochet Woman may be referred to as a paid labourer to create blankets and clothes as well as a less costly substitute from other forms of lace
• Crochet was popular in Europe during the 1800's
• In modern practice, Crochet primarily became a homemakers art in the late 1960's and 1970's
• Crochet underwent a subsequent decline in popularity occured until the 21st century where a revival of interest in handcrafts and DIY.

Understanding the identity of "Riga"

• Riga-capital of Latvia
• The largest city in the Baltic States
• The Historic Centre of Riga has been declared UNESCO World Heritage Site
• The city is particularly notable for its extensive Art Neveau Architecture
• Riga is located on the ancient settlement of an ancient Finnic tribe called Livonians, at the junction of the Daugava and the Riga River-which is where the name Riga originated
• An ancient german trading post situated on the site in 1158
• In this time Riga served as a gateway to trade with the Baltic tribes and with Russia
• In early 1500's Riga became the object of foreign military, political, religious and economic aspirations
• From 1561-1581, Riga had the status of a free Imperial City
• Withstood a seige from Russia in 1656-1658
• By 1990 it was the third largest city in Russia
• Declared its independance in 1918
• Record temperatures ranging from -34 degrees to 36 degrees