Fabric Experimentation

Seer Sucker

After experimenting with the soap and creating 3D images with the material, we decided to further this in the print room. We tried to recreate the idea of creating a chemical reaction. We used the printing technique seer sucker. The samples didn't look how we imagined but we scanned them in and that enabled us to see closer and the fabric form closer up. We edited these in photoshop and like how it looked rustic and worn but also how it looked like it was spreading, linking back to our idea of contamination. 

Brian Barrat and Maija Louekari

I found these two textile designers when looking at artist research for my final prints. Brian Barrat has digitally designed these prints starting from his own detailed drawings. He has drawn and gathered images and layered and compiled them using digital and hand techniques to create something beautiful. He has a simple colour palette that works extremely well. His inspiration was British wildlife and taxidermy so his work is very similar to mine but on a more minimalistic level.

The second designer I looked at was Maija Louekari. Maija is a finnish designer who became successful very early on. She uses a lot of drawing and colour in her work. She also combines this with linear lines and geometric shapes. She uses a vibrant colour combination and expressive motifs. Maija also draws from natural and organic form using observational drawing as a basis to all of her work.

Final prints.

So after deciding on using the second palette I had created, my layered illustrations came together a lot quicker as a collection. I have been working tirelessly on photoshop, playing around with compositions, layers and colours. Some prints are a lot simpler than others using repetition and typography, working with different scales and sizes. I am extremely happy with the final prints I have created, I think this is mainly because I worked hard on drawing to begin with and I think that has payed off with creating better prints.

Photoshop .

So I decided to scan my drawings into photoshop. I then started layering the animal drawings with the mechanical drawings also combining the typography. I had a large colour palette as I was experimenting with both palettes I had created. The illustration prints weren't working (see below)  as well as I originally planned and I think this was due to the wide range of colour I was using. The prints were not acting as a collection, I wanted for each one to be different but still allowing the audience to see a definite and obvious colour palette. I have now decided to go with the second palette I created as the colours work better together!

Final colour palete

Colour palette ideas.

Today I began looking at concept of colour. My drawings have all been black and white so have been working with colour after looking at how Stuart Patience combines his drawings with colour. I want a lot of colour so I'm going to start experimenting with layering in photoshop to create a series of digital illustrations or prints. There is a key colour palette that runs parallel with both of my objects which is why I chose them. The colours in both are very soft and pastel like.

Nursey Book

Wind Up toy

Sampling Digital Print Collection.

Here are a few of my favourite digital prints from my sampling project final collection.

Final Screen Print Collection.

Over the last few days I have been working endlessly in the print room trying to get at least a few prints I like. Every print I have been creating has taken a lot of time due to them all being done by using the process of mono printing. I decided to go with this method of printing as I felt it worked best with my collection and it gave across the mood and colours I was trying to convey. My prints are very busy but I think they work well due to the graphic and illustrative style of motifs.

Christo.

Surrounded Islands. Florida 1980-83

Th Gates. Central Park,  New York. 1979-05.

I have been finding it difficult to find research on artists work that I feel is relevant to my own. BUT today I have finally found an artist with work that is interesting and also similar to my own. Here are a few images of Christo's work. He combines the idea of geography with bold and colourful fabric. He works with skylines and cityscapes capturing them from different angles, covering and creating shapes with fabrics. I have very much enjoyed my research on Christo as it is very different form anything I have previously seen.

Back Up and Running.

So I am feeling much better! My tonsils have decreased in size and returned to their original colour! I have been a bit worried about missing out on uni last week due to illness. I felt very behind on my work due to missing 3 key days in the print room. I feel I am lacking in screen prints so this week I am mainly concentrating on working in the print room. In my early experiments in the print room I worked with pigment paints. This wasn't working well for me as I found it hard to relate my colour palette and mood of my collection in the prints as I was only working with limited colour. Today I tried Mono printing, this type of printing uses reactive dyes which are painted directly onto the screen then fixed onto fabric with Manu Tex. I liked this method as I could use most of my colours and my prints have become busier and seem to connect to my digital prints more.

Images for screen.

This is my final A4 illustrator page to go onto screen. I am happy with the outcome and I feel I have learnt a lot in illustrator through working on these motifs. Looking back over these motifs though i do feel as though they are a bit restricted in shape as they are quite rectangular but I am going to try and further develop this and experiment more through my digital work and hand drawn paper prints.

This is my final A4 page of hand drawn motifs to be put onto screen, this is my favourite as I feel I have more variety to work with in the print room but I also feel it is more detailed due to the hand drawn quality. I haven't edited the drawings just scanned them into photoshop and experimented with the threshold tool to darken the colour and enhance contrast between black and white! This week we have had a lot of workshops in the print room, I have enjoyed learning about all the different printing processes but also the dying of fabric and the science behind it all. I am really excited to get my screen back and start experimenting! 

DATA

I am currently in print, I am enjoying this sampling project. There is a lot of drawing which is what I enjoy most and I feel that I am confident in this area. We are currently working on black and white motifs which will then be put onto screen for printing. I began with looking at general data and graphs, I looked at heart monitors and then graphs and data that are used in health care and medicine. I found this quite limiting so I looked at my work further to see what I could develop. I really like the heart monitor drawings and they reminded me of skylines, so I decided to look at city scapes and buildings from birds eye views. This gave me the ability to create geometric abstract shapes that were placed in a structured order. I also looked at the idea of congestion due to the cars looking like shapes, my only problem was the ratio of black to white so I considered this carefully.  I have also quickly looked at the idea of colour, but I feel the colour stripe isn't an accurate representation of the picture I have chosen so I am going to further work on this.

Design Boards.

 

These are my three final designs boards. I have chosen my 6 favourite characters and placed my favourite print which have been edited in illustrator onto the garments. I have then drawn the garments as flats so the audience understands their shape.