PHOTOSHOP_ My experience

Having studied photography at A level, I had some basic knowledge of photoshop. But I've always known this- Sometimes its my enemy sometimes its my friend.  

Being reintroduced to photoshop resulted in mixed feelings. Producing the repeat pattern using simple shapes was fairly straightforward, and I soon got into a routine- duplicate layer, move, merge down, repeat. However the problems arose when scanning in my motifs was introduced to build up a print. It wasn't that I couldn't do it, it was trying to remember how to get the motif to a stage where I could actually use it (nothing is ever as simple as you would hope). And even once this had been done, I still became confused- I just found I didn't click with the software, that it wasn't easy to use. This frustrated me greatly as I wanted to be good at it, considering most people had got the hang of it. A massive step back for my confidence, I felt a failure.

Like everything in life, it wasn't all bad. When it was going well it really did go well and I saw some amazing results using the motifs I had created. Once teamed up with my colour palette, the prints began to come to life. I especially liked the contrast between the thick cut out shapes and the sketchy, textured florals (relating to my skulls and floral theme- print is a great way to suggest this relationship). Of course I found the studio way of putting together a print much easier and it suited me better as I had more control,  but it was valuable to be able to use photoshop. With more practise I can't see why I will not improve, producing better and better prints with the intention of printing them digitally onto fabric.

So was it a success? Definitely. Although I wasn't a natural, I did learn a great deal. With the ever evolving technology based work, its vital to be able to produce prints digitally as a designer, as a more drawn out approach will become obsolete. The main thing though, however frustrated I became or hated my prints, I still enjoyed myself and the process and was massively pleased with the outcomes of my prints.    

COMPANION PRINTS_

Companion prints are almost an add on to a main print, a print to support and compliment, but never compete. It could include the same colours, or a particular motif, but is usually a lot simpler.

I really engaged with  creating a series of companion prints. Because I had a lot of motifs to work with, the ideas flowed to me. What was interesting is the colour choice for one print was the hardest part- although my colour palette was very successful, choosing just two or three colours that go well together was a struggle. Maybe I just loved them all too much! I started with a background colour to work on top of, and built up my prints by layering, printing, cutting and sticking, painting. My first set of 6 20x20cm companion prints were, in my opinion, okay. They had all the vital components, had a lovely range of colours, but they just didn't catch my eye like I hoped they would. There were really successful elements, such as printing with the edge of corrugated card. This gave a beautiful textured line, and could be manipulated into many interesting shapes. I just feel some of the prints were lacking oomph, but it was my first attempt.

I created another 6 companion prints, all developed from the first 6. As the idea of a companion print was to to compliment the main print in a simplistic way (in my case, my 50x50cm print), I decided to incorporate shapes and motifs that were similar in each. This was successful, and you could see that the prints now tied together.  
By the last 6 companion prints, I was confident in the ways I could produce an aesthetically pleasing print. Printing with different objects worked really well, and so did cutting out bold shapes such as florals from coloured paper. I also included common ground from the use of the background in the large print, which created a simple but wonderful companion print to it.

Companion prints- my new favourite. I loved the simplistic nature of them, the way they subtly relate to a larger more complicated print, like little followers. Continuing to practise creating these would be highly beneficial, almost so it becomes second nature to me to be able to pick out common ground form the main print. 

MOTIF MAKING_

Motif making- I'm very used to creating textural, scratchy drawings with many a different medium, so motif creating was a different experience. If I'm honest, I didn't like the outcomes I produced. The motifs had to be drawn in a continuous line with a liner pen, so it was a simplistic shape to work from. Now in my eyes, the motifs I had to work with appeared childish and had no depth to them (I realise this was the idea), and when I don't particularly like something or find it unattractive, I bothers me. So guess what I did. I drew another more considered collection of motifs which I was happier with. Of course I kept the others, and the ideas behind them were there and fitted with my theme, I just felt I could work with the newer motifs more successfully.

The motifs were the starting point to a large 50x50 print, and the next step included taking each motif individually and start drawing it in 5 different ways with different mediums. I was more within my comfort zone, creating more abstract versions to build up the print. My motifs, spreading across a page in rows, included using black cut out paper (it was important the motifs remained black and white so they could be easily photocopied), poster paint to give a scratchy finish, inks, charcoal, anything  really that created an unusual mark. Printing with relevant shapes featured heavily in my work as it was a quick and easy way to build up an area.
I had never really thought about the process of creating a print, and although these days a lot are created digitally, it was valuable to experiment creating prints in this was. I feel I work better when I am able to play around with a physical thing, placing motifs and drawing them how I like. Its a wonderful process, and you can see that from these first steps, refining the motifs and creating prints using factors from the last could lead to a professional print.

50x50 PRINTS_

Christmas had just been. I didn't get as much developmental work as I had planned, however I did create a 50x50 print. It took me a while to 'psych' up to start playing around with my print, I was almost scared as it was a first time (i'm never one to enjoy a new event). It wasn't that I didn't want to do it, because I was really loving the techniques I was learning during the textile application. It was more a mind set, I automatically believed I wasn't able to succeed.

To create this large scale print I began to use my motifs I drew previously in different ways. The motifs were black and white, so it was easy to photocopy them. Many copies were printed, in different scales, so I had a variation to start my print with. After quickly cutting out motifs, it was then to decide what motifs would sit well with each other. I struggled with this, as a lot of my original motifs were small or in a strip. So I started layering the background with the strips of motifs, cutting them up into eve smaller strips to create an detailed background.   The floral prints found their way on top of the background, and I filled some spaces by cutting out individual motifs. 

My first attempt wasn't great, but I remained positive and put this down to it being a new process, and the more I do it the better I would become. It was a very busy print, and appeared that it wasn't very thought out. I feel this was because there wasn't much regularity or repeat, so it looked like a picture more than a print. However it was easy to see where it could be improved, by taking out some motifs to make it less crowded, and have a more refined approach.

As a print had already been created and I could reflect on this, it felt a lot easier to start a second print. This time I started with a repeat within the background, to make sure it flowed. I added slight irregularity by placing the florals with a more random approach and changing up the scale. This print was so much more successful and it felt like a print. Of course it had a long way to go, but it had restored faith in my abilities.

My third print would be a doddle, right? I wish, but the ideas and compositions flowed easier. This was a much more refined print, and included aspects of my colour palette. I definitely focused on the background of this print, re-drawing motifs straight on to give a more finished approach. It was a simple yet effective background, but because this featured so heavily, it only needed a small amount of motifs on top. I went for two types of floral, which contrasted well with the background, giving it that break up it needed. If you had told me I produce a print to that standard when I started, I would never have believed you. But its wonderful to see how far I came within those couple of weeks, and how much further I could take it in terms of amazing print ideas. Layering up is definitely my thing, and something i will continue to practice. Good work!       

DAVID HORST _ Exhibition 2014

"I think that Horst himself wasn't a great follower of fashion," says Brown. "It's not really an exhibition about fashion, it's about style and elegance ... that's his lasting legacy and a sense of classicism comes through very strongly in his work and that doesn't change. In fact, if you look at a Horst picture from the 1930s and a picture from the 1980s, that classicism and inimitable style is still present."

The exhibition itself cleverly mirrored the style of Horst’s photography, with darker rooms being used to exhibit his early shots and a wide, brightly lit room being used to display the colourful Vogue magazine shots. Throughout, the exhibition had a compelling energy and deep knowledge, but delicately expressed. The exhibition could have been over whelming, but with the use of his sketchbooks, rare film footage of Horst at work and a selection of haute couture garments, it made Horst and the surroundings more 'real'. The result is a fascinating exhibition that shows off Horst's work and allows us not just to understand the development of his signature style, but also to witness the changes in women, their fashion and their role in society (pre war-1980s). Horst's colour photographs are rarely exhibited because few of the vintage prints are still around but shown together, alongside over 90 Vogue magazine covers from across the decades, the effect is brilliant.

Horst's skills included using light and shadow to create mood and shape the human form, and used this to create an atmospheric illusion. He created images that transcended fashion and time, producing many an iconic image. It was interesting to see these images in  way that made them timeless, modern even with the simple way he composed an image. Perhaps his colour images were more dates, as the sensual, sophisticated quality of the moody black and white images were lost.

I also found his natural photography very insightful. These photos examined the architecture and form of nature. The shots are so close-up that the subjects are taken out of their natural setting - an examination of their beauty through design rather than their place in the natural world. Of course, my love for print set in and I began imagining wonderful garments printed with these fascinating images.

MOTORCYCLE LIVE_2014

 



















It's a long old journey traveling up to Birmingham, three hours in fact. But this aids to the excitement. My dad and I have been attending the Motorcycle Live Show for over 5 years, leaving at 6 in the morning ready for the long day ahead.


The show itself takes place at the NEC, spreading across 3/4 halls crammed full of motorcycle wonders. Lovely. Its not just the motorbikes that draw me back each year- its the hustle and bustle of everyone trying to get the best deal, the interesting smell of petrol fumes and sweaty bikers, people crowding round the newest bike, the distinct growl of a menacing bike. I love it, absolutely love it.
For me, inspiration comes from anywhere, so it didn't stop here. The sleek shapes and carbon fibre farings created shapes and forms for me to explore, the crowds of people all in leather even made me picture shapes and structures which could be refined. Motor shows are often a great place to discover up and coming materials for fashion, with each company trying to make their bike faster, more dynamic, lighter. All very interesting to incorporate within fashion. This show included many retro cafe racer bikes, so contrasting new materials with an older fashion sprang to mind.
Even the surroundings were to be noted- it was all very industrial with metal frames for each stall breaking up the daunting hall, very rigid and cold looking, structural and served its purpose.
The highlight of course was seeing the new Yamaha R1 (definitely on my wish list). It was a fantastic looking bike, with an angry front and sleek design, it meant business. It was powerful, something I thrive on and get excited by.
So a good day all round, I collected a lot of free tat, sat on many a bike and bought a hat. Here's to next year!