Thistles...

Last night when i looked at all my designs together in individual collections I wasn't happy with my floral one. So i decided to try and create a design that would work better with the pieces i had to finish off the collection. I like this design, but im still not convinced it will round up mt collection.im really worried that the florals just don't look like a finished collection. I like each individual piece, but just not the collection.

Im going to have a quick play about with color ways and see if i can make this design look like it belongs with my others.

Nearly there...

Sorry havent posted this week! Its been busy busy! Handed my dissertation in on wednesday and been printing and working on my other module scince!! Just inthe library doing a few last minuite bits and bobs. This weeek has been full on, but i feel alot more organised than i ever have before a deadline! Everything is printed, minus a few smaller designs and all my work is ready! Its strange feeling this organised, but at the same time i fel a bit on edge. Nobody should be this chilled before hand in! I just hope Ive got enough! Ive been working on a few extra designs this week, to go with my floral theme, Heres the one i promised last week and another i completed this week...

 

 

These design are both for gift wrap. I like the colours used and i think both the design compliment each other and the collection well. Over all i am pleased with this colection so far.

 

Busy busy...

Busy busy day!! Just finished a design sheet ive been working on today, working with the floral theme, but ive included stag heads, i quite like it. Its a bit different, but i think with some digital manipulation it will be nice. I have to go to work now,but i will upload when im back!! :-)

Christmassy Latte's & another design...

Hello!! Today I've had another essay day. Me and my housemate spent the afternoon in 'Costa Coffee' sipping Christmassy latte's and desperately trying to finish our essays!! 

When I got home I had a play about on Photoshop and completed this design that i started on Monday! I really like the simple colour palette used and i feel that it will work well alongside my other completed design (see previous post) within a wallpaper or gift wrap collection.

Mini Daily Updates...

Ive decided that for the next two weeks i will be posting a mini update everyday! Mainly because im not using my blog enough, but also because its the Final 2 weeks of the module and i need to share my thoughts and stress with someone other than my housemate!!

 

So heres my first mini update...

Today Ive been writing up my essay, but after lunch i had a quick break and decided to have a play about with a design i created yesterday, using my hand painted pieces (see last post) and photoshop. This is a piece that i think would be suitable for either a giftwrap or wallpaper. I love the slightly vintage colours used and feel that the piece portrays my theme of autumn well.

 

 

 

Essay stress & Handpaintings...

The last few weeks have been pretty full on, designing, painting and essaying! Ive been really stressed out with my extended essay (due in next week!!!) so sorry for lack of posts! However on the up side, i now feel like im finally getting somewhere!! Ive been hand painting designs on A2 sheets for one collection and designing on the comouter for my other collection. i feel that my work at the moment my first collection is going more towards a possible giftwrap/wallpaper collection and my handpainted collection is more suited to an interior fabric outcome. Here are a few samples of my handpainted design worksheets.

Developing...

Ive been wanting to paint some birds fora while now. I haven't really had the confidence so far, as i tried to draw some in the first few weeks of the module and they were awful! However, after drawing several lots of feathers and bird eggs in a realistic style, i now feel more confident and have had a go! I really feel that birds will give my overall designs a country feel and will give my work an edge, when designs are complete on the computer. The birds pictured below aren't finished yet, but here is my work in progress...

Bird.1. Gouache, Pencil Crayon & Watercolour.

Getting there...Bird.2. Watercolour & Pencil Crayon.

Basso & Brooke...

Whilst doing a quick bit of research, i came across this gorgeous collection (Autumn/Winter2011) by Basso and Brooke. I love the abstract pattern and natural colours used. I think the whole collection works really well and its given me a lot of ideas for design sheets. 

 

 

Faking a lino effect...

Today I've been playing around with a few painting effects. Last week at my interim review I got told to create a few more lino effect paintings from my own photographs. I was particularly inspired by the work of Mark Hearld when carrying out my research....

 

I decided to try and work in the style of Hearld myself.

I started off with this photograph I took of a horse chestnut. 

I didn't really no where to go from there, so i cut a stencil into the photograph. I then painted over the top of the stencil. I was left with a basic outline of the shape, which I then worked into. I really like the overall effect and think it looks similar to a lino cut. I also like the natural colours I've used. I would like to use this method again, but in a more simplistic way...

Rustic Tweed.

After lots of research and writing today I decided to have a play about on Photoshop with my own imagery and a piece I found from a website. I liked this basic sort of advert I found online. I thought the layout was quirky and modern and I liked the small explanation of the tweed suit on the left hand side.

 

 

 

 

 

I wanted to add a dated look to the image so added a stained layer onto the piece from one of my archives. I then turned down the opacity and played around until I liked the effect. i then opened up one of my painted images i had scanned in and layered it ontop of the image. i like the idea of mixing my conker image with the tweed fabric and i will develop this idea further.

Above is my finished piece.

McQueen Montage.

Today was a busy day! After spending the morning researching, writing and discussing my essay I decided to do some research for my other module. After my interim review I was told to look at how my theme has been used throughout the fashion industry. Ive looked at alot of collections, but the one that inspired me the most was Alexander Mcqueen's A/W 2012 collection. I loved the colours used and the mixture of lace, tartans, and 3D embellishments.  if you think about it Autumn itself is a very 3D season! Leaves falling off the trees and piling up in mounds, branches sticking out of the trees and flowers and grasses becoming...almost geometric skeletons after all their delicate petals have fallen off. I would like to create some samples of my own using tartan and 3D embelishments embracing the season. Here is a montage I created based around the collection.

 

 

Its been a While...

Hello, Sorry I've been away so long! Its been a busy few weeks! I've been struggling with inspiration with this project and I've not done anywhere enough to date, but i now have a plan, so lets hope this time next week I will be on track! Here are a few paintings I've done over the last few weeks. Just a small sample...I was working towards a realistic outcome with these pieces and I'm really impressed with them. I've never been able to draw like this before and I quite like it! I'm currently working on a few more at the moment and I will post them up soon, lets hope these ones weren't just a one off!

A variety of feathers. Media:- Gouache, Watercolor & Pencil Crayon.

Broken Conker. Media:- Gouache & Watercolor Pencils.

The First Cut.

This weekend I took a trip around Manchester. I seem to pop into the city art gallery every time im in Manchester. Its a really good place to visit and its amazing that you can still get in for free! I noticed that 'The First Cut' exhibition was on and decided to have a look. The exhibition itself wasn't too big, but the main gallery was pretty impressive. There was a really wide variety of work from loads of different artists, including Rob Ryan, Tom Gallant and Justine Smith. I found this work by Tom Gallant. 
(Heres the link to his website...  
http://www.tom-gallant.com)
I love Gallants use of pattern and collage in this collection. I like the idea of using game birds and I felt that this work really linked to my project. I also think the way the work has been displayed in these 3D memory frames suits the dated and run down feel to the overall piece. Above are some photographs I took at the exhibition.

You can take the girl out of the country...

...but you certianly can't take the country out of the girl!  

Autumn is my favourite season, and I hate being away from the country during fall, so last weekend I decided to take a trip back home to Shropshire. I went on a big Autumn walk along the canal and through the woods and took lots of photographs to draw from. Below are two mini montages of some of my favoutrites...

I love the warm golden colours in the leaves and I like the mixture of black and white and colour on my 'Berry Horse' Montage.

Mulberry Eggs.

Found this beautiful advert layout for the Mulberry Winter/11 collection before. I love the use of layers and colours and i think the mysterious woodland theme works really well. I was really inspired by this piece and I want to interprite this sort of style in my next painting. Using old wallpaper as the background and painting and collaging birds, berries and hips on top.

 

Taking inspiration from the image above...

'Bird Eggs' (Gouache Paint.) 

Autumn Jumper

Another day gone, a very rainy day! After class I considered going to go into town and treating myself to a new Autumn jumper, but I was sensible and decided to go home to start painting...Wish me luck, pictures will be up soon!

Beauty and a Barbour

So Uni finished at 3pm yesterday, so i decided to scour the library and the web for some extra research. I came across these new patterns William Morris have designed for the new Barbour Autumn/Winter 2012 collection. I've always been a fan of Morris's work and i really think that his style suits Barbours look. I love the autumnal colours used and I think both the jacket and lining really compliment each other. There's even a selection of satchel bags available! B-e-a-utiful.

Hi, welcome to my blog! Im new at blogging so you'll have to bare with, but hopefully i'll get the hang of it. This blog will be following my life as a Third year Textile Surface Design student. A sort of visual, online diary if you will. Hope you enjoy.