V&A: Sketching with different materials

Today, Simon brought us to the V&A Museum to do some research. I brought along a sketchbook, rice paper, felt cloth and other recording vehicles, as well as a variety of marking materials, such as coloured pencils, crayons and markers, in preparation for enriching my means of observing things. At the museum, I set out to find reference materials related to my interests and projects. My goal was to document at least 40 pieces of artwork and filter them down to the most influential ones. As I looked at each exhibit, I tried to gain a deeper understanding of their qualities, historical context, and artistic value, as well as to understand each piece from multiple perspectives.

I use handwritten notes and drawings on paper to record what I observe. Whilst taking photographs on my mobile phone is a quick way of recording, I find that I can think more deeply and make connections through writing and drawing. I recorded sketches of at least 20 pieces of work, capturing their specific essence. During the recording process I paid particular attention to colour combinations, patterns and textures. I experiment with multiple mediums on a single sheet of drawing paper and present the same object from different angles. In this way I can capture the character of each piece more fully.

I try to gain a deeper understanding of the origin of the materials, the production process, and the history of the use of each exhibit. I ask questions about the "why" and try to understand the story and cultural significance behind them. In the museum, I spent time thinking about the connections between the different exhibits and asked a series of questions to try to find relevant information in the future that would help me understand the work in a multi-dimensional way.

I also spent time exploring areas that are less relevant to my usual practice, such as musical instruments, sculpture and so on. In the process of sketching, the intervention of different media allowed me to have a more sensory communication with the objects.

It was a very interesting experience to learn from my classmates' work about the different perspectives they investigated when working on the same object. This will also become a habit for me to visit museums or exhibitions in the future, so that I can make my research records more visual and creative.