Instructions
You are a master artisan and designer in a noble court of medieval Wales. Your reputation for skill in textiles and your deep understanding of history and lore have brought you a unique commission. You are to design a ceremonial garment for a character from the Mabinogion, the foundational tales of Welsh mythology. This garment must be both a whimsical reflection of their magical story and a practical piece of apparel for an esteemed noble activity: either falconry or horse riding.
This task requires you to weave together history, literature, and the practical arts of textile design. Complete the following tasks to develop and present your unique design concept.
Task 1: Research and Inspiration
Before you can design, you must gather your inspiration. Conduct research into the following areas to inform your creative choices. Make brief notes in the space provided.
1. The Muse (The Mabinogion):
Choose one character from the Mabinogion to be the recipient of your design. Examples include Rhiannon, Blodeuwedd, Culhwch, Olwen, or Pwyll. Briefly summarise their story and identify key symbols, colours, or natural elements associated with them.
Character Chosen:
Key Story Elements & Symbols:
2. The Activity (Historical Apparel):
Research the typical apparel for either falconry or horse riding worn by medieval Welsh nobility (c. 11th-14th century). Consider materials, garment shapes, and functional features (e.g., reinforced panels, sleeve design for a falconer's gauntlet, skirt design for riding aside).
Chosen Activity:
Key Garments & Functional Features:
3. The Craft (Embroidery & Textiles):
Investigate Welsh or Insular-style embroidery from the medieval period. What types of stitches were used (e.g., stem stitch, chain stitch, laid-and-couched work)? What were common motifs (e.g., Celtic knots, zoomorphic designs, plant life)? What textiles (wool, linen, silk) would have been available to Welsh nobles?
Embroidery Stitches & Motifs:
Available Textiles:
Task 2: Design and Justification
Synthesise your research into a cohesive design. You will create a visual representation of your garment and provide a detailed written explanation of your artistic and practical choices.
1. The Design Sketch:
In the space below, sketch your final design for the garment or outfit. This can be a simple line drawing, but it should clearly show the shape of the garment, the placement of seams, and the location of any significant embroidery or embellishment. Annotate key features.
Space for Annotated Design Sketch
2. Design Justification:
Describe your design in detail. Explain how your choices in fabric, colour, cut, and embroidery connect your research from Task 1 to your final concept. Your justification should address the following points:
- Garment & Silhouette: Describe the main piece(s) of the outfit. How does the overall shape balance historical accuracy for the chosen activity with the whimsical nature of your Mabinogion character?
- Textiles & Colour: What specific fabrics (e.g., fine wool twill, silk velvet, linen) have you chosen and why? Justify your colour palette based on historical context and literary symbolism.
- Embroidery & Embellishment: Detail the embroidery you would use. Where on the garment is it placed? What motifs and stitches did you select, and what story do they tell about the character?
- Function & Fantasy: Conclude by explaining how your design successfully merges the practical needs of the noble pursuit with the magical essence of Welsh mythology.
Write your Design Justification here...
Teacher's Analytical and Scoring Rubric
A most discerning examination of a student's accomplishments, aligned to the Australian Curriculum (ACARA v9), Year Levels 8-12, within the sphere of Design and Technologies.
| Criterion of Judgement | Of the First Distinction | A Most Commendable Accomplishment | A Creditable Endeavour | Requires Further Refinement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scholarly Diligence and Investigation | The student's investigation is conducted with a singular diligence and intellectual rigour. The collected intelligence is both comprehensive and discerning, forming a most solid foundation upon which to build. | A display of considerable industry is evident. The research is thorough and pertinent, providing a sound, if not entirely exhaustive, understanding of the historical and literary contexts. | The student has applied themselves with a pleasing degree of industry, gathering facts sufficient for the purpose. The connections made, however, want for a certain depth of insight. | One must lament a certain deficiency in application. The research appears hasty and superficial, and the resulting notions are consequently built upon a somewhat unstable footing. |
| Elegance of Conception and Design | The design exhibits a refined taste and a truly elegant synthesis of disparate elements. The concept is at once original, coherent, and perfectly suited to the character and purpose for which it is intended. | The design possesses a pleasing harmony and is rendered with a creditable degree of skill. The ideas, whilst not wholly original, are combined with good sense and a proper regard for the brief. | A design is produced that is serviceable and addresses the principal requirements. It lacks, however, that particular spark of imagination that elevates a work from the merely correct to the truly inspired. | The ideas appear somewhat haphazard, as if formed without due consideration for their harmony. The final design lacks a unifying principle and fails to fully capture the spirit of the enterprise. |
| Propriety of Justification and Textile Judgement | The justifications are offered with such perspicuity and sound judgement as to be entirely persuasive. Every choice of textile, stitch, and silhouette is supported by a flawless and well-articulated rationale. | The student's reasoning is, in the main, quite sound and well-expressed. The choices are judiciously made and explained with clarity, though they may lack the ultimate polish of a superior analysis. | An attempt at justification has been made, and the arguments are for the most part relevant. However, they often fail to connect with the necessary force, leaving the reader only partially convinced of their propriety. | The explanations provided are but trifling and do little to persuade the reader of their merit. The choices appear to be governed more by whim than by a considered and informed judgement. |
Answer Key
This is a creative design task, and as such, there are no single correct answers. The following provides guidance on what a high-quality response might include, corresponding to the "Of the First Distinction" criteria.
Task 1: Research and Inspiration
- The Muse: A successful response will select a character and move beyond a surface-level summary. For example, if choosing Rhiannon, a student should note her association with horses, birds, sovereignty, and her unjust accusation. Symbols could include her "pale, otherworldly horse," the "singing birds of Rhiannon," and colours might be gold (for sovereignty) and white or grey (for her otherworldly nature).
- The Activity: Research should be specific to the chosen activity. For horse riding, an excellent response would identify garments like a long tunic (kirtle) that is split for riding astride (for a man) or a voluminous skirt for riding aside (for a woman), as well as practical elements like leather boots and a mantle (cloak) for warmth. For falconry, details might include a leather gauntlet, a bag for lures, and sleeves cut to allow free movement of the arm.
- The Craft: The response should name specific textiles available to Welsh nobility, noting their properties (e.g., wool for its warmth and durability, linen for undergarments, imported silk as a status symbol). Embroidery details should include period-appropriate stitches (chain, stem, split stitch) and relevant motifs (interlacing Celtic knotwork, animal figures from Welsh lore like stags or birds).
Task 2: Design and Justification
- The Design Sketch: The sketch should be clear, well-proportioned, and annotated. Annotations should point to specific details mentioned in the justification, such as "Stem-stitched knotwork on the cuffs" or "Side-lacing on kirtle for a close fit."
- Design Justification: This is the core of the task. A distinguished response will seamlessly integrate all research elements.
- Example for Rhiannon (Horse Riding): "The design is a deep blue woollen kirtle, the colour reflecting her noble status and the twilight realm from which she came. The skirt is cut with ample gores to allow it to fall gracefully while riding aside. The cuffs and hem are decorated with extensive gold silk embroidery depicting three birds in flight, rendered in an Insular style using fine split stitch, a direct reference to the magical Birds of Rhiannon. A paler grey linen shift is visible at the neckline, alluding to her otherworldly origins. The entire design seeks to be historically plausible for a 12th-century noblewoman while making every element a symbolic tribute to her specific myth."