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!