Final body of work:

I am very happy with my final body of work. I have managed to create three unique wall hangings, two that are patchwork and one that is my own silhouette. I think that the first two images obviously work very well together, there are repeating images on each piece, they have the same boarders around each cyanotype and they have both been sewn together to create a patchwork look. When looking at the cyanotypes I have notices that there seems to be some fluctuation in the vibrancy of the blue tones with some being lighter and slightly more transparent and others having this vivid dark blue creating the image. While unintentional, I quite like the effect that this has it differentiates each brown and allows each image to stand out even more on its own. This allows for there to be an almost unpredictable aspect to the work, even thought I may have used the same image more than once the result is not the same and each Cyanotype is unique. This aspect is also amplified by the fact that with repeating images I have flipped them over to provide a mirror image instead, not only does this create and interesting visual composition for the viewer to look at but it also ties my work into the surreal and dream like themes of my overall project. The mirror images throw the work slightly off balance, creating odd undertones that make the viewer question what they are looking at. 

I wanted my final body of work to feel handcrafted and personal, I wanted it to look imperfect but loved. To do this I made sure that each Cyanotype was a slightly different size and sat differently in each sections. I wanted to do this to like my work back to my theme, dreams are odd and imperfect with every dream we have being slightly different and our memories of our dreams never being fully accurate. I wanted each Cyanotype to look as if it was the window into a different dream, as if someone had woken up and decided to paint their dreams by hand. Due to the theme of this project being the subconscious and dreams I wanted to go with a patchwork and quilted effect to try and create a sense of comfort that you might feel when wrapped up in a quilt on a cold night. I think that this has been successful and each seam is clear and straight. I didn't want this work to be perfect, for it to look as if it was made in a factory. There needed to be inconsistencies and misalignments for it to look truly personal which I think I have achieved well. 

In terms of the colour and tones I believe that the blue tones of Cyanotypes create such an effective and eerie atmosphere. The monotone colours paired with the open, almost empty hallways, room and stairwells make it seem as if these images are devoid of any life. As if they are parallel realities trying to copy our world but always missing something. 

For the composition I wrote previously about the decision to have a boarder around each individual image. I think that this has turned out really well. The boarder creates space and makes each Cyanotype individual, while the stitching contrasts this and brings the work together as one. I wanted to do this to re create the feeling of trying to remember and put together a dream after suddenly waking up. From it always feels as if I am trying put back together the smallest memories and thoughts, each one being individual but somehow still being a part of something much bigger. One thing that I didn't intend for but I believe has worked in may favour anyway is the bleeding of colour within my work. I noticed that after washing and drying my cyanotypes there would be some patches of blue the seemed to be leaking out of each image and some spots along the sides as well, unfortunately this is just a consequence of making cyanotypes especially when making them on fabric and there isn't really anything that you can do to prevent this. However, I quite like the way that this has turned out, it makes it look as if the images have a mind of their own and are trying to reach out to each other, as if the dreams and realities are trying to merge. I think it fits in well with the surreal elements of my project and the overall themes of the subconscious and dreams. Dreams often follow their own story line and very rarely can we control them, which is exactly what my Cyanotypes are doing. 

The back of the work had been ironed so that it is flatter, however, the seams still cause some unevenness when laying it down. I quite like this as it makes it seem as if the wall hanging is moving and flowing on its own, emphasising this dreamy, flowing vide that the work has. When thinking about hanging my work up I will defiantly be having my silhouette in the middle of of the other two wall hangings. The darker blue contrast nicely with the others and breaks them apart, and the sleeping form provides a sense of comfort when compared to the more surreal spaces that are depicted within the other wall hangings. There is something personal and vulnerable about using my own silhouette and I think that this really allows my work to connect to the viewer and elevates my piece. 

when thinking about the practicality of my work I think that the wooden rods tie the whole piece together. They proud the work and allow for me to easily hang them up. I think that they are reminiscent of medieval tapestries and the brown tones seem to provide a grounding aspect to the work. 

When looking at this project as a whole and think about my main themes of dreams and the subconscious, as well as the sub themes of the surreal and liminal I think that my body of work is very successful and up to a high standard. The images that I have selected are all eerie and odd, they create a feeling of unease and uncertainty. The forms and lines that can be seem have been slightly distorted due to the Cyanotype process creating softer and more blurred edges that I think add to this atmosphere. The  silhouette is whimsical and in some ways uncanny. Each wall hanging is connected, they work well together visually and thematically.