Personal development planning

Interior design placement

LineOne Interior design studio: These photographs show the fabric which I arranged for the interior design companies front of house displays. I chose thres wall papers which I felt were striking and would appeal to the range of clientel, as well as to show Line Ones look and style. I was also given samples of faux fur to arrange with a display. Each display showed colour concepts, wallpapers which would work together, a selcetion of fabrics for furnishings as well as wall coverings and surface tiles. This task allowed me to explore how fabrics and materials can work together, and to work within a context. Each display was aimed at a different interior, night club, wine bar, retail or private homes. In relation to my bussiness and professional skills, the workplacement allowed me to see how an interior design studio opperates, where fabrics are sourced from, ways of producing mood boards, as well as how to put a collection of fabrics together. This being the greatest accest to me, as currently I am working towards creating a small collection of fabrics for my deadline in November. I throughierly enjoyed my day at Line One studios and feel I gained confidence within my self as well as in my own textile practice.

Research conclusion

My research has broaden my ideas to digital design with the focus being tone, line and texture.
Tones taken from the shells and flowers have introduced my colour scheme and provocted me to explore further my love of gradation of colour. I have researched the artist Jepe Holman and my workplacement at Jonathan Saunders' brought to my attention new ways to use colour.

Personal development planning

Having a week out of uni, I feel off task and need to quickly get back into the swing of my work. The two weeks prior to my placement I was very uncertain of the direction in which to take my work, however after a group critique, and a week in the design studio, my thoughts and ideas have become clear. This term I wish to explore a variety of digital processes to see the advantages of each, however I need to push my skills in a particular area and I feel weave would currently be my strongest discipline. I have decided to focus on an out come of a selection of woven and knitted fabrics, which I can go onto place in a context. This week I need to conclude my research stage, and move on to delevlop my ideas and begin to sample. I need to focus on my theme as well as explanned it to its full potential. I hope to have a productive week!

Workplacement

Last week I had my work placement at Jonathan Saunders. I was a runner for his design studio. This involved assisting the design team with day to day tasks and running errands. I have travelled across London to collect the latest collection, to delivering fabrics to factories and returning pattens. By being in the studio I began to understand how a design studio operates, with the different departments with everyone having their own roles to play, to seeing the step by step processes it takes to create a collection. This week, I learned the value of digital processes used withing the design process, from Photoshop and illustrator to digital print designs. I have realise how essential it is be confident in design programmes, due to more and more stages of design being made digital, rather than hand produced. Digital is certainly the future of fashion and textiles.

Digital Textiles

My latest project is Digital Textiles, which will build upon my skills and experimental practices with the emphasis being to develop my ideas using digital media and creating samples using digital production. I have identified my theme of research and visual enquiry as Natural form, with an initial study of my collection of shells, which have been formed and shaped by the sea. From this title I have chosen my key words will be cones, coils and curves, which will initiate my drawing. From this platform I am going to explore a variety of digital processes to develop my ideas. These processes including design programmes Photoshop and Illustrator. As well as CAD embroidery, laser cut, digital knitting using Designaknit 7, digital weave using Fibreworks and digital printing. Along side these induction sessions I will also attend drawing classes to investigate the "natural form".

My initial research idea has been "what is a pattern?", which has been my focus in contextual studies, where I have begun to research artists and designers who push the concept of what a patten could be. I am planning to attend the Shirley Craven and Hull traders exhibition, in Kings Lyn, to explore the concept of pattern. I am also going to research the key development moments of digital textiles and how it is influencing fashion design, economically, and culturally. I will document my personal development planning digitally on my blog. During my third week I have arranged a work placement at Jonathan Saunders design studio, in London, where I hope to see how a design studio operates as well as the range of digital practice used day to day in the fashion industry. This week will form the of my professional development planning file.

Through out my project I will continuously refer back digital skills. This unit has given me the oppertunity to progress my skills and knowledge of weaving and apply them to digital design. Also I would like to take this oppertunity to learn the process of digital knitwear design. If I have time I hope to I hope to apply laser cut and CAD to these during the development stage. At a later date material manipulation will be introduced to my work as a central focus for development and I will go onto show my design work in a context using my skills and knowledge in photoshop.