There was various things to discuss with Nick today and I feel that it was really helpful and positive. For my wallpaper, I was unsure whether to hand print it after creating a kodatrace with he cut through, which would be time consuming. Or whether I should get it digitally printed over in Guntons. I was also unsure whether to choose the larger scale dimensions (180x120cm) and if i did- would i need the physical copy of the entry too? How would this work??? I have emailed them to see. I think continuing working to the 52x64cm dimensions is a good scale to work too anyway and it would work printing it digitally in Guntons on the 300gsm paper.

I have been experimenting more with cut through repeats today so that I can complete this mini brief and competition entry by the end of the week. I want to be able to work back on to fabric and develop and create final designs (1 metre maybe?) so I am anxious to get this completed. Because I am not particularly confident and experienced in repeats, I am finding this slightly difficult. The scale and the size is unnerving me- I am finding it hard to understand and get my head around the IDOTT brief and its requirements.
I want to work large scale in the 52x64 cm dimensions but I find that I keep repeating myself in terms of size of shapes in these dimensions.
Today I used colour in my cut throughs to see if this could help. After colour testing for the morning with procion and pigment binders, I used paper stencils with open screens to build up a design of cut out shapes and markings.
Because I'm working on paper, the procion paste doesn't sit particularly well and tends to bubble up at the edges, meaning the shapes aren't crisp and sharp like they are in my drawings. Working with binder on paper sits better but it hasn't got the translucency like procion has. Overlaying the procion means I can create darker and lighter areas with the same colours.
When testing the colours, I tested them on paper as well as plain cotton so that I have the procion on cotton for potential future printing. The colour on paper turns out lighter than on the fabric, but when printed through the screen, the colour on paper is slightly darker than when just tested straight onto paper.
After initially wanting to use warm tones and colours that I have not necessarily used previously, I played around with colour combinations further and managed to create a fresh, in trend palette. I created lots of different colour combos yesterday but found that a lot of them felt too earthy and dull. I wanted to create something fresh and inviting which also came from some of my primary imagery. I finalised my colours with a dark navy, a royal blue/navy, a peach/light pink, a burnt orange rust OR a scarlet coral pink and a light grey. I think these colours can still be developed and potentially narrowed down so that there are more neutrals, meaning the palette is balanced and versatile.
I am ensure whether to translate these into kodatraces or digitally print them on to acetate to then put them onto screens and hand print. Or would it be easier and more time effective if I could just digitally print it onto wallpaper in Guntons?? This is something I will discuss with Nick tomorrow in my tutorial.

before cut through

after cut through

complete design

complete design

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Using colours from emerging interior trends I have created various colour palettes for project #4 which will be used in my cut out style wallpaper and wall pieces. 

Tomorrow I will be back in the print room and need to continue to plan and figure out how I could create a repeat length for my last project and the idott competition. I want it to be based upon the cut out, simple shapes and minimal lines, using various artists and trends to influence me. In a way this is a development of my previous work from the other projects but I am finding a way to be selective in the way that I work and work to a brief.

The brief asks for a repeat wallpaper 52 by 64 cm which has to repeat in both width and height. I want to create a large scale wall covering so that the repeat can be barely seeing in length. There is an option on the brief which says that you can opt for bigger dimensions- which may be a possibility for me.

I have already began creating compositions and drawing for this project (before easter) using lining paper to help me understand the width I am working to. Tomorrow I will continue to do this and consider options for scale.

I have quickly tried repeating my cut out shapes to see how they could flow together when repeating in width and length and I think this could work.

I am going to attempt to do similar designs using paper stencils tomorrow.

I have been organising and sorting out my multiple projects within this body of work. I aim to name each project and every final piece/design, meaning I have a narrative for my work, which will enable me to have a disccuion surrounding it. 

Using the competitions as projects has helped give me a focus as I find that I easily become unfocused and struggle often with the context. Assigning my projects with a mini brief or context direction has already helped me use my time efficiently.
I registered interest for Bishops arts prize, and need to ensure I make work relevant for this brief toe> time to think about that!

Bishops arts prize, reminding my self of the brief and my register of interest >

I have realised how much my work has moved forward since then. I have worked bigger, onto fabric, using procion and a combination of industry processes. I have mentioned my passion for working on unusual materials in my register of interest for the Bishops Arts Prize. Should I work onto wood? Would this broaden my portfolio and show my skills? Or should I stick with fabric I have already been working on as I have a limited amount of time?

I feel that this week as been so successful for me- finally screen printing onto cotton (fairly large) has meant that I have found even more confidence in being bold with my shapes lines and colour choices. Using the screens has enabled me to turn my small A3/A2 drawings into larger, more design like pieces.

Yesterday I finally worked larger in the print room. I decided to ease in gently and work on half a metre of cotton using procion and pigment binder. I found it difficult to be loose and experimental like I was in my drawings. I felt as if i was being too controlled and tight with the way i was laying colour down and making marks. This was because of the scale- working on a white blank canvas made things difficult for me initially. I soon loosened up though and painted pigment binder on the fabric in loose marks from my drawings along side the contrasting shapes. Once I had finished I realised that there was too much white and even though this was similar too the drawings, this was emphasised because of the increase in scale. I also reasoned that i probably needed to increase the size of the shapes and marks so they are more varied in my print. I need to be more daring and less precious next time.

Today I coloured tested further as i wasn't completely happy with my chosen colours from last night. This wasn't entirely successful as i ran out of time and i ended up with a few spillages. This evening I decided to try dyeing some cotton so that the white wasn't as prominent. I aimed for a warm taupe shade and after a few testers I dyed a whole metre of fabric. This wasn't particularly successful either but I felt as if i learnt a lot from it. The colour didn't come out how I aimed- it was much paler than I hoped and there were some marks on the fabric from the bucket. Luckily this can be covered when I come to printing.

I feel like this week has been a real learning experience for me as I have been in regularly and using the print room - creating new work and reflecting on this and working out how I can improve things. Positive feedback from Nick on tuesday has encouraged and reassured me.

positive
encouraging
keep going
larger
cardboard wall paper???
graphic wall paper?????
look into idott comp further! repeat specifications?

After my tutorial with Nick I realised that my SDC designs/drawings were flat and this is why I wasn't keen on them. Nick advised to keep using the textures like in my previous drawings. So I  went on to create more markings using graphite, ink, posca pen and oil pastels from my imagery of graffiti, I then scanned these in and manipulated them using the invert tool and the various overlaying tools on photoshop to build up some drawings. I found that this was successful- the balance of shape and texture worked well and I managed to develop my colours too, so this seemed successful.

I began to develop these drawings into some designs using AVA, after speaking with Nick, i realised that I could repeat these just in length, so that the whole design is the width of the fabric- meaning my work would be commercially appropriate. Doing this helped me draw further in order to create relevant drawings that would flow once they are put into repeat.

Nick explained that I could work unconventionally and using felt tip markers and other drawing tools straight onto fabric to see what happened- I like the idea of this as I feel that I would become precious and wouldn't work as loosely on fabric as I am going on paper or digitally.

I aim to try and work on fabric soon and experiment with markers on fabric.

initial designs- before development

tried to briefly put into context- not particularly successful

developing drawing after speaking with Nick

putting these new drawings into repeat

Today I took inspiration from WGSN trends from throughout the years to inform my decisions for colour and style. I wanted to create a classic, timeless collection for SDC as the brief mentions life span and longevity- I want to the this in different ways, not just durability of the material but longevity of the style and print and how it works in the home.

For the SDC competition I am finding it difficult to cover all areas of the brief as there is so much to consider.  I want to focus on the colour and style aspect as I want to keep my same aesthetic whilst showing I can adapt it in my portfolio.

I still plan to be inspired by my surroundings, focusing on walls and urban details. I have used this morning to draw from my previous photographs from London, using a different observing approach and focusing on the negative space and the shapes in the imagery, instead of just focusing on the textures and marks like my previous work. I still have stuck to the collage techniques with found and waste papers and materials.

I used sublimation printing to use the cut out techniques in my drawings to transfer them on to fabric using exact colours that I collated previously on photoshop. I created several designs, each different combinations of colours to help me decide what worked best in terms of colour and design.  I plan to digitally manipulate these on photoshop and AVA to create repeats or placement prints for soft furnishings in the home. I am unsure of these so far as I feel as if I have lost the texture and depth but I will still use these as colour tests and digitally manipulate them, layering markings and shadows.

I am treating this competition as an extra project, so I have gathered lots of research regarding colour, trends and sustainability as the theme is Design for a Circular Economy. I am now trying to decide what fabric to digitally print this on in order to meet the brief.

This morning I realised that I need to create mini briefs for my self in order to work appropriately and ensure I am making the most of my time. I need to be able to create collections to apply my work to various contexts. From realising this in the crit from a comment from Les, I decided to plan the projects and how long I will take to complete them. I am frustrated that I may not be able to explore materials more (like I had planned) but I feel that focusing on print design and creating a noticeable aesthetic will be more appropriate and worthy for my future skill set and career.

I aim to research further into a variety of contexts that are edgy and appropriate to my style of work. I plan to incorporate the competitions that I aim to apply for/complete within my projects so I have more structure.
I need to further research the different contexts and how I can alter and adjust my designs and colours   to suit the applications:
-wall covering/wall paper... could I link this with the Idott competition?
-soft furnishing> bedding/homewares
-3d wall covering> wood/cardboard/3d
-fashion> urban/streetwear/activewear

After todays crit I have also realised that I must create a criteria of success in order to decide and understand whether a certain piece is working- I MUST REFER BACK TO THIS WHEN I AM STRUGGLING.

Today I considered my entries further for the Bradford competition and how I could use my work to fulfil the briefs. I want to be able to use my unique wood idea for the multi media construction entry but I am unsure where to go with that an dhow to develop if further from the coaster/ drink floor idea. I could translate these into wall tiles and have them as a design form interior but this may mean altering the print and gluing/ fusing them onto some more wood to structure it. How could this then sit on the board securely?

To improve the wood pieces and translate my current drawings, I used my textured screens to print onto them with adhesive to apply foil and create marks that contrasted the coloured shapes. I am unsure about this outcome but I will continue to ask myself questions to whether these are successful.