#sketchbookdevelopment

[mariapenaloza24]

Wirework Leaf – Beaded Structure Sample

This small sculptural sample was made by shaping fine wire into a free-flowing leaf form, then threading amber and bronze beads along the lines to mimic natural veins. The intention was to explore transparency, fragility, and strength, using minimal materials to evoke the resilience of nature.

The twisting wire adds movement, while the beads highlight its delicate structure. Though the wire was sometimes too soft to hold the shape perfectly, this imperfection supports the organic quality of the piece.

This is a developmental sample, not yet integrated with textiles, but it opens ideas for future layering on sheer fabrics or combining with embroidery. Inspired by the leaf as a symbol of emotional resilience, this piece connects back to the core narrative of lightness, release, and inner strength.

Further development will involve researching artists working with wire and bead techniques, particularly those who merge jewellery practices with textile forms. Gaining more skill in basic jewellery construction could enrich this approach and expand its application across future pieces.

[meglouiseboyce]

Psychedelic development #colour #linear #sketchbookdevelopment #kaleidoscope

[aimee-rose-tatts]

Sketchbook workworkworkworkwork #artstudent #sketchbook #sketchbookdevelopment #artanddesignatwnc

[mariapenaloza24]

Islamic Art Biennale Exhibition – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

As part of my ongoing design development, I visited the Islamic Art Biennale in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The experience offered valuable visual and conceptual insights that directly inform my textile work, particularly my use of natural fibres, scale, negative space, and symbolic layering.

During the exhibition, I was deeply moved by the scale, craftsmanship, and spiritual symbolism embedded in the textiles on display. One of the most striking exhibits was the complete Kiswa, presented in its entirety for the first time without being cut. Its monumental scale and intricacy offered a powerful reminder of textile as both sacred object and cultural vessel.

Figure 1 – Complete Kiswa

Figure 2 – Close-up of the Kiswa fabric

Figure 3 –Kiswa embroidery work

Also impactful was a large-scale installation by Louis Guillaume, titled 'When We Welcome the Wind'. Constructed in jute, the piece evoked fluid movement and negative space—concepts I am actively exploring in my own samples. The open weave and porous structure echoed the spaces between the veins in a leaf, which I have attempted to reproduce in my cyanotype and embroidery samples on hessian. Just like Guillaume’s work, mine aims to hold space, let air through, and speak of impermanence and presence simultaneously

The exhibition’s atmospheric lighting and architectural setting created a contemplative space that helped me reflect on the role of light, void, and repetition in textile storytelling. This experience reaffirmed my intention to embrace negative space in my work—not as emptiness, but as potential and flow.

Figure 4: 'When We Welcome the Wind' by Louis Guillaume 

Figure 5: Close-up image of Art Work 'When We Welcome the Wind' by Louis Guillaume

[mariapenaloza24]

Cyanotype on Paper - Samples Using Botanical Motifs

This set of cyanotype samples was developed using botanical motifs on both watercolour and rice paper. The surfaces were first coated evenly with the cyanotype chemical solution and left to dry in total darkness in the dryer for 30 minutes. The exposure setup was prepared in the dark room, the botanical motifs were placed first onto the glass surface of the UV exposure unit, followed by the sensitised paper layered on top, ensuring direct contact between the objects and the coated side. The lid was then closed, and the samples were exposed to UV light for 14 minutes. After exposure, the paper was rinsed with cold water to remove unexposed chemicals and allow the image to fully develop. The prints were then left to dry on the working table, placed beneath the overhead heat lamp to accelerate the drying process evenly and avoid warping. In some cases, diluted green and orange inks had been applied to the paper before coating. These pre-coloured areas interacted softly with the cyanotype chemistry, leaving subtle traces of their original hue in the less-exposed zones. This resulted in gentle chromatic shifts that enhanced the botanical silhouettes and created a subtle painterly effect. The outcomes were visually rich and detailed. The cyanotypes revealed strong Prussian blue tones with clear definition of the plant forms. These qualities suggest promising applications across textile design, wallpaper concepts, and interior decoration. The natural forms, enhanced by light and tone, serve as a flexible base for further exploration. Looking forward, I plan to apply this process to fabric, using illustrations from my narrative work. While this transition presents challenges—especially in controlling absorption and exposure—the technical clarity achieved on paper offers a confident starting point. This body of work draws conceptual inspiration from Anna Atkins, whose cyanotypes of botanical specimens fused scientific methodology with artistic sensibility. Her pioneering efforts continue to resonate, particularly in the way she transformed ephemeral nature into visual archives—an intention that aligns closely with my own pursuit of capturing organic memory and feminine identity through print.