I’ve finally started work on my Strange Attractors Project, its been on my mind for a while now it is a phrase I use to describe my creative process, it is actually something complicated to do with maths but I mean it in it’s literal sense. I will be revealing the ideas and creative processes behind the development of this project here on my blog.
It’s time for a different direction with my work and while the general inspiration is familiar the source of my inspiration is totally different and has started to branch out beyond my initial starting point. Yes you guessed it F1 cars again! This time rather than the physical appearance of the cars it is the sound of their engines.
Sound is all around us and mostly we pay little attention to it but there is so much to be gained from just closing your eyes and listening. It’s quite revealing and there is so much to discover. However the sound of an F1 car engine is a sound that cannot be ignored and I find it symphonic in its complexity. Now there’s a problem with trying to listen closely to an F1 engine the sound is so loud you have to wear ear plugs or it is truly uncomfortable! So I kitted myself out with one of these and set out to record some sound and video.
Living in the South of England means I am lucky enough to have access to F1 cars once a year in July at the Festival of Speed. Last year’s visit inspired my Racing Wings collection launched at the beginning of the Summer. This year I left my sketchbook aside and recorded some sounds. I’ve put a few of the best videos and sound recordings up on my YouTube Channel, go over and have a listen, an F1 engine is a curious beast.
However, engine noise is not the only sound my ears love! I have always enjoyed listening to music and have a large collection of albums, I also love to listen to birdsong in the woods while I’m walking the dog. There is so much to hear once you open your ears.
So, now where am I going with all this? Sound waves are not exactly wearable. Back to the sketch book but this time with my headphones on and what happened was that some rather curious landscapes and abstracts started to emerge. Some of the below are based on songs, some on engine noise and one is a lark rising.