M4 Chapter 11 Make A Book Structure Relating to Media [Part 1]

I decided to make a larger version of the layered book structure which I had made for one of my samples. This would need to be more robust because it was to be bigger and would need more planning to support the embroidered pages or panels. I also wanted the structure to have a story or message. For this I chose to look at the Thames Estuary and the story of the cockle boats which sailed to Dunkirk to aid the mass evacuation. This is a piece of well known local history and I visited Dunkirk some years ago. Admiral Ramsey of Dover said "The conduct of the crews of these cockle boats was exemplary. They were all volunteers who rushed over to Dunkirk in one day."

I started by going out and walking along the shoreline, drawing and finding things.

11.1

 

Lots of lovely lines and patterns in the mud.

11.2

 

Tangled nets and seaweed.

11.3

Plenty of cockle shells.

 



11.4

 

I particularly liked all the tangled bits.

11.5

 

Rust everywhere.

11.6

 

I loved the turquoise blue nets.

11.7

11.8

 

The Endeavour - one of the original cockle boats which went to Dunkirk, now fully restored.

11.9

 

Drawing and recording.

 

11.10

 

Some pages from my sketchbook.

11.11

11.12

11.13

11.14

 

Some found objects, washed but still a little smelly.

11.15

11.16

 

After reviewing everything I really liked the idea of incorporating my found objects into the panels and looking at how they became tangled, torn and frayed. I wanted to use natural fabrics and threads as much as possible and had plenty of rust dyed fabrics to hand. I gathered these with threads of various thicknesses along with some drawn thread samples and my hand made papers.