ATV2 reflection

What have I learnt?

I’ve learnt I don’t think or design well in a sketchbook. I feel it restricts me to make plans on paper. I work much better when I can add and change and think and design while a piece is taking shape. I’m not sure how to change this or whether I even should.

I learnt to stick with a limited number of sources (6 drawings), a limited palette and to delve deeper into things than I normally do. Depth rather than breadth. And that has been enjoyable and productive. I normally can find it hard to stop experimenting and settle down with a decision so this process has been interesting and it has created work I would not have otherwise come up with.

I’ve learnt some paper is lovely to stitch into, some of it is awful, and I have learnt to slow down and not always go for a machine sewn piece. Some of my hand stitched work has been my favourite.

I feel my work has been reasonably innovative and interesting, time constraints always mean certain experiments and thoughts couldn’t be expressed but actually limitations are often the mother of creativity and I feel the body of work I’ve produced wouldn’t have been any stronger had I had twice as much or endless time. I work best with a deadline looming anyway! I’ve really enjoyed this project.