Hello, my name's Bethan and I'm an Educator at the National Gallery.
In today's video we're going to be exploring how images can be used to tell
a story. We'll be looking at the painting by
Pintoricchio called 'Penelope with the Suitors'
and using this to inspire our own pattern designs onto fabric.
Today's session is all about experimenting and creating our own tools
so find a space inside or outside and get ready to make and create.
Materials you'll need include some paint, a paintbrush, a potato, leaves and flowers
collected from outside, and some white cotton fabric. This could
be an old t-shirt or even part of a bed sheet.
Today I'm doing printing onto fabric but if you'd like to experiment printing
onto paper this would work just as well.
The word pattern describes a repeated decorative design
meaning a collection of lines, shapes or colours on the surface of something
so when we start looking we can find patterns almost anywhere.
It could be on our clothes, it could be on objects in our home.
We can even find patterns out in nature: on leaves, on flowers,
even on animals. So next time you're out for a walk see how many different types
of patterns you can find.
Before we start creating our own pattern designs,
let's take a closer look at the painting, 'Penelope with the Suitors'.
Pintoricchio created the work in around 1509.
The painting is actually a fresco meaning it was painted directly onto a wall on top
of layers of dry and wet plaster.
This is one of eight paintings used to
decorate the walls of a palace in the Tuscan city of Siena.
The painting tells the story of Penelope and her husband, King Odysseus.
What I love about the painting is the details and objects included in the
scene that help us to read and understand the story.
Penelope has been left behind while Odysseus is away
fighting in the Trojan War. He has been gone for so long that everyone assumes
he's been killed in battle. As the rumor starts to spread a long
line of suitors starts to arrive, each asking for a hand in marriage.
To delay the proposals a little while longer
Penelope sits down at her loom and she starts to weave,
promising the suitors that when she is finished she will choose one of them to
become her new husband and the King. Penelope spends all day every day
weaving but to the frustration of the suitors
she never comes any closer to finishing. This is because Penelope is crafty and
at night she sneaks downstairs and unpicks every thread
she has woven that day. Eventually all the men
find out what she's been up to and demand that one of them is chosen to
become the new King.
Unhappily Penelope agrees but first she
sets them an archery competition in which they must use her husband's bow and arrow.
It's at this point in the story we see
the return of the King. He's been gone for nearly 20 years,
10 of which he has spent at sea, battling against terrible storms and
strange sea creatures.
So much time has passed that no one recognises him,
not even his wife Penelope.
This means he's able to sneak into the competition and, of course, no one is able to use his
bow as well as him so he wins.
On presenting himself to his wife Penelope
she finally recognises him and they are reunited.
All these different details in the story can be found in the painting
like the loom and Penelope weaving,
the bow and arrows, the mythical sea creatures
and Odysseus on his boat.
What I love in the painting is how we can see
two parts of the story happening at once
by the way the artist has included a window looking out to sea.
When we're creating our own pattern designs can you think of a story
you might like to tell?
The first technique we're going to try out is a form of block print making
using something I'm sure you've all seen before: a potato.
Like a stamp we'll cut and carve our potato into different shapes to print with.
This can be done carefully using a knife
or even a paper clip can be used to carve in the finer details.
Once you've created your stamp, blot off any excess water
and print onto your fabric or your paper.
When creating a story in your pattern
think about how different images and shapes could fit together.
I've taken inspiration from the time Odysseus spent at sea
and the long distance that he travelled.
When looking at the painting we can see a bird sitting on the window ledge.
This could represent Odysseus and his long journey.
Also, my favourite at the bottom of the painting, we can see a cat
playing with a ball of yarn.
This could represent Penelope
and the way she fooled the suitors by unraveling her weaving.
Another technique you can try at home is creating a sun print.
Create a mixture of one part water and one part paint.
Then, using this mixture, paint a wash onto the surface of your fabric.
Using any leaves or flowers you've collected, then arrange a design onto the
surface of your fabric. Make sure to push down nice and firmly
onto the surface and you can then leave outside to dry in direct sunlight.
Once your fabric has dried completely, remove your leaves and flowers
to reveal your final design.
A nice idea with these two printing processes is combining them together.
Why not add some potato prints on top of your sun prints and see what
effects they create?
We would love to see what you've made so
share your pattern designs with us by tagging us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.