Evaluation and Reflection

On reflection my initial understanding of Unit X was that the whole project would be strongly focused around collaboration of interdisciplinary students. I imagined the time allocated for unit x would be spent in groups working towards a group outcome. I do not feel that this project has had the level of collaboration that I had initially expected.

However the areas where collaboration was apparent did benefit my experience of a design process. Working in a group at the start of the brief, brainstorming initial ideas, allowed everyone to access a wider variety of choice for a starting point. Infact, the Diane Harrison brief has been one of my most favourites to date. I believe I challenged myself in how I created designs and from this, I now have more advanced skills in programmes such as Photoshop. I feel I have a better understanding of how a professional design process works, beginning to end, and visiting the Diane Harrison studio has given me more focused direction towards a future career.

I feel I have created an elegant and professional collection of 6 designs for wallpaper that embrace exciting, spontaneous and vibrant qualities. I have researched into this field within interiors which has allowed me to create realistic designs suitable for my target market.

My response to this brief was not without its set backs. I had amateur experience with some elements of the design process which I have overcome and learnt from. Improvements to future projects would be to ensure I work at a consistent pace giving me enough work to inspire me throughout the project. I have definitely benefited from more in depth research into contextual information which comes across, more so, towards then end of my unit.

My previous projects, in my opinion, have had less focus and concentration on what I want to achieve at degree level. I feel that the Diane Harrison brief has allowed me to get back on track and is hopefully the beginning of more successful, directed bodies of work.

Final Collection and Visualisations

My final collection has been selected based upon what i believe to be my most successful designs. They are a combination of repeat and mirrored repeat patterns and all employ a 53cm x 53cm scale of repeat, standard of wall paper designs. I have extended my final print outs to 53cm x 63cm to show clearly how the designs would go on to repeat.

I did at one stage doubt my choice of designing towards wallpaper for interiors as my work is very bold and vibrant. However I was determined to challenge myself into making them work towards the outcome I had envisioned. 

Whilst researching the market of interiors I was introduced to the company Timorous Beasties. Designs from one of their more recent collections encouraged me to stick to my initial intentions.

Timorous Beasties - Chic Blotch

Timorous Beasties - Colonnade Blotch

I have created visualisations to promote the potential and success of my designs, showing them in a professional and plausible manner...

Designing in Photoshop

In previous projects I have worked more by hand and created an outcome of physical, tactile samples made from fabric as a final collection. I was keen to push digital production of samples using photoshop to give me an alternative outcome whilst at the same time, challenging myself to be more professional, technical and skillful at using the software. Essential for not only this project but also future development in my career, I am aware that in professional practices, skills in programmes such as photoshop and illustrator are extremely important in the production of designs.

This was no simple task as at the start of the project I was clueless as to how to put patterns into repeat; an important piece of criteria to meet the Diane Harrison brief. Whilst developing some of my designs, I discovered lines through my work, when blown to scale, which was a result of my own human error. To ensure accuracy and quality of my final collection i revisited the designs and amended my mistakes.

Before this point, my project was simply a body of experimental visual research. My aim from using photoshop was to create exciting samples that could be identified as a collection which developed upon the initial colour pallet, introducing scale and pattern formation.

Contextual Influences

I have looked at work by other artists and designers through out my project that have inspired some of the choices in my work. A lot of the images below influenced and sparked ideas for pattern formations in my design stage. Others I liked them for the combination of marks and colour pallets.

Above:  Tie Dye Blue Charms Tapestry by Psychic Lights

Above: Courtenay Pollock Print

Above: Courtenay Pollock print

Above: Tie Dye print by Nikki Strange

Above: Illustration by Sarah Spitler

Above: Alice and Olivia Tie Dye Print for a silk shirt.

Above: Water colour by Sarah Gager

Independent Visual Research

Following the group task I was keen to extend my area of research remaining with the theme evolution, focusing particularly on patterns in nature. My colour pallet developed from images of fish scales and reptile skin and my drawings, from visual patterns found in fossils.

The key image that inspired my visual research came from a book, 'Nature Close Up' which influenced my drawing and also sparked the idea of brusho.

Brusho lead me onto a more exciting way of mark-making. There is an element of control over the outcomes from using brusho but the lack of control is what makes it interesting. The marks ranged between fluid blends of colour to small splashes of colour. The amount of water on the paper and the space allowed for the dye to move would determine how much it bleeds. Adding salt drew away from the ink and left behind its own mark creating a sensitive blend of positive and negative; making marks with colour and making them by taking colour away.

For me, the main restriction with the brusho inks was the difficulty in variation of my colour pallet which encouraged my decision to introduce my designs to photoshop.

Brainstorming in a group

The aim of our first week was to work in selected groups to explore a category that was given to us at random. The outcome of the group task was to create a presentation based on our findings, providing inspiration for each individual to branch off into their own unique project.

Our theme was evolution. Initially the group collaborated to create a mind map of ideas on the subject. From the very beginning we all seemed to be in sync with our way of thinking. We began our research together at Manchester University Museum which has excellent primary resources for all the aspects within evolution. We made sure everyone had something they were happy to explore for a few days before returning with a variety of visual research to put to the rest of the group. The research was very diverse covering areas such as cells, fossils, animal adaptation and cosmology.  As a whole we appreciated that everyone has a different way of working and by naturally expressing that in everyones individual input, we found that it gave a diverse quality to the final presentation with cross over ideas linking it together. Personally I enjoy working in a group providing there is a good group dynamic. Five brains are better than one and being able to bounce ideas off each other is a really useful exercise in the early stages of a project. Working with people who are enthusastic to work to the same goal is motivating and I feel like I am a lot more focused within the brief at this point because of this.

Introducing Unit X

Having experienced Unit X before I had an idea of how the project would run. With collaboration being a key term I was excited to work with people from different creative areas. I was drawn towards College two as it was working towards a client brief and allowed us to communicate with professionals within the textile industry. I have been looking to push forward my skills in digital print and surface design so this brief seemed the right one for me.