Repeating Structures

Throughout my work I always end up creating my designs digitally, by taking my drawings and paintings and transforming them on photoshop and illustrator. So the repeating structure task that was given to us will be an exciting change rather than always working on a laptop. I enjoy using a mixture of hand and digital in my designs but lately I feel my design have taken a more digital approach so this will be a nice change.

First of all I had to decide which motifs that I was going to use to create my repeating structures so I have decided to use some of my new ones. Here are a selection of images showing the ones that I have used to create these repeat patterns.

I firstly started off with the full drop repeat using one of the leaf motifs. I really enjoyed this repeating structure as it was a challenge to match up each piece of tracing paper and I enjoyed filling in the gaps of each square. Here is a image showing this repeating structure, my next step will be to paint it up.

I then moved onto the half drop which was a bot more complicated as all of the measurements had to line up otherwise the pattern would not match. This was my favourite repeating structure to complete, here’s an image showing the end result.

This will also need to be painted up ready for resubmission.

As I enjoyed this repeating pattern I created it in a small scale half drop using the same motif above. This was also very challenging making sure that my measurements were correct and matched up. It was interesting to see the pattern in both scales as I have realised they work well large and small scale. Here was the end result,

I then moved onto the brick repeat which I paint up as my negative space pattern. this one I also found difficult as it was really important that I got the measurements correct. This one looks completely different to the repeating structures above, this will definitely be a repeating pattern that I will consider in my final collection.

Overall I have enjoyed this experiment and will be something that I continue into my third year. It is nice to mix up both hand and digital techniques as I feel that sometime digital can overpower some of the designs.

Film/Augmented Reality with Ingrid

Today was the first session learning about film and learning how to bring memories and images to like by using Augment reality. Ingrid has shown us various apps that will help with the editing of our videos and film. As I have and android phone I will be working with PowerDirecter as a way of editing videos and HP Reveal which will augment films onto a certain picture or artefact.

So our first task was to gather images and film for a short introduction to our books explaining what were looking forward to in India. This was a good way to get used to the film editing software and to have a think about what theme I wanted for my book. To start off with this task I went to the library to gather information and images of India. I was specifically look at the fabrics, colours and surface pattern of India.

I found it hard to use the software as it was taking a while for images and video to load. I think that the more I use the PowerDirecter app in India it will gradually get easier to use and find my way around the various editing options.

To help me get a better understanding on the app, after the session with Ingrid i also started to watch YouTube videos on the editing software app PowerDirecter. The YouTube videos allowed me to gain more experience with the apps before heading to India.

Here are some screenshots showing what the tutorial and the tools that I have been practicing and developing.

Cropping and Shortening videos

After watching the tutorial, cropping videos is easier than I thought.

As shown on the YouTube video, once the video has been selected then the green markers can be moved so that the video can be cropped. This helps to shorten and take out bits of film that is unwanted.

Adding Heading and Text

Adding text is straightforward now after watching the YouTube tutorial.

As you can  see from the tutorial text can be added to any part of the film, the start middle or end. There are options to change the colour, font and size of the text which can enhance the aesthetics of a film. A piece of text can also be added and fixed to every part of the film and images.

I found watching these YouTube tutorials helpful and will continue to watch them, here is a link to the YouTube channel.

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ADZ5777 Self Reflective Statement

Working through a hypothetical design brief has allowed me to discover myself as a Textile Designer. I can successfully clarify what my interests are as from the beginning of the project I was clear that I would be focusing on interiors, looking at wallpaper and fabrics for the home. However this is not the area of textiles I am focusing on, paper has become the focal point of my research and is an area that carries on surprising me. Researching into paper it was evident that I am interested in hand painted and digitally printed stationary and gift wrap. Specially look at the theme of nature as this is a strong theme throughout my work. It was evident that I was interested in companies that have an elegant, naturalistic and painterly style. These are some of the key words I used to research well-known designers as well as designers that I’d never heard of as my knowledge for designers and companies grew throughout this research process.

Out of my print and stitch workshops it is evident that I will be going into print instead of stitch as I feel that this will give my designs a flat, 2D effect that will work well with my paper based collection. Throughout my print sessions I was focusing on lino prints, Heat Transfers and dyeing as I feel that these techniques are the best way for me to achieve my tropical theme, giving my designs a natural and painterly effect. If I was to do the experiment part of my brief again I would incorporate screen printing into my designs, this way I can print my designs out much faster and clearer. Digitally printing off designs in stitch was a challenge at first as I had to practice and learn how to use the software but at the end of the sessions I feel confidant to create designs using this software with no assistance.

Completing my Pecha Kucha Presentation on time I have built my confidence in speaking in front of others as well as finding the right amount to say on the 2 second slides. I feel that I could have given more facts about the companies adding more key dates and background information on each company/designer. Adding my own work on my final slide would have given a personal feel to the presentation as it would have been easier to explain my theme and initial design consideration. The images, display and lettering on my presentation worked well with the theme I am portraying in my work, this was a great way for me to covey my theme to the others in my group.

Having an unavoidable family situation at the middle of this project I feel I dealt with my work load to time that I had as I made the most of my time when in uni making sure that I wasn’t falling too behind. Looking back at my research and technical file, if I was to do this project again I would improve my time management on getting work done on time. Giving myself more time to work in the stitch and print sessions as I often move onto new samples without finishing ones that I have started. By finishing off samples I would be able to finalize them to hight standard giving me a large volume of professionally finished piece.

I am keen and excited to create a paper based collection for my chosen design company which is Chloe Hall illustrations. I am inspired by the painterly effect to her designs as this is a way for her to connect to nature and her clients. Working through a tropical theme I feel will work well against Chloe Hall’s collections as this will give an innovative and new view to the nature theme that runs throughout her products.

Hypothetical Design Brief

General aims and specific objectives:

My aim is to create a paper based collection for Chloe Hall Illustrations that will be inspired by nature, specifically exploring a tropical theme. The theme will investigate and report on a target market of females, age ranging from eighteen to thirty. The target market will be investigated by looking and reviewing trends, journals and specific websites to be informed of style and colour trends for season S/S 2019. The information collected using these research resources will be summarised on visual inspiring mood boards. The creative mood boards will lead to producing a body of samples, drawings and images experimenting with hand and digital techniques. This will support the development of ideas and images using techniques such as mark making, painting, print techniques and digitally editing samples and images. These techniques will produce a wide range of samples and designs using carefully chosen substrates that may include paper and natural fabrics such as cotton and silk. There are a variety of technical processes I will use such as print, specifically looking at lino printing, screen printing and heat transfer, with elements of hand and digital embroidery which will contribute to producing professional samples and designs to a high standard. The final collection of designs will demonstrate an alternative colour pallet, a variety of designs and patterns which will demonstrate successful repeated patterns that illustrate designs for stationary.

Market/client:

Chloe Hall bases her designs and products on a style of nature, specifically looking at plants reflecting her collections around the seasons. Hall is known for her elegant water-colour designs as she brings the outdoors indoors. The tropical theme that my collection will be based around will be focused on tropical fruits such as pineapples and animals such as flamingos. Adding elements of tropical plants will allow me to experiment with a wide range of backgrounds. The tropical theme will work well against Hall’s collections as my designs will give an innovative and unique view to her nature theme. Using paint techniques such as water colours will help me to relate back to Chloe Hall’s style as the water colour effect is a way that she connects to the theme nature.
Choosing females aged eighteen to thirty as my chosen client was a decision made after researching who Chloe Hall’s designs are aimed at, this was initially researched by visiting her website and viewing the feedback given to her by her client’s. To further my research on my target audience I have emailed Chloe hall with a questionnaire asking questions on her clients, designs and current work. When I receive an email back from Hall it is crucial that I use the information to further my research colour schemes and designs that will fit in with my chosen client.

Research:

The focus of my research will begin with collecting and editing my own images, I will take professional images of tropical plants, fruits and flamingos that I will gather inspirations from. Purchasing tropical fruits and plants will allow me to accumulate a wide range of drawings, prints and mark making of the textures and patterns that are concealed within the plants and fruits. The research that I will collect on colour trends and styles will begin research on WGSN specifically looking at colour trends for 2019 and style trends for a collection based around the season S/S taking into consideration my chosen client. Researching different papers and natural fabrics for my collection is crucial as I will research paper weights and paper finishes that will help me to get a professional and natural finishes. I will research my chosen materials by testing a varied range of paper and natural fabrics with a variety of techniques such as print, mark making, dye and digital embroidery. Considering Chloe Hall’s competitors which are, John Lewis, Riffle Paper Co, paper chase and WHSmith, it is crucial I research into these companies to understand what they have to offer and how I can make my collection different to what is already on the market. To research these competitors, I will visit the company’s websites, going into their stores and through their social media accounts. The way that Chloe Hall communicates with her clients is mainly trough her social media accounts, such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, as well as her website. This way of communicating with her clients is a great way to inform her clients frequently about new prints and designs added to her collections. Hall’s products are sold on her website but also in stores across the UK and Europe, having her products sold online and in store id an excellent way to make her products available to her clients

Concept, materials, processes and techniques:

The concept of my design collection is nature specifically looking at the tropical fruits textures and patterns giving my collection a naturalistic approach. Drawing from life will ensure I successfully achieve these textures and looks. The plant and Flamingo features to the collection will be researched through photos and life drawings the images will be taken in places such as tropical gardens and zoos that home flamingos, this way I can get extensive detail of the animal’s textures, features and appearances. Experimenting with water colours, gouache paints, prints techniques and digital embroidering and editing software will allow me create designs with a natural style. These techniques I can achieve professionally as repeated patterns to produce an elegant and unique collection. The colours that I will use throughout my collection will be a mixture of pastel and vibrant colours this will create detail and layers on the key elements of my designs. Experimenting with these techniques, fabric is usually the main material used so it will be interesting how I can convey these techniques onto paper. To conclude my aim to produce a collection of stationary designs inspired by a tropical theme which will be featured on notebooks, diaries, folders, pencil cases and much more. The collection will be hand painted, printed and digitally produced using paper as my main source of material.

Timetable:
Term 1
*Wednesday day used for blog entries, sketch book work and workshops.
*Friday Constellation Day-Essay preparation.

 

Week 1	Task	Notes on Tasks
Monday 25th-Wednesday 27th September	Read and analyse the brief making detailed notes, spider diagrams and research about my initial thoughts about the brief. Taking notes on any questions or concerns I have.	Read the brief more than once to get a better understanding of what it entails. Reading over, highlighting key aspects and parts of the brief using a highlighter. Library research to begin to collection information on the brief.
Thursday 28th September	Stitch workshop- hand, digital embroidery.	To get back into stitch techniques after a long break over the summer I will practice a wide range of techniques, machines and foots such as free hand embroidery, needle punching machine, cording foot and practicing simple designs on the digital machines.
Saturday 30th September-Monday 2nd October	Begin research on initial designers and companies, identifying what I like and inspires me. Collect images on mood board ready to be put together and completed.	I will look on Pinterest, Instagram, WGSN, magazines, blogs and library research to gain the information on my chosen designers/companies. Images for mood boards use nature photos and images from WGSN, Pinterest and my own sketches.
Week 2	Task	Notes on tasks
Tuesday 3rd October	Attend the library lesson with Martha.	This will help me with my research skills, developing them and leaning new ways of researching.
Thursday 5th October	Stitch workshop-focus on creating digital design and developing my free hand embroidery skills. Nature theme	Bring images to scan into the computer to digitally print off. Considering fabric choices.
Saturday 7th– Monday 9th October	Continue with designer and company research, going in-depth into final 20 and 9 designers. Start to complete Hypothetical design brief. Finish Concept mood boards ready for submission on Monday 23rd October.	Here I will identify what interests and inspires me about each company, start to collect images for mood boards and start to construct a petcha kutcha presentation. These areas of research will successfully collect using Pinterest boards, WGSN and magazines I have collected.
Week 3	Task	Notes on tasks
Tuesday 10th October	Continue research on designers and companies, collect images for concept mood boards and theme research.	Visit the library to collect images, after uni visit garden centres to take professional images of plants and leaves.
Wednesday 11th October	Visit Roath Park to collect more images on nature theme for mood board, colour board and client board.	Take a sketch book and drawing equipment so I can begin a sketch book of quick and detailed plants and leaves.
Thursday 12th	Last stitch session-print off digital stitch sample	Take into consideration, colours, fabrics and textures used throughout my stitch samples.
Saturday 14th– Monday 16th October	Continue research for designers and companies clearly identifying my final 9 and 3 companies. Start to construct my Pecha Kucha presentation. Choose between interior, fashion and paper.	Researching in-depth into the concepts, styles and approaches of each final company. This will help research for my theme and concepts for my hypothetical design brief.
Week 4	Tasks	Notes on Tasks
Tuesday 17th October	Mark making studio work-Transform my mark making into detailed pieces and designs.	By concentrating on my favourite mark making techniques I can develop and perfect these techniques. Bring paint brushes, paper, gouache paint and mark making equipment.
Thursday 19th October	First print session, take images and sketches to work from.	On my first print session I will concentrate on heat transfer, using my mark making and painting techniques to get a naturalistic look. Considering a nature colour scheme.
Saturday 21st– Monday 23rd October	Continue research on my final company for my chosen collection Complete hyperthetical design brief and emailed to tutors by 4pm-pin up concept mood boards.	Researching my chosen company will consist of digital research as I will further my research on my client. consider intended client. *Email chosen company about client, designs and concepts.
Week 5	Tasks	Notes on Tasks
Tuesday 24th October	Complete colour theory task, continue with drawing techniques and mood board research.	Get colours, paint brushes and paper ready, will help with development of colour scheme.
Wednesday 25th October	Displacement workshop.	This will help to develop my Photoshop skills, by learning how to add my designs to products in a natural way.
Thursday 26th	Second print session, create lino	Cut out lino ready for the workshop, print off simple designs and start to experiment with patterns and layering lino. Taking into consideration my theme, colour and style.
Saturday 28th – Monday 30th	Continue pecha kucha presentation prep-finalising slides and script ready to practice.	Make the presentation look the part I will consider images, content and text on the slides.
Thursday 31st October	Last Print session-dyeing, lino and heat transfer.	Practice patterns, colour scheme and designs in this print session, concentrating on detail and layering.
Saturday 2nd– Monday 6th November	Finalise pecha kucha presentation-practicing slides. Upload on my blog by 4pm. Complete folders, mounting and sketch book ready for hand in on Thursday 9th November.	Professionally mount samples in technical file, gather mark making and colour theory making sure they are presented professionally.
Tuesday 7th November	Present pecha kucha presentation	*Be prepared for presentation, print off notes.
Thursday 9th November	Hand in portfolio Visit both stitch and print workshops working between them both.	Take print samples into stitch workshop to develop my prints adding detail and layers to my designs.
	End of ‘Making Connections part 1

Throughout the rest of November and through to ‘Making connections’ part 2 I will develop my concept mood boards, designs, images, prints and themes. Practicing stitch and print techniques preparation in for my collection and designs. Adding and developing my research, finalising my collection ideas and gathering materials that I need.

Dissolvable fabric.

I have previously used dissolvable fabric but as I haven’t had a great deal of experience with it did not go to plan. This workshop was very useful and helpful as i was learnt how to dissolve the fabric correctly and i now feel confident using the dissolvable fabric.

My first attempt work well however at some parts where I didn’t attach the two sides together fell apart but this was rectified by hand stitch some of the parts together. My inspiration for this piece was floral patterns and the season autumn. I focused on bright vibrant colours but after i had dissolved the fabric i did not like the colours that i used and next time i think i would us an autumn colour scheme to go with the design.

 

 

 

 

Taking into consideration my struggles and mishaps I created another sample taking a design from my mark making workshops. These were several circles using a variety of paint brushed to create them focusing on various tones of the colours brown and blue. I changed the colour scheme to purple and cream as I feel this would relate well with my previous stitch samples. With this stitch sample there was still some stitches that i missed and did not connect but was easily fixed by a few hand stitches.

I feel more confident using the dissolvable material, it is very time-consuming but the end results can be very beautiful and unique.