Rough Guide Task

BA Textile Design - Autumn Term 2009 – Unit 1C Theory

Rough Guide theory task – Reading Images and Objects

On Friday 9th October (PM)), you are asked to re-visit the area you have been allocated for the Rough Guide project but this time to start looking for specific items and then to describe and analyse them. You will be writing up your findings on a blog in Week 2 so take written notes and record what you see visually – this can be through photography or if it’s not possible to take photos then do a drawing or buy a postcard of the item/artwork – this is as a reference point to be put into your blog later. Ensure you ask permission first before photographing anything in shops, market stalls or galleries as it is sometimes not allowed.
BLOG: Emma Neuberg will introduce you to her blog in the theory session next week.

You will need to find out about your area and carry out some RESEARCH. This research can be primary e.g. speaking to shop owners, market stall holders etc. and/or secondary e.g. library books for context, magazines, journals, internet etc. This will begin to give you some CONTEXT for understanding what you have chosen to write about and analyse. Take notes of what you know about the item but also what you don’t know! Find out as much as you can about the area you are going to:

• What has the area been known for in the past and present – what can you find out?
• What is the main attraction in visiting the area?
• Who lives in, works, visits the area?

Now that you have some CONTEXT for understanding more about your object/artwork, choose three items to write about and then make comparisons between them:

1. Choose an object/product from a market stall or second-hand shop or found object from the area you are exploring for the Rough Guide.

2. Choose an object/image /product from a shop, department store, boutique

3. Choose an object/sculpture/painting/artwork/image from a museum or gallery
For each of these:
• DESCRIBE the objects/images/items – what they look like, what the are made of etc..
• List Keywords that come to mind – e.g. what associations arise from looking at the items? What do think about when you see this object?
• Now consider the CONTEXT within your area and how these might differ if they were shown in another context e.g. one of the other situations, art gallery, market stall, department store etc..