Element 2:Externally Set Task
Theme: Insects, Choice A
Butterfly season
Wing formations
Importance of insects
Flying, the sky
Insects
Bees, honey, honeycombs
Food chain
Food sources, leaves, flowers
Texture
David Attenborough
Colours
Shadows,
sunlight, leaves.
Dragonflies
Pretty & beautiful prints
From the exam words, I have chosen to look at insects for my externally set task textiles project. From this theme, I aim to explore the beautiful colours, patterns and shapes, and how I can use these within my work. The main area of textiles that I would like to explore is surface design. I aim to create prints for wallpapers, fabrics and interiors that capture the beauty of insects. I know that nature is a very popular and common theme for textiles design, there a range of products I could create using my prints. For my final piece, I aim to create a set of prints on fabric, as well as a cushion that I have made using my fabric designs. I would also like to work back into my cushion design and work with some embroidery and embellishment to create a highquality product. My aim for this project is to show the target audience, anyone who has an interest in nature and design, how truly beautiful our natural world is. We often don't appreciate the patterns that are created naturally and sometimes don't get chance to look at them properly. Within my work, I would like to showcase how incredible insects and their patterns are. There is quite a lot of non art research that I could do for this project. I will go down to the library and see if they have any books about insects and nature. I will also research about butterflies, their life cycles and how many species there are. I could also look at dragon flies or other insects my designs.As well as this, I would like to look at a quick brief history of wallpaper and how design is used as well as how nature has inspired design. There are a few artists and designers that I have in mind for this project. One example is Timorous Beasties, a brand that creates intricate nature inspired designs and uses bright fun colours in their work. I would also like to experiment with a range of colours within my work. As well as Timorous Beasties, I would also like to explore the work of Christian Lacroix. I really like his butterfly prints and how he uses so many different colours and patterns to overlay designs. His work looks at a lot of species of butterflies rather than just one, which is what I want to do within my work. Furthermore, there are a range of techniques I would also like to explore in this project, such as screen printing, heat transfer, linoprinting, and embroidery. I would like to be able to develop my skills and really practise my drawing techniques as well. Unfortunately, I believe that I will have to use mostly secondary sources for my drawings, as due to the time of year, there are not many butterflies that I can photograph myself. Throughout this project, I will also use my maths and English skills. My maths skills will be useful when cutting up my fabric for my cushion as well as measuring out spaces for designs. English work will also help with any typography or lettering values in my project.
For presentation at the end of my project, I would like to create a small set up of my collection to really showcase it and what have created. I will set up my fabric designs and consider getting them professionally printed onto fabric so that I can create samples as industry workers would. I will also display my cushion with these and explore the colour schemes and matching patterns. I will photograph this whole process to put into my sketchbook and tp document my final piece.As well as this, I will document the process of making the final piece and how I spend my 15 hours in the exam.
I saw some images of Eugene Seguy’s work and decided to experiment with the look of using multiple layers. I really like his technique of using multiple colours and patterns in each piece. This is a great way to add depth and dimension to my work. Also, it makes my work more interesting to look at and gives more opportunities for pattern and design. Throughout my project, I would like to experiment further with using multiple layers in my work and prints because I feel that this really pushes them to a new level and makes them of a higher quality and standard.
After collecting some images for my mood board and for inspiration for my project, I did some secondary drawings based on them. I used a range of medias and techniques for each drawing, looking at a few different kinds of insects. For the first page, I looked at preserved insects and drew them from life. I used watercolours and fine liners for this piece, paying careful attention to colour and detail. I also added in some pattern work and foliage in the background, which I really like. It fills up the page and ties in well with the bug drawings. I really like this page and can use it throughout my project to make brushes in photoshop or for prints. In the second page, like the artist I discussed Eugene Segus, I experimented with using multiple layers in my work. All layers are different, the top layers being the most intricate and detailed. I like the use of simple colours in the bottom layer, it doesn’t overcrowd or bombard the piece and is just a nice simple touch. This was a great way to experiment with using simple media like felt tips to add something extra to a piece. On the next slide I did some line drawing with fine liners and drew out a selection of butterflies. These are simple yet effective and I was careful and precise with my line work. I can use these later in my project for screen printing, heat transfer or digital work. I then also made another multiple layer page, this one creating more of a scene. I really like the use of the flower in the piece and how all the colours match. I used a variation of colour tones in watercolours and coloured pencils to add depth and detail to my work. This slide and the previous has 4 drawings I did of single insects; the blue butterfly was done with oil pastels. I really like the detail and shapes I created in this one. I also like the texture and pattern in the dark blue acrylic paint butterfly, there is lots of structure and form to this piece. The other 2 drawings are simpler, done with watercolour pens and paints. I could use these for brushes on photoshop for a print later on in my project. It is always good to have a few drawings at the start of the project because they can be used throughout and always looked back into for pattern and print work. One simple drawing could be used in so many different ways.
Decorative wallpaper has been used as a comfort in design for centuries. However, there is a new found style in contemporary design that is reminiscent yet also different to the historic style. Nowadays, contemporary wallpaper designs make a space feel strong and modern whilst still maintaining that domestic feel. Decorative wallpaper very often uses floral or repeat patterns, which was first introduced in the 18th century. The delicate flower formations and small repeat patterns from this time are still popular to this day. There were a few famous designers that fell into this category, such as William Morris and Laura Ashley. Both used neo-Georgian repeats and kept this style alive throughout that work. Cole & Son uses Victorian time vogue designs to keep that century alive. Linda Florence also uses damask wallpaper with a modern spin to keep tradition alive in today's world.
Decorative wallpaper can often be seen as a safe, quite popular and unimaginative form of decorating. However, it is so multi-purposeful and multi-dimensional fact, there is a style to fit every need . Whilst florals are often seen as feminine and often known to mock dress fabrics for women the denser Victorian style decorative Wallpapers are designed to make a room feel grand and almost more masculine. Choice of colours and patterns is very important in wallpaper design as changing even the slightest thing such as the background colour can add a completely different mood to a piece.
Information: ‘The Cutting Edge of Wallpaper’, page 29
Wallpapers mostly consisted of large scale wall hangings and rugs at this time. The designs depicted scenes of battle and key points in time.
During the 18th century, technical improvements in block-printing enabled patterns to be printed in many colours and styles. The wallpaper industry in Britain flourished. Designs were inventive and rich, floral patterns used roses and carnations were popular as well as architectural and landscape scenes.
Mid-19th century consist of a variety of designs; marble and wood-grain effects, imitation stucco, textile patterns, historical pastiches and revivalist styles, floral motifs and papers printed in bright colours with realistically shaded cabbage roses were the most popular.
Recently, wallpaper has undergone a revival in its history. The popularity of feature walls has led to a taste for larger, wilder patterns. As well as this, the development of digital printing and the revival of screen-printing has enabled artists and freelance designers to get involved. At modern times, design brands such as Laura Ashley are very popular.
During the mid-17th century, single sheets of design were joined together to create rolls instead. This encouraged larger repeats production and the introduction of block printing. This continued to be the manufacture method used for expensive wallpapers until the mid 20th century.
William Morris begins to create wallpaper designs n the 1850s and 60s. His work was and still is extremely popular and well known.
During the 1920s and 1930s, the wallpaper industry in Britain saw a huge surge in popularity. Production rose from 50 million rolls in 1900 to nearly 100 million rolls in 1939, most of the activity was concentrated at the cheaper end of the market. While traditional stylised leaf and flower patterns continued to be widespread, patterns influenced by modern art and popular culture also appeared.
The Medieval Era: 1066 - 1485
The Tudor Era:1485 - 1603
The Modern Era: 1919 - Now
The Edwardian Era: 1901 - 1919
The Victorian Era: 1837 - 1901
Insects come in a range of shapes, sizes and breeds. All insects have segmented bodies, jointed leg and external skeletons. They can be distinguished from other arthropods (an invertebrate animal of the large phylum Arthropoda, such as an insect, spider, or crustacean.) by their bodies. It is divided up into 3 sections; the head, the 3 segmented thorax that usually has 3 sets of legs in adults and 1 or 2 pairs of wings, and the many-segmented abdomen, which contains the digestive system, excretory and reproductive organs.
Insects are often referred to as pests or disease carriers, however, they actually carry out many essential and beneficial tasks and needs for our world. They pollinate plants and are also important components in a study in elucidating many aspects of biology and ecology. Lots of scientific knowledge about has been gained from fruit flies experiments. As well as this, flour beetle studies have helped us to learn more about population. Insects are quite commonly in investigations about hormonal action, nerve and sense organ function and many other physiological processes. Insects are also used as environmental quality indicators to assess water quality and soil contamination and are the basis of many studies of biodiversity. Insects dominate our world; they are perhaps the most successful group out of all animals. Dominating the animal kingdom, entomologists estimate that the actual number of living insects could be 5 to 10 million, representing about ¾ of the animal species. Most insects are small, usually less than 6 mm (0.2 inch) long, although the range in size is wide. Some feather-winged beetles and parasitic wasps are almost microscopic, while some tropical forms such as the Hercules beetles,African goliath beetles, certain Australian stick insects, and the wingspan of the Hercules moth can be as large as 27 cm (10.6 inches)
Insects are an extremely important part of nature, they help bacteria, fungi, and other organisms in the decomposition of organic matter and in soil formation.
Insects have evolved hand in hand with flowers, many plants depend on insects for pollination. Some insects prey on others, however, many insects are plant feeders. When these plants are agriculturally important to humans, they must fight against the insects. Populations of insects are limited by such factors as unfavourable weather, predators and parasites, and viral, bacterial, and fungal diseases, as well as many other factors that operate to make insect populations stable.
Information-https://www.britannica.com/animal/insect/Insects-as-a-source-of-raw-materials
Dragonflies are quite big, colourful, long-bodied insects with incredible flying capabilities. Their 2 pairs of independent wings allow them to change their angles when flying, going either forwards or backwards whilst doing so. There are 5 families with 3,000 living species of dragonfly/Anisoptera (which means ‘unequal wings’). These species can be told apart by their adult colours and their body shapes. They have large heads and eyes with near 360-degree stereoscopic vision. Dragonfly eyes have around 30,000 lenses, whereas humans only have 1. They can see prey from up to 12m away. Furthermore, they have large biting mouthparts and paired claspers at their rear end which help them to eat prey. Legs are used for grabbing prey as well, but they can’t walk on them very well. All dragonflies are predators. Found worldwide but more than half in the tropics, they are active by day and hunt other flying insects in the air. After hatching underwater, nymphs (young dragonflies) hunt tadpoles, fish and other small creatures as well as their own kind. They use a long lower lip (labium) that shoots forwards to grab the prey . The nymph expands and contracts its abdomen to move water out rapidly for a short burst of underwater jet propulsion. Nymphs undergo between 10 and 20 moults, living from 3 months to 10 years. Once mature, the nymph emerges from the water to find vegetation. This is where it will perch and moult into its winged adult form. Information – The Complete Illustrated World Encyclopaedia of Insects, page 38
Emerald Damselfly
Beautiful Demoiselle
Banded Demoiselle
Lepidopterans (butterflies and moths) have a complete metamorphic life cycle, this includes the egg, larva, pupa and adult stages. Eggs are deposited onto the host plant, in the tissue either in groups or singularly. In total, the number of eggs laud can vary anywhere from a dozen to 18,000. Some species, especially moths, pupate on the plant in a silk cocoon inside the leaf. Others pupate in the soil or leaf litter. Lots of butterflies hang upside down in a chrysalis inside a membranous covering. The pupal stage will last between a few days and several years depending on the species. Most species have a short life span though. There are a few species which are known for their migratory behaviour, for example the monarch butterfly. They migrate and aggregate in autumn for over winter-time so that they can disperse and reproduce in time for the next spring. For some species, aggregation occurs overnight. This is believed to be a defensive behaviour against predators whereas most species hibernate over the winter period as adults.
There are more than 200,000 species of lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) worldwide, they all have distinctive life-styles and features. Butterflies make up around 20,000 species and 5 families. Butterflies have overlapping scales on the wings that create their patterns. Their legs and body are also covered by similar scales and long hair-like scales or bristles. Most species can fly, some however are flightless. The average wingspan is 30mm, their sizes do range however, on a scale from 2.5mm wingspan to 30cm wingspan. Antennae shape also differs between butterflies and moths. Moths have a range of antenna types, varying from filamentous and feathered to toothed or comb-like. Butterflies have more thread like antennae with the tips thicker.
Lepidoptera are mostly herbivorous insects apart from a few exceptions.Adults mostly feed on nectar, honeydew or exudates from fermented fruits and sap. Mouthparts form a tube-like proboscis used to suck up liquid food. Larvae of most species are also herbivores, they feed on plants, roots and leaves.
Defence is an important trait for butterflies and moths, they have developed a range of strategies to cope with predators. The species all have a diverse show of coloration and markings, these can serve for defence as well as attracting potential mates. The wing markings that look like a pair of eyes are believed to startle predators.Also, some butterfly species, especially hairstreaks, can be known to use their hindwings as ‘fake heads’ to confuse predators. Some butterflies have particularly advanced. Mimicking poisonous or distasteful species that has a particular warning display of colours. Larvae and pupae also display cryptic patterns which are similar to the substrate they rest on. It is important for the for the chrysalis to stay hidden as the are quite vulnerable. Caterpillars may also change colour in the course of their development.
Clearwing Butterfly. (Genus Ithomia)
Blue Morpho on tree
Vanessa Cardui Painted Lady Butterfly
Scarce Swallowtail Iphiclides (Papilio) Podalirius
Giant Peacock Moth
Madagascan Sunset Moth
During a trip to Oxford and the University Museum of Natural History, I decided to have a look at all the research and information about insects. I took lots of photos as inspiration for my project and learnt just how incredible insect life is. There 1.25 animal species on earth, 75% being insects. So much opportunity got pattern and design. These images are all part of my primary research and me physically going out to collect the resources.
A pattern relies on 3 characteristics,
• A single motif
• Repetition of the motif
• A system of organisation
There are 4 main ways you can use a repeated motif to create a pattern:
• Block repeats
• Half drop repeats
• Reflection
• Rotation
For my work, I will be creating patterns, so having this as a reference for my work will be very helpful. I will be able to experiment with a range of methods and techniques to create my prints.
“People are afraid of change, so you create a kind of belief for them through repetition. It’s like breathing. I’ve always been drawn to series and pairs.A unique thing is quite a frightening object.”—Damien Hirst. First emerging onto the art scene at an international level in the 1980s, Hirst has famously created installations, sculptures, paintings and drawings. Exploring the relationship between art and beauty, religion and science and life and death. Hirst is well known for his incredible use of bright colours and patterns. His work is widely recognized and has been said to challenge contemporary belief systems and “tracing the uncertainties that lie at the heart of human experience.” One of Hirst’s most famous collections is “Freeze”. Created during his time studying at Goldsmiths college in London in 1988 the exhibition features the work of 3 artists including Hirst. This group went on to be known as the Young British Artists. They used found materials and were interested in creating a spectacle with their work. Hirst has worked with a range of unconventional items to create his work, from drugs to frozen sharks. He is clearly not afraid of experimentation or the unusual. Hirst is keen to add meaning in his work, his work evokes psychological thinking. For my work, I have chosen to look at Hirst’s ‘Natural History’ series (1991-2013). It is a landmark of contemporary art. Within the collection, Hirst explores his interest in bridging the connection between art and science. Using taxidermized animals is another thing Hirst is famous for. In his similar series created in the same year as ‘Natural History’, Hirst produced ‘In and Out of Love (White Paintings and Live Butterflies). It consists of real pupas glued to white canvas. The pupas hatched in the gallery and released live butterflies into the space. Hirst collaborated with a space called Pharmacy Restaurant and Bar in London where he designed the interior and transformed is work into “an immersive environment”. Hirst has been creating ambitious, creative and experimental work since the 2000s. This includes the kaleidoscopic butterfly paintings (2001-2008), which I will mostly be looking at. Placing thousands of butterfly wings in detailed geometric style patterns onto painted canvases and even a cast of a skull. Hirst’s work is incredibly skilled and well known, he opened his Newport Street Gallery in London in 2015 after realising he had a long-term ambition to share his art collection with the public.
https://gagosian.com/artists/damien-hirst/
This piece made in 2020 is named air ‘Air’, it is one of Hirst’s real butterfly wings kaleidoscope type prints. Hirst has created a range of pieces that are similar to this one in a range of colours. This one consists mostly of pastel colours in shades of purple, blue, turquoise, yellow and green.All these colours fit together really well, the shades compliment each other. Even though the piece is very full, the colours aren’t bright so it doesn’t feel too overbearing or garish. Hirst has created that perfect balance in his work. The piece is made up of 12 segments, all of which are reflections of each other. I believe to make this piece Hirst will have used either mirrors or an app or technology to create the symmetry. I know that there is an app called Kaleidogram and probably others similar that are able to generate images like this. All of the butterfly wings in the image are real, Hirst farms all of his wings instead of catching them in the wild. In 2003, the artist became the UK’s biggest importer of exotic butterflies. He places them in his desired composition to create the pieces, often using his mirroring techniques to make the wings look as if they are complete creatures. Whilst I do really love Hirst’s work and what he creates, I think his colour choices and compositional skills are incredible, I’m not keen on the idea that they are real butterflies. For my work and to experiment with Hirst’s techniques, I would like to use my own drawings of butterflies to create similar work. I could use the Kaleidogram app or maybe look at using Adobe Photoshop to create the different segments. Hirst’s work is very relevant to my work as it looks at insects, butterflies in particular. He explores their beauty and fragility in his work. Hirst wants his work to be a reflection of life, his butterflies symbolise the circle of life, growth and change.All of the butterflies are unique, mimicking the individuality of each human. I aim to use his work to create patterns and designs that really showcase the beautiful patterns of butterflies and insects and how special they really are.
This is another of Damien Hirst’s kaleidoscopic prints, this one has been created with similar techniques to the last one. There are still 12 segments, however, this time the butterflies are all in a range of blue shades. They’re all in different shapes and sizes, Hirst has clearly used quite a few different species to create his work. Some of the wings are so small that they are just tiny shapes that fill in the negative space. Unlike the last piece, this one has a dark blue background and is much brighter than the others. This piece is more eye catching than the last one and I really like the monochromatic style of it. This print would be a great statement piece for a bright, quirky interior. Placed on a plain wall above a piece of furniture would be a great place for this piece. It would add so much interest and make a room so much more unique. Hirst hasn’t physically drawn any aspects of his work, however, he still does explore quite a few formal elements. There is lots of natural pattern in his work from the individual wings as well as the patterns that Hirst creates with the wings. Also, Hirst makes use of line work because of all the wing outlines and how they are spaced.All the wings make use of colour and shape, each one varying in each department. I believe that the prints Hirst sells don’t contain the actual butterfly wings and rather are prints. This will make them more popular for ethical reasons, some people won’t like the idea of having real butterfly wings in their home. I also prefer the idea of having a print instead. When creating my own work I will use imagery and drawings rather than actual insect body parts. Something I haven’t looked at yet is creating monochromatic pieces, I personally really like the blue. I may want to look at creating a wallpaper design or print that focuses on only one colour. I feel that this makes work more unique for the users and viewers.
After looking at Damien Hirst and his work, I decided to use a few of my own drawings and an app called kaleidogram to see what kind of patterns and designs I could create. I first put all my drawings into photoshop and made a blue background. Then, I used the app to move around the formations and shapes to create all these formations. I like how some of the wings come together to create new shapes altogether and look extremely intricate and detailed, even from just a small drawing. I then used some of these prints to make wall prints and papers. I created custom brushes and made simple repeats. My favourite is the star/flower shaped pattern. Moving forwards, I would like to experiment further with digital prints and creating work like this. I would also like to create more prints with butterflies because they are so intricate and beautiful.
Timorous Beasties is an award winning brand that was founded in 1990 by Alistair McAuley and Paul Simmons. It is said that the brand has
“One foot firmly planted in the tradition of William Morris and another in the edgy world of urban grit, the award winning Timorous Beasties’ designs create a provocative feast of pattern and images”. The brand takes contemporary images and combine them with traditional print, they use incredible wit to create their work.
“Beasties” are a reoccurring theme within their work. Designs featuring insects and bugs crawling or flying across the scene are popular and what the brand is most known for. The critters are reference to oriental influences whilst their wallpaper prints make use of experimental ideas and bright colours that juxtapose original pre-modern and eastern themes. The carefully chosen colours that the brand uses are for diffusing harsh lines and make the forms blend into each other. This makes the prints become more like a colourful field than an articulated pattern.
Timorous beasties has collaborated with many brands, such as Johnny Walker, Nike, Fortnum & Mason, and Philip Treacy. They have also curated commissions for various establishments, including the Edinburgh Festival 2009 graphics and book covers for Penguin, Magna and Granta.As well as this, they also have home accessories, bespoke furnishings and exclusive lines for a range of brands. These include the V&A boardroom, UK Supreme Court and Welcome Trust. Timorous Beasties also work on exteriors and have collaborated with furniture elites Ercol, S.C.P and the designs cult classic duo .nobody&co.
The designs brand are winners of various awards for their surface design work, emerging brand work, textiles work and carpet work.
Information: The Cutting Edge of Wallpaper, page 50
https://www.timorousbeasties.com/about/profile
This print is one of Timorous Beasties’ wallpaper designs, it comes in a range of colours. The one I have chosen to look at is called Duck Egg Butterflies Wallpaper. I chose this shade because it is my personal favourite, the turquoise shade reminds me of a vintage Victorian garden. The piece consists of a block duck egg background with some simple sketches of trees and branches that warp and twist across the whole piece. This drawing aspect is a slightly darker more grey shade. Over the top of this in a new layer are the butterflies.A range of species cover the piece, all of which are in neon, bright colours. Most are fiery shades of yellow and orange, but some are in complimentary shades of pink and purple. Each butterfly is either flying or perching, which the brand does with all their work. I believe this print will have been created digitally because the colours are all in perfect blocks, there is no sign of any brush strokes or uneven colouring.As I said about the print reminding me of a Victorian garden party, it is a perfect mix of tradition and contemporary design. The backdrop with the plant-based drawings are very classical, the use of 2 shades and lack of tone in the background creates the perfect backdrop for the brighter main focus of the butterflies.All the prints that come with this design (as shown below) have the same butterfly overlay onto the floral background but in a range of colours. This is a great idea from the brand. Because they know that their design is popular and sells well, they have decided to expand their popular print, this opens it up to more customers and inevitably generates more popularity. I really like this piece, there is an excellent balance between the historical and contemporary aspects. I believe it would make a great statement print in a room, and the variations in colours on all the prints means that there is lots for the print to match to. The line work is neat and detailed, the colours are all fitting and complimentary and the sizing and shapes are simple yet effective. This print and Timorous Beasties have a strong link to my theme as almost all their work makes use of the stunning patterns of insects and butterflies. Inspired by this, I would like to explore creating prints that use multiple layers and incorporate plants and flowers into my butterfly and insect inspired prints.
This is another one of Timorous Beasties’ wallpaper designs, it’s called ‘Napoleon Bee Wallpaper’ and is quite different to the design I previously looked at. This one is much simpler and has less layering. As fits with the title, the piece features a plain coloured background with a simple repeat motif of bees on top. The bees appear to be hand drawn/sketched and consist of etched line work in jet black and a solid tone of yellow mustard running through them. The drawing style of the bees is very lifelike, the etching adds depth and dimension to the sketches and makes them look quite realistic. The colours however are blocked and all one shade, which makes it slightly less realistic. Colours for the background are rich, deep shades such as maroon pink, navy blue and a rich green.All of these complement the bee colour and make the print sophisticated and rich. The piece is perfect for a statement wall, as show in its advertising images and whilst it is a fun idea with the bees, the designs doesn’t feel young or childish.Also, the brand has created the design with lots of background colour options so that it can open up to a wider audience. I believe that to make this print, the process will be quite straight forward with the use of machines. The dyed paper will be placed into a screen-printing machine and the first layer of the bee will be printed onto it. After the yellow layer, another screen layer will be used to add the black etched effect and detail to the design. I personally really like this print; I think it is a perfect mix of modern and traditional design. It would be perfect for a period home and all the ornate features. The piece is relevant to my theme because it makes use of insects for interior design and print, which is what I hope to do within my work. I also hope to experiment with bright colours such as these.
After looking at Timorous Beasties’ work, I decided to use my own drawing skills and techniques to create some prints inspired by their designs. I personally really like the brand’s work; the drawings and styles are incredibly detailed and beautiful. I used some of my heat transfer butterflies with a watercolour background for the left piece and a scanned version in photoshop for the right piece. I really like the look of having multiple layers on the right-hand piece, I feel that it adds form and dimension to my work. The colours are also bright and eye catching, which makes the piece fun and interesting to look at. I do however still really like the simplicity of the right-hand piece. I used multiple layers of the bug drawing to build it up so that it looked less flat. Timorous beasties has a lovely range of rich colours which they use for their work. Moving forwards in my project, I would like to use some of these colour combinations and layering techniques to make my work look more professional, elegant and sophisticated. Using photoshop to create prints such as the one on the right is also something I would like to take forwards within my final piece. This makes my work extremely neat and well finished. The line work is perfect, and I am able to play with compositional layouts more freely and easily.
Christian Lacroix, born 1951, is a French designer with a unique style. He started the Christian Lacroix brand and company in 1987 after joining the House of Patou in 1981 where he learned the intricacies of haute couture.
Lacroix also was also appointedArtistic Director of the Italian fashion house Pucci between 2002 and 2005.
Lacroix has worked within the fashion as well as print and interiors industry. He defined the look of the 80s and combined bright colours and extravagant embellishment.As well as this, he has also designed costumes for various stage productions such as Madonna’s 2004 ‘ReInvention World Tour’. Lacroix’s passion for theatre, opera and art have provided inspiration for many of his collections.
Lacroix’s designs combine luxury and indifference. Using a range of techniques such as fringe, beading and embroidery, his designs make strong use of his sense of colour and pattern. Lacroix has worked with the Couture House since it’s opening in 1987 and has been well known within this firm for his unique and exuberant baroque style. Maison Christian Lacroix is run today by the Creative Director Sacha Walckhoff, they create lifestyle collections that are full of colour and life. The new brand combines Christian Lacroix excellence with savoir-faire (the ability to act or speak appropriately in social situations) to generate collections of fabrics for curtains and upholstery, as well as for expressive wallpapers. These prints are exclusively produced and distributed worldwide by the Designers Guild.
Information - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Lacroix
https://www.designersguild.com/uk/christian-lacroix/l1397
https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/fashion-in-motion-christianlacroix#:~:text=Lacroix%20defined%20the%20look%20of,for%20many%2 0of%20his%20collections.
This print is from design brand Christian Lacroix and is one of their many prints decorated highly by butterflies. I specifically chose this print to analyse because I personally really like it. There is such a range of colour pattern, design and texture within this piece and there is so much to look at. This design comes in four separate colours, two of which I have shown to the left. This wallpaper print designed by the brand is a simple repeat pattern of around 30 butterflies all printed and placed on top of each other. Each and every butterfly is completely unique and special, they are all a different species of butterfly. This piece is a strong link to my theme of insects as I have been researching and looking at butterflies and their different species. Some butterflies are very small on the print where some are bigger, this adds tone and depth to the piece because of the layered effect. The butterflies and in their shadows just stick out from the print and look as if they are flapping their wings and really flying through the sky. Particularly in the top right print because of the turquoise blue background which reminds me of the sky. To make this print, I believe that the brand will have used a large printer or printing technique that enables them to work on a large scale. The print is sold by the metre, which makes me believe that the machine will have to be at least a metre squared in order to print this size. To create the actual design, I believe that the designer will have worked digitally to draw all the images of the butterflies and then collaged them together to create the desired composition. What's nice about the print is that there is still some negative space in it, we as the viewer are able to see the background. The piece doesn't feel too crowded or overbearing because of this. I personally enjoy how the Lacroix brand have make this print available in more than one colour, this opens it up to more audiences and means that there will be more buyers. Using such life like drawings of the butterflies makes the print even more intriguing to look at. There is always something to be observing in the piece. From far away it looks like a beautiful collection of colour and shapes. Then as you get closer you see all the texture and pattern on each individual wing, and you really get an idea of how delicate the print is. Inspired by this print, I would like to experiment with printing my own butterfly drawings and layering them on top of each other to create that depth and form within my work.
This print is another one of Christian Lacroix’s prints that is a base background covered in butterflies. I don’t know the name of this product, but it is similar in style to the wallpaper. This product is a yellow lemon cushion with the digital drawing butterflies printed on top. Because this is a fabric; I believe that the brand will have used a special quality printer to get the images onto the velvet fabric. This gives a high-quality finish to the cushion; it also makes it comfortable and functional for use. One technique that the brand could have used is magic touch/image transfer paper to put the butterflies on the print, however this wouldn’t have given as flawless affect as a printer would and the edges probably would have peeled up with use or washing. The lemon yellow of the cushion is quite bright, but it’s toned down slightly by the overlay of butterflies. Mostly in browns and a few pinks, purples and reds, they create a spreading flutter or butterflies of all species.All different sizes adds form and dimension to the piece and makes the print look more 3D rather than flat. I personally really like this piece, I think it would look great on a plainer sofa of a simple colour such as grey or dark purple, this would make the cushion the central focus and not make the whole scene too overbearing. I like the graphical drawing style of the butterflies and all the natural patterns that have been incorporated into the designs. This product links to my theme of insects because it uses butterflies to create a print and product, which is what I want to be able to do for my final piece. I also want to experiment more with digital drawing and creating prints that way so will look at this further.
After looking at Christian Lacroix and his work, I decided to experiment with a couple of different techniques and look at creating some butterfly prints. I first did some lino printing and made some simple repeat patterns as well as a more random print (bottom right). I used a range of colours for this and tried to recreate similar pattern formations to the brand. I focused on layering and wanted to build depth and form within my work. I then also used photoshop to create some digital prints and am really pleased with how these came out. I used multiple layers of the butterfly brushes from the lino print and tried to make it look like a swarm of butterflies and the brand’s design. I also made some cushion and wallpaper designs and played around with a few colours. I used a few richer colours such as navy blue and mustard yellow which brough out some of the brighter tones of the butterflies. I also like how neat and well finished these prints look. They’re not a uniform repeat pattern like I would normally make, but I still think they are very effective.
Award winning designer Matthew Williamson is a British interior designer widely known for his bespoke prints and unique use of patterns and colour within his work. Holding a world-renowned brand for over 20 years, Williamson has great skill in illustration and both fashion and interiors. Starting his career in fashion, years of experience enabled him to pivot seamlessly into the interiors world. This is what I will be exploring within my work. Williamson has an ever-growing residential and commercial design portfolio. He has also launched a series of homeware collections in collaboration with brands such as John Lewis, Pooky, Roome London and Obeetee. In the early 2010s, the brand began to make its way over to the homeware market. In 2013, they completed one of their first transitions into the interior design world by collaborating with Osborne & Little. Later annual collections have produced a range of work, with some designs even showcasing the iconic Williamson style in unexpected ways. Designs were and still are available through Osborne & Little showrooms and stockists. The brand’s design ‘Dejà Meadow’, as shown in the bottom left, went on to win ELLE Decoration Wallpaper of the year in 2019. Some of the brand’s other designs can be spotted in hotels, restaurants and exquisite homes around the world. Even in the first few years of his interior design career, Williamson was commissioned and approached by iconic hotel ‘Blakes’ to design their summer courtyard. Over the years, Williamson has collaborated with many artists and designs, such as installation artist Rebecca Louise Law in 2015, many hotels and stately homes. Williamson launched his first range of bespoke furniture in 2016. The collection was created in collaboration with the sofa manufacturer Duresta, based in Nottingham. Williamson later launched the range in 2017 in the USA at ABC Carpet & Home in New York. They created a suite that showcased Williamson’s style and aesthetic. They used a rainbow palette and details to create an eye-catching display that highlights Williamson’s unique style and bespoke work.
Information - https://matthewwilliamson.com/pages/my-story
https://janerichardsinteri ors.com/products/matth
ew-williamsondragonera-fabric
This is a fabric design from the Matthew Williamson brand, it is called “Dragonera Fabric” and features a range of colourful dragonflies across the print. It is available in either the cream or blue fabric shown to the left and is £230 for a strip. Each of the dragonflies is delicately embellished and sewn. This will all be machine done and is a beautiful touch that adds that extra bit of glamour and elegance to the design. Each of the dragonflies look as if they have been generated from the same drawing body and then coloured in a range of complimentary shades and tones. They all also fly in different directions across the fabric, which makes the composition more interesting to look at rather than having them all sat in a uniform formation. I believe that this print is a simple repeat formation and will have been created digitally for the machinery/technology to stitch back into it. Products such as this with extra embellishment are higher end and will therefore have higher price ranges. I believe that the target audience for a fabric like this will be people and designers who are looking for a glamorous and eye-catching cushion design or fabric print. Possibly owners and designers of hotels or high-end establishments where clients expect to see design and comfort. The bright colours are eyecatching, but not too over the top or garish. Using a richer, more muted background colour such as the cream or blue is good for these designs as it means that they’re not too overpowering. This is something else I would like to consider in my work. Each of the dragonflies appear to be of quite a big size, maybe 10cm. Their bigger size will allow the audience and buyers to see all the details and intricacy to the design. Using embellishment and embroidery is definitely something I would like to use within my work. I could enhance my work and make it even more unique and original by adding that extra layer to it. Insects have intricate designs and detailed scales on their wings, beads and sequins are a great way to make these stand out and appear more life like. I could create a digital print and then transfer it onto fabric before embellishing it. I believe that the brand will also work to create their pieces digitally as all the line work is incredibly neat and well finished on the products. Using a range of colour shades and tones gives the insects a more 3-dimensional feel to them. This also makes the work more professional. I would definitely like to use these techniques within my work and project.
https://wallpapersales.co.uk/w7265-01-deyameadow-matthew-williamson-wallpapercollection/
This is another of Matthew Williamson’s print designs. It is called “Deya Meadow Wallpaper” and is £233 per roll. This one is very different to the previous print I looked at and features more of a scene rather than a print. A beautiful wildflower meadow full of colourful flowers growing up the walls covers the bottom half of the design. There are multiple layers to build up form and dimension in the piece. There is also a range of coloured butterflies that are seen flying throughout the flowers and in the sky above. This print is not like a typical wallpaper, it is much more suited for a completely plain feature wall in somewhere like a long hallway or entry way. If it was to be in a normal room, furniture would cover up most of the design and we wouldn’t be able to get the full effect of the design. I believe that the drawings on the design itself are hand rendered, it looks as if the flowers were created with watercolour paints or something similar. The multiple shadow layers behind, however, will have been created digitally, probably by creating a brush of the layer and layering behind. The sky also looks too seamless of a gradient to not be digital. This design has become quite famous and well known, it isn’t often that we see such an intricate and detailed print for a wall. I believe that the consumers of this product will be hotel or business owners that have a large open luxury space.A feature wall like this is a great way to catch the eye of clients.Also, because it is so sought after and special, clients will be impressed by the design of a space. Presentation and representation is key when it comes to businesses. I really like the colour choices for this piece, the warm tones of pink, purple, yellow and orange are all natural and remind me of a summer's day. The piece has a comforting feel to it, I’m sure that it will make many people smile as they look at it. The colours of the piece are all also in perfect balance, it doesn’t feel too bright or garish.As we can see in the top image, there are plenty of colours that could be used to compliment this design in a space. By leaving quite a bit of sky visible in the design, it doesn’t dominate a space.All the patterns, textures and colour from the flowers in the bottom half of the design are just enough for the audience to look at. Each of the individual flowers and butterflies of the design appear to have been drawn separately, it is clear that a lot of time and consideration has gone into the making of this product. It really does show off the beauty of our natural world and insects that live within it.
Inspired by Matthew Williamson and the brand’s pattern work, I decided to experiment with embroidering back into a repeat print. I first created the bug print on photoshop from a drawing, using multiple layers to add dimension and form to the piece. I used the 120-degree rotation technique to create this print, changing the direction of the bugs each time so that it looks as if they are running in all directions. I then printed this design onto magic touch paper and heat pressed it onto fabric. After this, I used tiny 2mm beads in a range of colours to embroider back into the beetles. I wanted to experiment with a different kind of insect, as so far in my project I have used butterflies and dragonflies quite a lot. I feel that we often forget how pretty, colourful and delicate beetles are. I embroidered the whole of the coloured body of a section of the beetles to show what it would look like as a repeat. Whilst this was quite a time-consuming process, I do really like the results. I purposefully didn’t use solid-coloured beads for each beetle and mixed up the shades slightly. This makes them much more unique and interesting to look at. Adding this detail and delicacy to the print makes it so much more eye-catching and glamorous. I love all the shine and colours. I would definitely like to use sequins and beads to embellish and enhance my work later on in my project and final piece.
After completing a lot of work so far in my project, I thought it would be important to collect all my ideas together in a mid-stage evaluation. This will help me to explain and think about what I have learnt so far in my project, where this will lead me to next and how I aim to carry on for my final piece. To start my project, I first wanted to collect all my ideas regarding my chosen theme of insects. I created a mind map and mood board and jotted my ideas down regarding the project. I looked at visual representations as well as potential ideas and made a note of everything I thought would be interesting to explore within my project. After this, I moved on to my statement of intent where I wrote down ideas and information and outlined that I would like to create designs for print and interiors within my work. I said I wanted to look at the beauty of insects, and how delicate and amazing nature is. I also suggested that I may want to create a cushion and prints for my final piece. This is all still the same. Next, I moved onto complete a few pages of drawing of insects, I used a range of medias such as oil pastels watercolours fine liners and coloured pencils. This is another visual representation of my insects project. These prints and drawings have later been used in my project to create actual designs for products. I then moved on to research and completed both non art and artist. I did research about wallpaper and created a small wallpaper timeline so that I was able to show how print has been used over time. I also found that nature has been the huge influence of design for quite some time. I then moved on to look at insects and research them. I used a range of library books and websites to complete my research. I learned that there are hundreds of thousands of species of insects across the world and took a deeper look into dragon flies, butterflies and moths. I learned about how many species there are, what makes them all different, their life cycles and took a deep look after their pattern formations so that I was able to use these later on for my print work. I then moved on to artist research and started by exploring Damien Hirst and his work. Hirst explores beautiful butterfly wings and uses them to create interesting kaleidoscopic patterns. I particularly like the pastel work that he created and the colours he brought together to create his print. Inspired by his work and using some of my previous drawings, I experimented with the app Kaliedogram and tried to create some of my own kaleidoscope prints. I personally quite like these, and although they aren‘t an exact pastiche of Damien Hirst’s work, I do like the patterns I created and the blue tones I chose to use. I next moved on to look at Timorous Beasties and the brand's work. In some respects, Timorous Beasties work is quite similar to Damien hirst’s as their prints have a kaleidoscopic feel to them. Again, I analysed two of their works and then experimented with their techniques in creating my own print. I first created a watercolour background of twisting leaves and vines, then scanned this into Photoshop. I then drew and heat transferred some insects and bugs onto fabric and scanned into Photoshop as well. I used multiple layers to add depth and interest to my piece, and I personally really like the colour scheme that I chose. The subtle pink background allowed me to use bright colours for the bugs, and I really like how they stand out. Moving forwards, I would definitely like to explore with heat transfer and digital work more. I then also looked at the designer Christian Lacroix and his beautiful butterfly prints. I particularly enjoyed how Lacroix uses so many different colours, patterns and designs within his work. Almost each and every butterfly is of a completely different species and design. The work is to a high quality and standard and it is clear that a lot of time goes into making these pieces. I wanted to experiment with the layering techniques that the Lacroix uses, so decided to experiment with some lino printing. I carved out and printed two different butterfly designs and experimented with laying colours and designs inspired by the Lacroix brand. Whilst I do like this work, I do not feel that it is as strong as Lacroix’s work. I only used one layer of the lino print, so the designs are quite 2D and not as life like or effective as Lacroix’s. Moving forward, if I am to do screen printing or lino printing again, I would like to experiment with a layering technique to make my butterflies look more realistic and life like. For my last artist, I looked at Matthew Williamson. I personally really enjoy the embroidery and detail work in Williamson’s work, particularly his dragonfly print I analysed. Adding just a few beads or sequins really does make a product stand out and makes it even more bespoke and unique. Inspired by Williamson’s work, I also did some embroidery work into my own prints and drawings. I really enjoyed this effect and would definitely like to take it further in my project and towards my final piece. All artists I explored to help me to learn something about my work and I explored a different technique and process with each one. Moving forward with my project, I would like to explore a range of processes and techniques in preparation for my final piece and to see what works best for my print work. I would like to look at heat transferring and screen printing, as well as embroidery and embellishing my work. I would also like to explore creating more digital prints in my work, and then exploring how I could get these printed onto fabrics and papers. Maybe using specialist technologies and techniques to do so. Finally, I would like to create a quick mock up for my cushion as my final piece. This is so that I am able to learn how to properly create the cushion in practice before my exam. I personally believe that my strengths lie in the drawing and print work. This is what I will push moving forward to, as well as my embellishment so that I am able to create a high standard and quality final piece during my exam time .
I created some screens of my butterfly and insect drawings so that I was able to experiment with making patterns and designs using a range of techniques. I first did a few simple 1 layered designs, and then moved on to use 2 layers and built up the depth of each butterfly. To the right I made a simple pattern consisting of all the butterfly drawings, I also printed it onto some sheer white fabric and then tried overlaying that onto some other designs to create a multiple layer look, which I like and think adds more interest to a design. It makes it more unique and bespoke. I personally really like the simplicity of just having an outline as the pattern, if I was to use a coloured fabric and then have the print on top, then I would happily use that as a product. I do also like the combination of layered colours and having a bold outline. I used photoshop to create more of a repeat pattern with my screen print designs and showed what it would look like as a product. Moving forward for my final piece I would definitely like to use the screen-printing technique to create a print for my final collection.
Heat transfer is another technique I wanted to try out for my print work and insect theme. I first drew out a selection of insects and then coloured them in using the heat transfer inks. I chose bright, fun and complimentary colours because I wanted the bugs to be eye catching and unique. Next, I transferred them onto some white fabric and then also screen printed a black outline layer on top. I feel that this really just ties all the insects together and makes the edges and design look so much cleaner and more professional. I’m very pleased with this design and how the insects came out. I also like how all the colours didn’t blend together fully and we can clearly see how bright the patterns are. I wanted to be able to use this print to show how beautiful and delicate insects are. Usually, because they are so small and not easy to spot, we don’t see insects in their full glory for long. This designs shows them in a bright and eye-catching print, really bringing the design to life. I also used a few layering techniques to create a different look with the bugs but prefer the big composition that I made. I also experimented with some layering to add dimension to my work and really like that effect as well. I used photoshop to clean up the edges and show what the design would look like as a product. I also created a few prints using complimentary colours to show what a collection with these drawings would look like.
After experimenting with a range of print techniques, I wanted to try out some embellishment and embroidery techniques. I worked back into some of my screen prints and heat transfers as a practice before my final piece. I used a range of coloured beads and sequins in very small sizes. Not wanting the embellishments to overtake the designs, I worked in small sections and was delicate with my design. My aims were to enhance and improve my design, not overpower it. Overall, I really like the extra glamour and elegance that embellishment adds to my pieces. It is a great way to make my work stand out, add extra interest and make my work of a higher quality. For my final piece I will definitely be using more embellishment techniques for my cushion design.
After completing a lot of experimental work throughout my project and generating quite a lot of pattern work, I decided to work digitally and create some more prints and designs. I used a combination of my drawings, heat transfers, screen prints and lino prints as well as some of my digital layers to create these designs. Focusing on using my patterns to make elegant, I created beautiful prints that really show how incredible insects and our natural world is. My choice of colours is quite rich and dark tones. I wanted my designs to have a modern feel and rich design to them. They could be used in a space to make it feel sophisticated and well finished. The prints are all different to each other and feature a range of pattern formations, colour schemes and compositions. I really like the layering techniques that I have used in my designs, adding in extra bits of designs really elevates the pieces and makes them more unique and bespoke. I also played around with the adjustments and filters in photoshops on some of these prints. For my final piece I would definitely like to create some digital prints and make use of my drawing and print skills from throughout the project.
Before moving on to design ideas for my final piece, I decided to experiment with products and my prints. Whilst looking at Christian Lacroix, I really enjoyed putting my print onto a cushion. So, I used photoshop to experiment with some print work and made this collection as shown. I really collection and how the cushions are so eye-catching and unique. I prefer the repeat pattern style with multiple layers, I feel that this adds dimension and more interest to my design work, so will take this further into my final designs. I could print my fabric and then use a sewing machine to make it into a cushion myself. This is a great way to show what my designs look like as professional products and to also highlight my skills set. Furthermore, I could use hand embroidery and embellishment to further enhance and work back into mu cushion, making it even more bespoke and high quality.
For my final piece, I want to be able to use my prints to create a product and designs collection. Making a cushion is a great way to make use of my patterns and prints and will be a great addition to my design collection. I could create my own fabric, whether that be screen printed, heat transfer or digitally printed fabric, and then use that to make the cushion. I decided to have a look at the different cushion styles and then choose which one is my favourite. There are a few different options for the back of the cushion where the inside will go in. I looked at and photographed these below. For my design, I have chosen to use the button close method and to additionally add piping around the edge. I chose to do so because I have some butterfly buttons that I can use to close the back which I think will tie in nicely with the design. I followed the simple instructions on the next page to create my piping, using some washing line cut up for the insert. I only made a small rectangle size for the cushion because it was only a practice. I cut up the fabric into the desired size of 2 rectangles about 30 cm by 20cm, one side in half for the opening, and then sewed the edges together inside out. I made sure to keep the piping snug against the edge of the cushion so that the finish was neat. I made sure that the flaps overlapped so there was no gapping as well. The actual cushion itself was quite straight forward, I will be using the same techniques in my final piece but for a different sized cushion.
After experimenting with a few techniques and methods to create prints, I have decided to research into getting some designs professionally printed for my final piece. Using the website ‘Bags of Love’, I am able to import my designs and images onto a range of chosen materials. I have chosen to get some of my prints printed onto fabrics so that I can then use them as hangings and samples for my final collections as well as making a cushion from my designs. I will first design these prints during my 15-hour exam time and then order them to be printed professionally.
https://www.bagsoflove.co.uk/
After looking at the sample of fabric from the 100+ possible fabric choices, I have narrowed it down to these possible 5 choices. I am leaning more towards the velvet shimmer; I feel that this is a perfect rich and glamorous print for my cushion. It will make my product look very luxurious and of a high quality and standard. I also experimented with inserting a few images of my work into the designer so that I could see about the resizing and design aspects. The fabric must be 158 cm wide, but I can choose the length. I will get a few prints done for both my art history and textiles work on the same roll. Then, I can then use these to create my collections and cushion designs.
Design 1: Create a set of prints and 1 poster as feature for the collection. Create 2-3 screen for my prints, then d 2-3 heat transfers. Get the poster/wall hanging printed professionally onto fabric and then embroider back into it.
Design 3:
Hand dye some fabric, then create a screen with leaf and small insect drawings and have a light base layer over the coloured fabric. Next, heat transfer a big butterfly on top and embroider back into it to add detail. Create a cushion with this, add piping in complimentary colours.
Design 2: Create a design collection with various prints and designs. Use a range of techniques such as screen printing, heat transfer and digital work. Get them printed onto a mixture of paper and fabrics.
Design 4:
Dye fabric and then create heat transfer butterflies for the print. Create a cushion with this designed fabric and then add piping and detail with embroidery. Also do a few screen prints to create a collection.
Design 5 & Firm Choice:
Create a collection of wall prints for fabrics and wallpapers. Use a mixture of digital and hand techniques such as screen printing and heat transfer to do so. Get my work printed onto papers and fabrics as examples. As well as this, create my own cushion print featuring a butterfly and insect inspired print. Get this printed onto velvet or rich fabric and then construct the cushion using a sewing machine. Then embroider and embellish this further. Display as an interiors collection and place cushion onto a chair to show functionality of the products.
Potential Colourways:
In preparation for my exam time, I created a series of drawings for my prints. I aim to create a screen print and heat transfer print, so prepped the screen beforehand. All the insects and leaf drawings are done using fine liners, I then scanned them and used photoshop to create the repeat pattern shown to the right. This was then transferred onto a screen so that during my exam all I have to do is pull the paint through. I also cut out some of the drawings and used the heat transfer inks to colour them in. Then, during my exam all that I need to do is put them in my desired pattern, heat press them and mask off my screen so that I can use black paint to create an outline for each drawing.
For my final piece, I am going to be creating a cushion with my own custom-made fabric. In order to prepare for this, I need to have my fabric. So, I used some time before the exam to design my fabric before ordering it. This meant that I could use the exam time to construct the cushion. I first did a series of drawings of insects (previous page). I then scanned these and opened them in photoshop. I made 2 prints, 1 with only butterflies and 1 with the other insects. I then created formations for the drawings that I was happy with and used the simple half drop repeat technique to make the top layer of my design. I made the drawings vary in size to make the piece have more variation and interest. I also ensured that all the colours I used for my drawings were complimentary and would go together, this is so that my designs look cohesive and not too garish. I used the same 2 layers below each print, a solid pink base and a simple line drawing scan of insect so that the designs are similar. I want my cushions to compliment each other and match, but not be exactly the same. One will be the full cushion, one a small strip section of another. I am very pleased with these pattern designs and how they turned out. I have used the beautiful marks and design of insects to make a pretty, unique pattern. In my exam time, I will use the fabric I order to make my final product. (I also pre-stained the fabric for the backs of my cushions and 1 of the fronts).
30/03/23 – 1 hour 30 minutes
31/03/23 – 2 hours 40 minutes
20/04/23 – 1 hour 30 minutes
21/04/23 – 2 hours 40 minutes
27/04/23 – 1 hour 30 minutes
28/04/23 – 2 hours 40 minutes
04/05/23 – 1 hour 30 minutes
05/05/23 – 2 hours 40 minutes (we were given 1 hour 40 minutes extra drying time for our project)
Make 2 digital prints in Photoshop.
Make heat transfer print. Do screen print.
Embroider cushion fabric.
Embroider cushion fabric.
Embroider cushion fabric.
Make cushions.
Embroider cushion fabric.
Make cushion and finish off anything that needs doing for final outcome.
During my exam time, I created 2 prints for my design collection. I used drawings from my prep time and made custom brushes in photoshop to make prints and designs. I used 3 butterflies for the left one and used the simple half drop pattern to create this formation. I also used the half drop for the right one, this time making the print bigger and more spaced out. I also used another layer below of some insects from earlier on in my project. This adds dimension and more interest to my design. Within each design, I focused on using complimentary colours so that the prints felt cohesive and well put together. One of my designs will be printed onto fabric, one onto a roll of paper.
After using my exam time to create my prints and designs, I paid for my fabric to be professionally printed. I used the brand “Bags of Love” and went onto the image upload section of the custom fabric design page. I uploaded my now complete cushion covers for both textiles and art history, as well as my 2 fabric samples for my design collections. I chose the velvet shimmer fabric from the hundreds of options and ordered my fabric to be 50cm by 139cm (this was the only width available). I sized up and designed my fabric so that my cushion fronts were 40cm by 40cm each and then used the rest of the space to put in my fabric design samples (these were both created during exam time). The samples are 50cm by 30cm. I also placed in my strips of fabric for my second cushions, these are 40cm by 10cm.The fabric cost me around £33 including shipping and I ordered it in prep time outside of exam hours. I then had it delivered to my house where I cut up the individual designs, so I was able to use them during exam time. I am very pleased with the quality of the fabrics and how professional and high standard my work looks.
During this exam time, I created my two hand rendered prints.As discussed earlier, I did some prep work for this lesson so that during my time I could work quickly and efficiently. I first did my screen printing (next slide). I mixed up some very light blue fabric paint to compliment my pre-bought maroon fabric. It then only took 2 pulls of the ink through the screen for me to get the perfect print. Because I had already prepped my drawings and screen, this process was quick and simple. After this, I washed my screen and let it dry whilst I used my pre-painted ink transfers to create a simple repeat on white fabric. I then pressed this in the machine and repeated the process twice to generate my repeat pattern. The second time, as I already knew, the colours didn’t come out as strong. This gives the print an ombre effect as the colour fades down though the piece, which I really like, it is interesting and unique. I used white fabric for this print as white is the colour that would best show up the heat transfer colours. If I was to have used a dark background, they wouldn’t have showed up. I then used my screen to add the black outline to the print. This was a time-consuming process because each time I had to mask off the rest of the design to ensure no smudging and then wash and dry the screen in-between each use. However, I did manage to get it all done in the time. Overall, I am very pleased with these prints and how they came out, I really like my colour choices and how I have used so many insects to create beautiful patterns.
During my exam time, I used tiny embroidery beads in a range of colours to work back into and embellish my custom ordered fabric. This is a very delicate and time-consuming process. I wanted to focus on enhancing the piece and adding subtle touches to make it more eye-catching and unique. I only had time to do about 9 small butterflies, on each one I picked out colours from the insects and added clusters of beads to give them an iridescent and shiny appearance. I don’t aim to cover every butterfly completely or even work back into every one. I just want to add hints of colour so that my design pops and stands out. I will continue to do this in my next lesson of exam time until I am pleased with the amount of embellishment I have added to my work.
During this time, I continued with my embroidery into my cushion. I used a range of coloured beads and this time focused on embroidering into some of the bigger butterflies. I am really pleased with the embellishment work on my cushion and how it makes the fabric so much more glamorous and well finished.
I have chosen to print my last remaining digital design onto a long roll of paper so that I can have it on display as a sample wallpaper. I went downstairs in college to go and speak to the IT technicians and found out how to prep my work. I have decided to combine my digital prints from both art history and textiles so that I can have 2 from one roll and one for each of my collections. The width of the paper is 60cm and have split it in half, so my prints are 30cm each. I chose to make them 100cm long so that the samples are a decent size and can hang with my collection. I changed my quality to 300ppi so that the image was clear and exported it as a JPEG so that my design is ready for print.
During this time, I continued with my embroidery into my first cushion cover. I wanted the design to stand out and be unique, I covered a good number of butterflies in sequins, just enough so that the sequins and shine were noticeable. Embroidery is a very long and time-consuming process, so it has taken me quite a lot of hours to do this. Today however was my last lesson of exam time on this part of my final piece as I need to move on to constructing and making the cushion. I am very pleased with this work; I love how the beads add a subtle and dainty effect to the cushion and how colourful and eye-catching my design is.
During this exam time, I constructed my first cushion. Using the fabric I designed and embroidered, I first pinned together all aspects of my cushion. The front is 40cm by 40cm, the 2 back pieces being 25cm by 40cm and 15cm by 40cm. The back has a slit opening for me to put in my cushion insert.After pinning my fabric together inside out, I used a sewing machine for ease and efficiency to straight stitch the pieces together. This was a quick and simple process; I didn’t have to leave a slit to turn the cushion the right way because I used the flap. I had to make sure that each of my edges was neat and properly straight, this stopped the cushion from being uneven. After I had finished this, I turned my cushion the right way and began to work on the back. I had a set of butterfly buttons at home I used to hold the slit shut. These are in pink and purple shades and match my designs perfectly. I also used some sparkly ribbon in matching colours to attach these. I did a line of straight stitch across the top, so everything was held in place and neat. The back of my cushion is the plain navy fabric that I dyed, adding the colour in the beads and ribbon makes it more interesting and ties in well with my design.After this, I also added some tassels to the corners of my cushion. I used pink and purple to tie in with my design, I feel that this adds more interest to the cushion and makes it look so much more well finished. I was initially going to add piping, however, I didn’t have any spare fabric to use for this and thought the process would be too fiddly and time-consuming for my exam so used tassels instead. I actually prefer this and how the colours are bright and stand out.After I had finished this cushion, I also started to embroider into my smaller strip of fabric using my beads. This is so that next lesson after I have finished my embroidery, I will be able to construct and finish my cushion.
During this session of exam time, I continued with my embroidery into my smaller strip of fabric. I used the coloured beads and added a selection of bright colours to my fabric. This makes my piece so much more eyecatching and unique. The beads add a shine to the fabric, it is also of a higher quality and more well-finished because I have added the extra pop of colour in the beads. I finished all the embellishment work I aim to do for this fabric during my time, so next exam session I am ready to construct my cushion using the sewing machine.
During this final session of the exam, I spent my time constructing my cushion with the sewing machine. I used the same techniques as my first cushion apart from on the front cushion of my design. I did a line of straight stitch to connect my strip of 10cm by 40cm fabric design to my 30cm by 40cm. This then made the 40cm-by-40cm cushion front of my cushion. I got my 2 rectangular back pieces at 40cm by 15cm and 40cm by 25cm and pinned them together with the front. I did a line of straight stitch down the side of each edge to hold the piece in place. This time I also added the tassels in at each corner, so they were nice and neatly pinned down. To add to this cushion, I used a line of pink pom poms on a ribbon. I tucked it in-between the navy and insect inspired fabric. This adds a real pop of colour and interest to my cushion. It makes it more interactive and I feel that the pom poms really tie together the whole design. The colours all match and compliment the whole of my design and I also like how the tassels tie in. After this, I turned my cushion back the right way round and checked that everything was neat and properly finished. I then added the butterfly buttons to the back and decided to use some of the pom poms to create a feature of the closed flap. I really like how this ties the whole piece together. I also decided to do this on my other cushion so that they match and are a complimentary set. I finished both of my cushions fully during this time and managed to get everything in my exam done that I needed to.
My wallpaper
My cushions
My fabric design
This project has been the exploration of my theme insects. In order to get to my exam time, I carried out a lot of research and development which has helped me to produce ideas and refine my knowledge. At the start of this project, as discussed in my statement of intent, I knew that I wanted to be able to create a design collection that really showcases how beautiful and incredible our natural world is. Nature and insects have always been a keen inspiration for me and my work. I chose this theme as I thought I would enjoy it the most and would be able to produce the strongest results using my skills and knowledge. To start my project, I did some quick idea generation with image collections and mind maps. This really helped me to get all my ideas down. After this, using my knowledge I created some drawings. Using a range of medias, I drew out insects and some of their habitats. Focusing on colour and details, I wanted these drawings to be the basis for the rest of my project. I could come back to them to create screens or brushes. I particularly like my multiple layer pages and the work of Eugene Seguy. Using multiple layers in my work is a great way to add depth and dimension to my designs. This is something I focused on carrying throughout my project.After this, I first completed a range of in-depth research. Looking at books, museums and websites enabled me to gather lots of information that was helpful for my project. I looked at wallpapers and print, a brief history and some information. This taught me about how many different opportunities there are for print in the design world. After this, I moved on to look at a range of insects. I learnt about their life cycles, species and adaptations. I also completed some fact files on butterflies and dragonflies, this is because these are the insects I am going to focus on looking at and designing with most throughout my project. I also went to a museum and took lots of primary images for my project, great for inspiration and design ideas. After this, I moved on to designer research, looking at a range of brands and their ideas. I have taken inspiration from each of the artists I looked at, experimenting with a different technique within each one. I first looked at Damien Hirst and his excellent exploration of colour and pattern. Hirst users butterfly wings to create kaleidogram imagery and prints. Inspired by his use of natural patterns to create a surface pattern, I experimented with the kaleidogram app and used my own drawings to see what print styles I could create. I used Photoshop to create a simple formation of the wings and then played around with the camera lens to get a few different shots. I then also used Photoshop to create custom brushes from these images and created prints. What I really liked about this work is how the patterns were not simple or straight forward, they're all detailed, intricate and completely different to the next. This is one thing that I wanted to explore within this project, using more than just a simple half drop repeat to create my prints. I also really liked working in the monochrome colour tones fall this. Using a range of shades and tones really adds dimension to my work. Next, I moved on to look at Timorous Beasties. This is where I created one of my stronger prints. The brand carefully users layering and multitudes of bright colours to make their work exciting, interesting and stand out. I used Photoshop to play around with brushes using some of my drawings. I found that whilst I do like the monochrome look, I feel that adding a range of colours to my work makes it more enticing and eye-catching. I also found whilst looking at this brand that working digitally is something I would like to continue throughout my project. Photoshop is a great way to add multiple layers and brighter colours to my work without having to worry about the piece being too overcrowded or messy. The next brand I explored was Christian Lacroix. They stood out to me because of the similarity to Damien Hirst and his use of multiple butterfly wings and patterns. I really like the look of having a range of colours and patterns in one print. So decided to analyse and explore with some of their techniques.Again, similarly to Timorous Beasties, bright colours is one of the ways the brand makes their work stand out. I decided to experiment with some lino printing after looking at this brand’s work because I felt that I would be able to create some intricate and delicate butterfly prints in a range of colours. I carved out two linos and used these to stamp in a range of colours. I did make some into simple pattern formations by hand, but then scanned them into Photoshop and developed them further. This is where we can really see the
similarity between mine and the brand’s work. I used the butterfly linos to create brushes in Photoshop and then altered the colours and size each time I printed. This created real depth and tone within my work, there is so much interest in my print. I also showed what this would look like as a cushion product for my design collection and really like the results.After looking at Christian Lacroix’s work, I knew that I definitely wanted to use butterflies for my final print and design. They are so beautiful and intricate. I do not however want to use lino printing; my results just weren’t as clean as I want them to be and I wasn't able to get the bright colours I had hoped for. Lastly, I looked at Matthew Williamson. What I was most intrigued about with his work was his embroidery and embellishment skills. Using tiny shiny beads to enhance work and make it stand out really adds to his pieces. His prints are taken to a whole new level because of the delicacy and beautiful shine. I used one of my simple prints from Photoshop to experiment with some embellishment, sewing in tiny shiny beads to the beetles. This was a time-consuming process, but I really like the results and feel that it was worth it. Enhancing my work with tiny details such as beads was something I was very interested in and found to be very effective. I also experimented with this later on in my project to see how it would look if I only embellished smaller sections of my work instead of filling the whole insect. I still do like these results, and it means that I can see the design showing through below. As well as all these development techniques, I also went into the print room to experiment with heat transferring and screen printing. I used my drawings for both and focused on using bright colours. I really like the results of my heat transfer and how the inks came out so bright. I used a range of colours for each insect instead of just sticking to a single shade for each design. I really like these results; I feel that it makes my work even more unique. I also screen printed an outline on top of my heat transfers, and really like how this ties it all together and makes it even more neat and well finished. Heat transfer and screen printing were both techniques I wanted to take through to my final piece. They produce neat and effective hand rendered results. I also experimented further on Photoshop and really enjoyed using my development results from drawings, lino prints, heat transfer and screen printing to create brushes. I like the freedom of being able to layer up my work and experiment with lots of design in one print.As it was coming to my exam time, I began to think about what I wanted to create for my final piece. I experimented with making a cushion and practised the technique before my exam time so that I knew what I was doing. I decided to create a collection consisting of four prints, two digital, two hand rendered as well as two cushions with my own fabric designs on them. I got my cushion fabric and one of my prints professionally printed onto velvet shimmer fabric, this fabric really makes the cushions so much more high quality and add shine to them. During my exam time, I used Photoshop and my brushes to create two prints. I then also went to the print room to create two more prints, one with a simple screen print, one with heat transfer under screen print. I wanted each of my prints to be versatile and unique, but also for them all to tie together and look good as a collection. I focused on using complementary colours and ensuring all my drawing and line work is completely neat and well finished. I also spent quite a lot of time in my exam embroidering and embellishing my work. I used lots of tiny shiny coloured beads to stitch back into my cushion designs, I'm very pleased with the results. This adds an extra pop of colour to my work, making it even more eye-catching and elegant. I am also pleased with the multiple layered look on my cushion fabrics and how I used so many colours so that all the prints tie in together with it. All the drawings on this print, are my own. I spent a lot of time prepping them before the exam so that they were ready. I used a sewing machine to create my cushions rather than hand sewing as this was a much quicker and easier process that produced more professional results. Overall, I am very pleased with my final outcome and insects collection. I have used my new as well as older knowledge about design to create a set of products that really showcases the beauty of our natural world and how we can use natural patterns to create our own designs. There is nothing I struggled with throughout this project, and I wouldn’t change anything. I really enjoyed it all and am proud of everything I created.
