Product Development in Textiles and Surface Design

 

We have finally arrived at are final project of the year! 

 

Having been working on it for a good 6 weeks now, intense pressure is building up as the deadline approaches. I thought I would take you to my starting point where it all inspired me to focus on...Microbiology!

 

Always been influenced my natural/organic forms in my work. I did struggle at the start of how I can take this further and have a different approach on natural elements, I was afraid I would fall back into my usual similar habits of going into my comfort zone of floral motifs but researching in depth also reflecting back on my previous work and unique style I decided to look in closer thinking detail, mark making which lead me to microscopic organisms made up of cells. 

 

I am wanting to capture the incredible mark making and pattern formations that cells can create. Through intense magnification, the different layers beneath the surface and the actual shapes and patterning of the cell structure, cluster arrangements they provide. I feel it gives a rich new world of amazing and surprising decorative surfaces which I would love to explore into.     

   

 

 

Here are a few examples of an in-depth study of microscope organisms which have really inspired me and taken me through development work with pattern mark making, shape, structure and detail.  

 

 

Vintage Bazaar- Horsley Studio's

On this weekend....A must see!
April 13th- 14th
10am- 4pm
 

Looking forward into having a little trip to the Hearth Horsley Studio's this weekend with my family as we enjoy looking round all the different stalls and seeing the unquie designs and range of new creations.       

The Hearth will be hosting stalls selling retro homeware, fashion accessories and all things vintage, which is one of my main inspirations.  

Even having a little treat in the coffee shop is very tempting...  

 

www.thehearth.co.uk

Skills For Making 2- Garment Fronts

I hope you have a little time to have a quick glimpse...

 

Here is just a quick look back on my main approach and my inspiration for this module... it wont take long I promise...

 

 Following on from my previous work I have produced two garment fronts for my final piece. I am very pleased with the outcome I set myself for this module. I was focused from the start from my development stages on what I was hoping to explore and the direction I wanted take to build my passion and love for combining thick and thin with print work and embellishments such as embroidery, building layers within the pattern.

 

 

 

 I found in parts of the process getting towards my final garments quite challenging for me, I felt there was a few issues along the way with timeings and the design as I approached to the end but I developed and pushed my skills to capture the correct balance which I was looking for.  

Keeping my material very subtle I was able to focus more on my print designs and embellishments. I am very happy in the overall effect with this first garment front...

I do have to admit I prefur this garment front as everything to my design and placement, and decorative embellishment all connected and flowed well together.     

 My second garment front became a skirt!

 

My aim was to develop two tops for my fronts but testing out my choosen materials and how my designs were positioned on the surface area I felt the structure didnt give flexability or flow within the material or the print for this to become a top. 

I played around quite alot with this design as I was still unsure where or how I wanted it to be placed. Having alot of time testing and experimenting I decided to go for a middle pannel placement to the skirt with adding a few pletes, yet again keeping it quite simple so my design stands out from the shape of the fabric.        

 

 

In the end...

I wanted the pattern design to speak for itself and leave the styling of the actual garment very simplistic to allow attention to be drawn to the detailing of the embellished surface. I am pleased with the overall outcome.

If I did have time to reflect back and change I do feel the top is perhaps too basic in design and could have benefited from more styling to present the decorative surface in a more prominent way.

 Even though it was tough at times and not thinking I would be able to get all this finished I have really enjoyed working with a range of different techniques and developing them into my own style. Definatly thinking about taking this approach further into future and final projects, perhaps combining another development I pick up along the way.

 

 

 

Skills For Making 2

Folklore!

While I have a few spare minutes I thought I would show and talk through some of my earlier work from the begining of the year.

As I chose Folklore to be my main inspiration thoughout this module, I fell straight in love with the idea of an abstract approach to the piece and wanted to show off my skill and passion for detailed embellishment, combining intricate print techniques. 
      
Here are a few examples of my sketchbook development work combining  fabric sampling and showing layers within the pattern print, blending of colours, and introducing a structured tier through embroidery and bead work.
 

 

 

Motivated by the style of patterning discovered in my research I was keen to create a design based on simple motifs using only outline illustration of the images. I wanted to add interest by applying my interpretation of the highly decorative surfaces through embriodery techniques and beading. 
Through colour tones I kept my pallet in pastel shades within my prints as I wanted to gradually develop and build up rich, bold colour in my embriodery techniques through the addition of thread. 

 I feel that introducing embroidery in to my prints creates the decorative detailing I wanted to capture and explore in my final prints, enhancing the patterns and outlines. Using  thick and thin embroidery threads, wools and beading I was hoping to show the different levels of texture and structure to my prints.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mutuki Collection

  Finally I have managed to upload my finished products from my lastest module, its been a while I know! Been a struggle to keep on top with updating my blog at the same time as working on my other modules so my time management has been a bit of a challenge but I am aiming to keep on top and update more regularly with progress.   

 

So here we are, back to my final collection...

   I have produced a collection of jewellery called 'Mutuki'. Mutuki is the name of a sea anemone found on the shores of Singapore and represents the key influence behind my designs. I have been inspired by the natural form and structure found in marine life and underwater habitats of the deep sea especially sea urchins, sea anemones, seaweed and coral.  

 

 

 

Through experimenting with a range of  fabrics and exploring with a mix of fabric manipulation techniques and layering with different sewing techniques I am pleased with the arrangement and structure of the pieces. I did feel however that something was missing as it was all fabric based and needed a new component to create more texture and balance.  I therefore decided to combine my new skill and passion for Adobe Illustrator, and introduced laser cuttings into my designs with different media such as ply wood.

I felt this worked well with my combination of materials and techniques, it balanced out giving structure and detail which is what I was looking for in my final products.