Sunday 5 July 2015

G.O: One summers floral work

I've mentioned this floral theme, for a summer project, two years ago. This is mostly the resulting work - the imagery developed differently for the different sections of work to suit the textiles. This also revolved around developing digital work in each area, using the industry machines and software available to create the work - from  Print, Knit, and Weave. Print was the first section, followed by knit then weave. This allowed me to develop the imagery very quickly. Using my sketches to make rough sketchy prints and another set with line drawings to being in colour and detail in different measures - Allowing for clearer detail. Though we also had to create manual/hand processed work for each section too - on domestic knit machines, printing, 

Though its difficult to pick up detail in some machine knitted work I choose to continue with sketchy work  like the flowers below with ink drippings and painterly textures flattened into 3 colours - the back ground, the flowers and the detail. Designs like this and similar to the one below would need to be cleaned up make any imagery clearer. This could be done through varying the stitches rather than colour with the machine we used. We did use manual technique alongside our digital work to make a varied collection of designs and textiles.


As print meant using more software and layers to my work than before - I played with layering my textures and designs. My designs consisted of digitally drawing and designed imagery, as well as cleaned up sketches and scans. I also scanned different textures I created with different mediums - from pastels, acrylics, inks, watercolours, etc.

I layered different effects as well, with layers that played with hue, opacity, saturation, contrast and other effects. The colorful pieces like those in the center and to the right, below make great prints and are simple to recreate when printed digitally on silk - I choose bamboo silk. 

Whilst, the line work I created for prints lent itself nicely to inspire digitally design woven pieces, like the design to the left, below. print allowed me to explore different flowers and styles quickly. I wanted a more following collection of designs for my weaves






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This project was from before the summer I had the flower project - My 1st year of 
textiles (2nd  year at university). This was all hand processed prints - a theme was
  different and didn't cross over for each section and textiles area - knit, print and weave.



Screen and stencil printing. With an urban theme. The focus was on structure 
from the architectural photographs for the screen printing, and was expanded 
on with the stencils of people - which were each cut out by hand. These 
stencils added more simple detail, block colour and something relate-able.

Saturday 4 July 2015

G.O: Photography; Degree show catalog images





 My degree work - catalog images

Photographed by a member of the teaching staff at university - these are just a few of the catalog photographs. The photographs are great, I've had some real big problems with photographing my own work due to the textures and colours. I'm really happy with how these turned out and that they photographed so well.

He took into account the textures, the layout, and even incorporated some features and themes of my work too.

My digital designed weaves - my Jacquard loom woven pieces, are kept separate from the majority of my other work. Most (especially earlier jacquard's) are focused more on the weaving of pattern pieces - thus focusing on the design primarily.

Whilst some later Jacquards do focus more on texture.Though I have tried to pick and choose weaves applied to the designs; due to their structure, colour, and textures.

The photographs seem to favor my hand made samples from the Textel looms. Which have the most variety in texture, tone, materials and colour. Giving them a larger variation between their designs and intended use.

My favorite is probably the bottom image - because the combinations of textures, some tones and colour.


I don't have much exciting news with what to expect next but thanks for reading.

Thursday 2 July 2015

C.W : Princess Bubblegum

My work space, whilst working - not as big I thought.


I took four to six days worth of my time for a friend. This was to make a dress for a costume party. She asked for princess bubble from adventure time. She really wanted to do this character, she looked at costumes to buy bit at silly prices for a basic dress. The crown alone was £20+ easy. Costumes adult or child are difficult to find. Even any cosplay versions are easily £40+.

After researching the character design, to see want I would make, even though we were sure of the basic dress she often wears was what we wanted - as bubblegum does have a collection of costumes - I took the friend shopping for the fabric. She picked the colours that she thought best for her ideas of the princess bubblegum. She wanted a shine light pink and a strong bold purple. We ended up also shopping for glitter and make up. Neither of use went for pale makeup despite our characters being very pale. The entire process wasn't photographed in full, so apologies to anyone interested in seeing that. I only have photos of the work space and the nearly finished dress and the completed dress.

I started with a pattern with the length wanted - in the bodice and skirt. however this was a fitted dress with panels, and a yoke with/without sleeves. So, I adapted the sleeve pattern and bodice pattern to be how I want it to be shaped. Partially based on the sequined dress in the photo above, which had a higher neckline, but wasn't right up to the neck - this was a night out costume party, meaning it could be very warm. Though the bodice pattern took time to make it, it also came together quickly. The waist was just right but the bust was a little large but again with this being for a night out it was preferable to be slightly loose.

For the skirt and sleeves we wanted extra material to gather so I used the size 16 from the pattern rather than the size 10, but when these pieces were compared to the size 10 this creates the amount I need to gather. The bodice pattern I made had the size 10 and dress measurements to base the sizing of the bodice on.
I also edited the sleeve pattern for more height in the arch to allow for more material to gather and also allow for more height in the gathering if needed for the space to create a puffy princess sleeve. On top of the size 16 pattern piece I also extended the sleeve as normal for a gathered sleeve.

I put together the bodice and skirts first, which allowed me work out sizing and measurements against the dress and my friend with the paper patterns. These seemed about right and allowed me to return the dress - as I had written down the measurements, to refer to later.

The next job was the sleeves and collar. Planning the zip placement - which I changed to the back of the dress. The waist band was final piece to be planned. I had a zip, elastic and interfacing, so my friend didn't have to worry about these pieces when we were shopping.

The bodice and skirt were the first pieces to be sewn, this includes a front bodice lining to avoid the light pink showing anything worn underneath. I also stitched to the point where the zip's length would end on the edges of the skirt. Once the skirt and bodice were sewing together. I next gathered, sewn the edge, hemmed the edge of the sleeve, sewn in the elastic and added the sleeves to the bodice.
The zip's placement had to be planned, before I could continue. However I had to back off from sewing it till I had the waist band ready - pattern piece cut, stitched, turned out, added interfacing and stitched the interfacing into position. Then it was ready to sew onto the dress, then I could add the zip, and finish that area of the bodice and skirt.
Finally the last piece was made, interfaced and added - the collar. This was quite fiddly due to the stitching and ironing, and repeated the process so it sat the right way - you must do the interfacing, then the whole collar the wrong way, then the right way and then add to the dress the wrong way before finally doing it the right way so it sits the right way, and neatly on the dress. Confusing but anyone out there having trouble there are YouTube videos out there - this wasn't meant as a tutorial on making a dress, else I would have explained the processes more clearly.

Finally the finishing was all that was left - this usually includes the hemming, the zip and so on.

I really enjoyed making this dress and would like to say its my full first dress - despite creating one in college, which I did do by myself. But it was a themed project and though wearable not designed with a wearer in mind - it was based on bacteria. I was really happy to have a project for a week and that a friend trusted me to make this and even more so to shop with her to select the fabrics.

Anyway thank you for reading x