Jonathan Saunders

Jonathan Saunders resort 2011 is fun, feminine and reflects my own style. In October I am doing a short intership at Jonathan Saunders studio in London to work along side his design team to see how a design studio opperates.

Pattern Cutting

Along side my textiles work I have been attending a pattern cutting course at my local college. My aim was to establish a collection of blocks that would enable me to create a wide range of garments. Over six months I completed, a dress, a pair of high waisted trousers and shirt and an evening dress. Now I have completed my tolies I hope to go on to create various different styles of each toile, altering sleeves, collars, lengths, and then exploring fabrics.
I have already started my next project which will be a pair of summer shorts.

Pattern cutting is fast becoming a great passion of mine. I have come to realise pattern cutting and dress making is more of an interest than the design process within fashion. Over the next year I hope to develop my skills further within this disipline and be come a confident pattern cutter in time.

Tribal Influence

Tribal has been a key summer trend and often features mocchy browns and slushy greens, however I created a revived and fresh approach to tribal with a small collection of woven and printed cloths.

My research stemed from different cultures: Papa new guninne, African and Aboriginal tribes. I explores body art, ceramics and carvings.

I took the opportunity to show my skills in weaving and took the time to grasp the basics of dying my own yarns and fabric.

Fragments

Fragments was a set title which had to be applied to the introduction of weaving. The key ellement was "stripes and checks" which taught me the concepts of the woven structure.....

Nautical

After working with printed techniques I moved on to explore the constructed textile disaplines. The introduction to hand knitting and machine knitting sparked a need to return to my love of construction methods. I love my work to be bulky and to have its own weight. Knitting allowed me to push this concept to my full potential. Experimenting with a range of different materials to hand knit, from platic, to thick rope and wire. I was very enthusiastic to learn how to machine knit, as I liked how quickly I could construct my ideas, and try multiple techniques within the same sample.

My inspiration came from nautical objects such as links and chains as well as stripes. All related directly to the construction of knitting. Taking a trip to my local marina I was able to photograph robes, cables, links and chains ect.

Florals

Defining Detail

Applying Texture

Exploring Scale

Florals are often very samey and predictable, however in September, I went about designing my own range of "floral" inspired cloths, on a range of different fabrics. Inspiration came from the city of Norwich, where I was set a task to "sat nav the city". Also a trip to Norwich Castle lead to a task set to "mimic the masters", where I produced a number of drawings taking key ellements of others work. My main focus was the floral teapot collection from the castle.

Experimenting with scale I worked on a enlarged scale which I feel was effective. Also explored texture and detail I spent considerable time on each design. The colours are strong and bold and have now become my signature identity within my work. My developement focused around a motif which I screen printed onto mercerised cotton and silk cloth, working with repeat patterns, multiple colour and scale. Also working with heat transferable ink I was able to over lap my designs quickly and effectively. Over all I am pleased with my final collection of cloths.

The work of Alexandra Verschueren caught my eye when researching for artist who manipualte fabric for garments, rather than textile pieces. I love the strcutures created by cutting and then folding the fabrics. The grament has body and depth, this manipulation adds interest and texture.

Another designer to inspire me is Prose. This collection featured a range of "scrunched" fabrics formed into dresses. The garment is tactile and in my eyes innovative.

Mary-Anne Morrison

I came across the work of Mary-Ann Morrison at an exhibition, held at Black Thorpe Barn, in Rougham, September 2009. The exhibition of her work consisted of fabric which has been applied with wire to create what I define as "Coils". Hense linking to my Editions project. Her work has inspired me to apply other materials to fabric in order to make the fabric ridged or to hold the desired shape or form. I would love the opportunity to contact the artist to investigate where she found her inspiration and influences.

Editions Project

Over the summer our tutor set a optional project to create a edition of one thing.

I have always been interested with structuring and manipulating fabric; with this in mind, I set myself the title of Coils, Curves, Swirls and Cones. This lead me to draw a collection of shells i gathered on holiday in Florida. The shells coiled, and swirled, with curves and most of them were cones. To develop my drawings I began to manipulate cotton and calico, twists, folding and wrapping.

I feel this task has been the introduction to my first project for when I go back to University in September. I want to go on to explore methods of structuring fabric, such as using startch, stitch methods as well as other forms of manipulation. I am really excited to continue this title further!

fold, twist, pull, nip, turn, squeeze, roll, coil, push, crunch, bend, pleat.....