Preparing to Print

Today I spent some time sat at the light box matching up my designs on sheets of acetate. I will use these pieces to expose the designs onto my screens tomorrow, ready for screen printing. I plan to print on heavy cloths and linens.

 I have mostly been designing digital prints in recent times and so I am looking forward to putting on my wellingtons along with my dads old shirt and hitting the print room!

XOXO

Narrowing Down

Last week I worked on narrowing down the prints I have designed to create a collection. This collection will be based around mark making. It is important I can demonstrate lovely colour, a range of techniques, varied scales and I will also print the designs onto different fabrics. Our digital print deadline is at the end of this week. Time has flown by and we only have 4 weeks left all together. At times I feel fine and under control and then I'll have a random panic in my head! 

Fingers crossed all will go well. After all we're not saving lives here, it's just textiles...

Leisurely Painting

Yesterday I travelled back to Bath. On Monday I will resume work again after the easter break. I met up with my wonderful boyfriend in Reading on my way to do a spot of shopping. I had never been before and so it felt quite spontaneous. Matt bought me some funky printed trousers from one of my favourite shops called Mango followed by dinner. I also got a dress and some shoes courtesy of my mum for a birthday treat as I'm going to a wedding today. This week I had a break from textiles but this didn't stop me from painting. I enjoyed being creative without having the pressure of making a so called masterpiece, as well as trying to work out how the design could potentially repeat across a length of fabric.

Printing Methods

It has been really quiet at university this week because most people have gone home for easter break and I am looking forward to going home this Thursday for a long weekend. In the meantime the print room has been fairly quiet and so I have been making the most of it...  

I have managed to develop a technique that has allowed me to print my designs onto wood without it warping which is great. I have also introduced other methods to include vinyl, painted flock (above) and puff binder (below).

I always enjoy the experimental stages within my projects. 

Have you made any exciting discoveries lately?

P.s. I would like to welcome my latest member Miss Val!

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Thumbnails

I always find thumbnails are a quick and easy way to put my ideas down to translate my drawings into designs. However just lately I have preferred the thumbnails themselves and have been putting them into fun, ditzy repeats. Although there is always the threat of the design becoming too rigid, so it is important to bare this in mind. Here are a few of late:

If you enjoy a doodle, give it a go and I would love to hear about it.

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An Abstract Twist

This week I noticed my designs were becoming quite rigid when I put them into repeats; perhaps because the colours I introduced were very solid. As a result I decided to step back from the computer and start painting again. I am going to combine these designs with abstract combinations.

Thumbnails in repeats

 Abstract Paintings

  Abstract Paintings

Sketchbook

These designs are free and the geometrics shapes are less orderly. Next week I will scan them into the computer and begin to turn them into repeats and I will include the existing designs but use them to create a boarder across the bottom or through the middle.

Happy Designing :)

Spots or Painted?

I have designed this print which was inspired by a bunch of carrots I bought at the farmers market. At first I wasn't sure about the yellow but it has actually grown on me. I figured the design is actually to strong to live with but could look nice printed onto tiles? Then I decided it was the spots that didn't work and so I replaced them with painted brush marks. I would love to know what people think?

Snow Angels?

Today we have a snow day. The university is closed so I am forced to have a day off! I feel like an excited child because it reminds me of the snow days I would have at school and the freedom I would feel swapping a day of books for frolicking in the snow. In reality I woke up to find my housemate crouched down by the radiator eating her breakfast because it is so cold in our old flat. Below are some photographs I took in the snow on my recent visit to Japan.

If you have snow and it is stopping you from getting on with things, this means you have time to enjoy it instead!

Fruit & Veg

I went to the local greengrocers yesterday to take some photographs of fruit and veg, I figured it was a good starting point for my latest project. It was a beautiful day because the sun was shining in the morning which made me feel really happy! This also meant there was lots of natural light running into the shop window that I could use to my advantage as I am a complete beginner where photography is concerned, but one thing I know is natural light is more flattering than a flash. I have also been creating mood boards to help to develop a theme and research what's already out there... if you know of anyone who is doing great things with fruit and vegetables in the textiles industry, I'd love to know?

Zooey's home

The feedback I received after my last project included the suggestion of having a muse: someone in my mind I would like to design for. This time I have decided to design a collction of prints for Zooey Deschanel's home. I imagine her to have a vibrant, quirky, feminine house with lots of personality through layers of pattern and pops of colour. I imagine Zooey decorates her home in the same way she dresses, with a relaxed feel to include unique selections and DIY decor. I have created these scrap book designs using photoshop to put bits and pieces together from my pinterest boards to create 'Zooey's imaginary home'. This was lots of fun!

Zooey's Living Room

Zooey's Kitchen

Zooey's Bedroom

Zooey's Bathroom

Is there anyone you would love to design for?

Prints and visualizations

Here are some prints I have designed and put into room contexts.

This is a digital half drop repeat printed onto linen union for interiors. I have hand painted puff binder mixed with yellow pigment onto the design to add a two dimensional quality.

This is a half drop repeat digitally printed onto a linen union fabric with foil on top applied by hand painting the adhesive onto the fabric to create a painterly look.

  

This design is in a block repeat printed onto linen union with hand painted puff binder applied to the surface in green and pink to add texture.

Abstract Block Repeats

I had lots of fun creating these seamless block repeats. I enjoy turning my paintings into patterns by joining them up. I like to paint in a very free way and when I create repeats I find joining up the seams a challenge and the designs become quite structured in contrast.

To see more of my work please visit my facebook page.

Abstract half drop repeats

Here are some designs from my latest project. I wanted to create a fresh and painterly feel to the patterns I developed from paintings within my sketchbook. All the designs have been worked into a seamless half drop repeat, this was a long but worthwhile process.