Category: Subject – YEAR 2

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Self Reflective Statement

Self-Reflective Statement – Making Connections Project Two, Spiritual Journey

Over the course of project two I feel that I have really grown as a designer, at the beginning I was struggling to get the concept and to work out what pathway to take designer or maker. At the start the thought of making a collection of 12 was daunting but as soon as I found my rhythm the designs were made with ease and they just flowed. I feel I have finally found the process in how I like to work and how I get from mood boards to motifs to patterns.

My overall outcome is two collections of 6 that focused in on the two-star signs which are Leo and Libra. The reason I narrowed my project down to two-star signs was because I thought it would be easier to focus on rather than 12. I felt that for Leo, and Libra I had the most motifs and drawings so could work well and develop them further. Both collections have 3 fabric pieces and then 3 paper-based pieces. Throughout this project I was designing for a stationary company ARK Colour Designs, there work is bold, bright and funky. Within my collections I have tried to keep this in mind by using a similar colour pallet to them. They also use metallics and foiling so on my stitched samples I wanted to use shiny fabric and threads. It has been harder to incorporate the shiny foiling on the paper designs, perhaps if the circumstances were different, I could have screen printed the foils on top to add texture and depth.

At the beginning of the project I was worried how I was going to turn my line croquis drawings into final pieces. Usually I am quite a hands-on workshop maker but for this project I felt designing my collection on photoshop would create the best outcome. Photoshop is a software that I find daunting and confusing so to have produced fabrics and croquis’ that I am proud of was an achievement. I feel confident is the small skill base that I now have that I could use photoshop more often to create more pieces.

Going on the London trip also opened my eyes hugely to the design world and my position within it.it showed me how broad the market it is and how I feel that I would like to be part of the interiors side of design perhaps rather than stationary. I have enjoyed looking in ti stationary but think that in future I would like to explore the interiors world. Whilst at the design show I particularly liked Emma Shipley’s work it is so detailed and beautiful. It has made me want to learn how to add more detail to my photoshop designs so they don’t look as flat on the screen.

When choosing the fabric for my fashion formula prints, I wanted them to look glossy and luxurious that’s why I went for a glossy satin finish. Unfortunately, printing is expensive so I could afford all of them in this fabric. I also purchased a gift wrap sample as I thought it would tie in nicely with my company being stationary based. I feel that the gift wrap and the diamond pattern work so well.

During part two I moved in to doing a lot of digital stitch whereas before I was very much based in the print room dying and screen printing. If there was more time, I would have combined all theses techniques to create my pieces. However, I really enjoy digital stitch and the different aspects of it. I feel that you can create clean sharp motifs that add depth and texture to your work. I have enjoyed experimenting and learning new tips and tricks I would really like to carry this on in the future to make more complex designs. Another technique that I have been practising is my hand embroidery skills, I usually find this a slow time consuming process but since having more time within this project and the sun being out I think I have found a new hobby. Due to being restricted to not having the workshops I feel that I would have definitely explored lots of new techniques to create my patterns in them.

Overall, I feel that this project has been a whole load of mixed emotions despite this I feel that I have really grown in to becoming and thinking more like a designer. My pathway was unclear at the beginning of this project and I was apprehensive about the project but as soon as I began and got my head round things everything became clearer.

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Project Two – Making Connections

Fashion Formula

I wanted to choose these patterns to be printed as i thought they all coincided well with each other. I wanted all three prints ti be on satin silky fabrics to make the gems and diamonds look rich and sparkly. However I couldn’t afford to print all three on this fabric that is why one is on a cheaper basic fabric.

I feel that they work so well with the scale and am proud of how they turned. The purple with blue sapphire piece is going to be embellished so it looks as lavish as the other fabrics. I am looking to add sparkles and sequins to it.

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Project Two – Making Connection

Paper Collection

I finally came to the decision that I was going to create the rest of my patterns using Photoshop as it best fitted the style I was aiming to achieve. With lots f patients and time i managed to start to get the hang of things and start to create motifs and croquis designs that i was proud of.

Here are my patterns, i have also been looking at alternative colourways and backgrounds to see what works best.

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Project Two – Making Connection

Digital Stitch

Over the course of this project i have really been enjoying experimenting and creating new patterns using digital stitch.

One of my feedback comments was to try brighten the colours and change my fabric choices when using digital stitch to stick with my colour pallet. I have taken this in to consideration and have used metallic fabric and bright shinny threads.

The fabrics you can see make up the secondary and blender patterns.

I have been using different techniques within the digital software such as the repeat motif fill, and the turning angle which allows you to create smooth flowing stitched curves.

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Project 2 – Making Connections

So far in part 2 of making connections i have been gathering all my motifs and making croquis designs. I have enjoyed this process of trying out new layouts and different motifs next to each other to create something new. I feel like this exercise has helped me move my project on and look at my motifs in a new light.

I have also been doing some research into space and zodiacs looking in different books to take shape and colour inspiration from.

On Thursdays i have been in the stitch workshop focusing on my digital stitch. I have really enjoyed getting back in to using the software and am super happy with the results so. We have been learning new tools with the program to give your work more edge. I feel that some of my motifs will look really good digitally stitch rather than screen printed so i am going to hopefully create lots of samples to test this.

I also attended a book binding workshop as my original end goal was to create personalised book covers that related to your star sign. With that in mind i went in to the workshop and create my first ever book. I really enjoyed the process and found it rather rewarding. I am looking in to hopefully taking this new skill i have learnt and combining it with my digital stitch samples to hopefully create a book.

The other technique that I have started to look into is Fabric Manipulation. I would like to create boarders using this technique. I have started to have a go using paper to understand how the folds work. Here are my examples

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Revised Self Set Agenda

Self-set Written Agenda – Revised

1)General Aim

To create a paper and fabric-based series of samples for the stationary company ARK Colour Designs that will be suitable for females of the age 16 – 24 years inspired by a ‘spiritual journey’ theme.

2) More specific objectives

– The season for the theme spiritual journey is A/W 20/21. I will be referencing mystical spiritual astrology, star signs and the zodiac. The colour trends will be quite bright to in keep with the company’s style but also adding foiling for the extra shine and sparkle which the company already do.

The target market for my theme is based around females of the ages between 16-24 years. The theme is playful, young and quirky with a hint of mystery to it. Women like to have fun stationary as it can reflect their personality. With the theme linking to horoscopes and zodiac signs it allows the clients to have something that is more personal to them.

The theme of ‘Spiritual Journey’ is all about looking into horoscopes, star signs, the zodiac. I will be taking inspiration from horoscopes, tarot cards, the moon, sky, stars and space and maps.

My theme will be evidenced through many different medias, I am looking to explore ink, fine liner, painting, bleach, gouache, lino, sponge with ink, and paper cut collage. Through using different media, I can experiment with what works best with the theme, colours, and client persona. I am looking to transfer these experiments then into the workshops such as screen printing, heat transfer, the dye lab, stitch and digital stitch. Through using a wide range of workshops allows me to add depth texture and meaning into the pieces I am creating.

Due to wanting to foil and heat press I will be using synthetic fabrics as that’s what works best with the processes. For the paper cut work in my sketch book I will be using coloured card and then for the papers that I have created myself through heat transfer are just from normal printer paper. I will also be using different fabrics in the stitch room along with threads and yarns, sequins and beads.

The colourway that I will be using will be similar to my clients, bright and bold with hints of sparkle and shine.

The CAD visuals will be including mock-up designs on different types of stationary such as book fronts, wall hangings and laptop cases.

Your research base

Due to the nature of my theme collecting primary research is difficult however I will be looking in books of my own that are based on space and the meanings of dreams. I will also be looking in the library for books about horoscopes, astrology and space. I am hoping to find out more about the history of star signs. Water is a big part of astrology so for inspiration I am going to do use it as a primary resource, looking into the way it moves and flows.

The actual proposal/brief

The market area I have chosen is stationary as I find that It appeals to me as it’s something that I enjoy, and I always like to have funky stationary. From looking at people stationary collections you can tell a lot about them. It’s the small things in life that are pleasing such as a cute little notebook or a quirky pencil case.

The company I have chosen ARK Colour Designs is a bright and colourful company that design and make all their products themselves in the UK which is really appealing to me knowing that everything is sourced in this country and made here. I believe that it is important to keep carbon emissions down so through not outsourcing from abroad is very eco-friendly.

The theme that I have chosen is called ‘Spiritual Journey’ which is all about the zodiac, astrology, horoscopes and space. I feel that it fits in with the company as due it the theme including star signs you can create items of stationary that are personal to the client. I feel that it will fit in with the companies look as it is a trend that is current with what I believe their target market it is. It’s different from other stationary and appealing to clients who are looking for something a bit edgy.

The concept behind my theme is to create samples that are personalised to client’s star signs. The materials I will be using are synthetic fabrics for heat press and dying. I will hopefully be trying out some screen print stencils also lino printing on to card and fabric.

For my design collection I want the samples to look all uniformed and colour coordinated however the imagery to be different to represent different star signs and zodiac groups.

In conclusion working for ARK Colour Designs I will be creating paper and fabric samples that are based along the theme ‘Spiritual Journey’. I will be using bright colours with pops of shiny foils for a clean and quirky finish.

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Project Two – Making Connections

Set Task; write about a journal that you found in the Library

The Journal that i discovered was called Varoom, Illustration and Fantasy, i purely chose this journal as i thought that the illustrations were so beautiful, the colours shapes and forms were amazing.

Its not directly related to my theme but when you look at certain images they reminded me of space and aliens. Space is what I what to look in to more in project 2 so I thought I could take a lot of inspiration from the colours they used to the shapes of things. There is something really quite mystical about some of these drawings that draws me.

Here are some of my favourite pages from the Journal.

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Project Two – Making Connections

Set Task; write about one book and how it relates to you

My Chosen Book – The Working Mind and Drawing Hand, Oliver Jeffers

I chose this book as in the second part of this project i want to explore and do more marking making using paint. Although Jeffers is known for being a children’ book illustrator his other work is so interesting and full of meaning. I really enjoy how every piece he creates has such deep thought behind it to make a statement or relay a message. Even in his children’ books there are adult messages being relayed.

His style of painting changes in my eyes depending on his message and meaning. I found some of his work to be so intricate and detailed and then others to be less. I enjoy this change in style. I also like how he is always collecting, rummaging and finding things of the street to then use as backgrounds for new painting or old papers for small drawings, frames to hang work.

Within the book I found pages that are related to my theme of astrology and the sky. Reading his thoughts of space was really insightful. Seeing his illustrations and bookings knowing the reasons why he created them make them even more special to read.

I have realised that to create art and make it meaningful you need to pose questions and have curiosity, don’t be afraid of what others think do what makes you happy.  A line that stood out for me in the whole book was this, ‘Design makes solutions. Art makes Questions.’ I feel that this sentence is powerful it makes me want to add more deeper meaning and questions into my own work.

I feel like i stumbled across this book because i enjoyed Jeffers painting style and I have come away with a whole new perspective of creating.

Here are some of my chose images out of the book that relate to my theme and others that i felt were powerful.

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