Textiles

Project Brief – Spectacular Geometrics and Hidden Nature Prints

Background/Introduction

This is a print based design project which focusses around selecting two interesting key words for my starting points. The two inspirations that I have chosen are: ‘Spectacular Geometrics’ and ‘Hidden Nature.’

‘Spectacular Geometrics’ - I intend to focus on photographing buildings and architecture around Liverpool, studying building shapes, patterns and structure. I will research other architectural photographers, visit museums and use books and magazines for my visual inspiration.

‘Hidden Nature’ – I selected the theme hidden nature because I like the idea of nature that we cannot see on an everyday basis, for instance nature in an underwater environment. In particular I have been inspired by the large amount of different sized shells that can be found underwater. I intend to base my print designs around the vastly different colours, textures and patterns of underwater sea shells.

Project Outline

To create two different print collections per theme. These final print collections will then be transformed onto fashion garments so that they can be visualised on the body. For the geometric prints I intend to transform the prints onto 3 – dimensional, sculptural catwalk fashion garments and for the hidden nature prints I will be looking at transforming the images onto flowing outfits as I want the final visuals to be in keeping with the contrasting themes.

Objectives/ Tasks

Visual: Primary drawings, photographs, books, magazines and museum visits/ exhibitions

Technical: Create a Print Technical File, Research into print techniques from books and other designers' internet pages.

Market: Books, Internet, Magazines, Journals. Such as The Prediction Journal, Textile View, Vogue, Elle. Current and past fashion products selling in the market.

Contextual: Drawings, photographs, Internet, exhibitions, newspaper articles and books.

Design Development

In order to produce the final designs I aim to produce:

• Inspirational Boards – x4
• Initial Sketches
• Primary Photographs
• Research – (Visual, Market, Technical)
• Fabric Samples
• Design Sheets – A2 size
• Four Final Visuals

Key Texts/Exhibitions

Liverpool World Museum – Aquarium, Bug House, Natural History Centre
Liverpool Tate Museum
Berlin Zoo
Sea World

Final Collection/Outcome

My aim is to have produced four printed designs, two prints per collection and to have each of the prints transformed onto fashion garments as final visuals.

Inspirational Boards - Hidden Nature

 

Imagery for these inspirational boards has been collected from first hand photographs, visits to Sea World, Berlin Zoo, Fashion magazines, Textile View, Blogs and Designers websites.
Drawings

Experimentations, Techniques and Samples

I began by creating various background colours using different printing and dying techniques such as reactive dyes, acid dying, direct dyes. Once I had gathered a collection of backgrounds I began to transfer the shell stencil onto the different fabrics. Below are two examples of dyed fabrics which I have experimented with. I have used bleach to transfer the shell stencil design onto the fabrics, looking at different colour outcomes. The results showed the fabrics to be vastly different. 

This fabric sample had a mixed background colour, once the bleach was added to the top of the fabric the shell colour began to turn yellow. The yellow really stands out against the background colour and produces a strong and visual outcome.

The background of this sample was made with direct dyes which have been dabbed with a sponge onto the fabric. Once the bleach was added to this fabric the shell design began to fade to white/clear. I like the outcome as it resembles the underwater theme, but I want to continue to experiment with this sample as it does not stand out as much as the first bleached design.
Visual Inspiration

For more visual research I visited Liverpool’s World Museum where I was able to take photographs of the sea life centre and the shell and fossil room. The images above are two of the photographs that helped inspire the shell stencils for the print collection.
Experimentations, Techniques and Samples

The sample above is an experiment using the puff binder process. I applied the puff binder through the acetate stencil onto grey fabric (which had previously been dyed in the acid bath.) I really like the outcome of this sample, the puff binder has risen perfectly into the desired shape and the texture of this resembles the textures that can be found on the outside of shells.

Shell stencil printed onto dyed fabric by using the flocking technique. I really like the outcome of this sample, the background and the shell colour complement each other.
Market Research

One of the designers that I have been looking at for inspiration is Mary Katrantzou. Her designs for the Spring/Summer 2012 catwalk are eye catching and visually interesting in relation to the Hidden Nature project. Her collection embraces a beautiful and enchanting underwater world. The colours and patterns are vividly realistic, the prints being vibrant and strong with the imagery taken from underwater coral reefs and sea life.

The MFW Versace Spring/Summer 2012 Collection based on sea glamour is luminescent. The designs glow and sparkling details illustrate a story of shining sexy underwater rock and roll. The garments are made of sorbet shades and underwater motifs of shells, starfish and sea horses, paired with shiny Lucite platforms and stilettos.

Digital Printer Designs

The prints above are taken from experimental samples that I created in the print room. I have then manipulated the samples in Photoshop to create fresh new images for the digital printer. The pale yellow and blue design is one of my favourites as the design and colour scheme is really versatile. Although I originally designed it for a fashion garment I think that this design would work really well on interior fabrics.

Experimentations, Techniques and Samples

For the next part of my Hidden Nature project I have decided to start looking more closely at underwater colours, patterns and textures. I also want to bring in my interest of laser cutting, which is why I have decided to put some of my designs into the laser cutter so that the shell stencil can be cut into my own fabrics.
To begin with I started by experimenting with different printing techniques to create different coloured underwater fabrics. Above are four of the best samples produced that link to the underwater theme. The top right hand sample has been created with direct dyes, once these dyes have dried I have then sprayed watered down bleach across the top to create an underwater bubble effect.
Visual Inspiration

Laser Cut article from Look magazine

This mesmerising image is called, ‘Subaquatic Beauty’ and was photographed by the talented Alix Malka. The photographs are visually beautiful. I saw these images on another blog site and was really inspired by them in relation to my Hidden Nature project. I like the way the water plays with the flowing fabrics of the garments, the bubbles dance around the model and the vivid colours stand out against the black backdrop.

Experimentations, Techniques and Samples




Above is a selection of my laser cut shell stencils. Before getting each of the designs laser cut I first printed each of the background fabrics. The bottom design is A2 sized, I will be inputting this design onto Photoshop so I can visualise this pattern on a fashion garment.
Final Hidden Nature Collection 

 My final two fashion designs really depict the theme of my collection. I have created two photographs based on 'under the water' and have used Photoshop to lay my own hidden nature prints across the fashion garments. This is in keeping with the under the sea theme. The dresses are long, elegant and flowing, they move gracefully in the water and the folds in the dresses resemble the waves and ripples of the water.
Dress Making Process

Stage One: Laying out the pattern pieces onto the fabric

Stage Two: Tacking the pattern pieces together. (I added this stage as I wanted to make sure that the dress outcome was what I wanted.)



Stage three: I first over locked the edges of the pattern pieces. Once that had been done then I could begin the printing process. To create the fabric colours I used reactive dyes. Using a sponge I dabbed on the colours in stages. To create the underwater bubble effect I sprayed bleach over the top of the fabric. The outcome of the pattern pieces can be seen below.


Stage four: I next got the bottom panels of the dress laser cut with my shell design. Once this was done I then began to construct the pattern pieces together to form the dress. Below are my final visuals of my finished product.  

 I am really pleased with my first attempt at making a dress, although the final result is not perfect, throughout the whole process I have been able to learn many different techniques which I can use and adapt the next time I construct a garment. My main problem was the 100 % cotton material I used to create the garment, when laser cutting the cotton fabric the shell edges do not seal. Therefore to solve this problem I have carried out experimental samples of different types of white fabrics and have found that the best type of material to use is a polyester and cotton mix.   

Visualisations

Above is a selection of my developmental visualisations. I wanted to experiment with different colour ways, depth of colours, patterns and layering techniques.

Inspirational Boards - Spectacular Geometrics

The images in my inspirational boards have been collected from many different sources. Photographs of geometrical buildings that I have personally taken myself from various locations such as Liverpool, Berlin and Rome. There are also images from architectural books, fashion magazines, Textile View, Internet sites, Blogs and Designers websites.

Drawings

Quick geometrical sketches taken from my sketchbook, focussing on lines, angles, layering and connecting shapes together.

Visual Research

In February 2012 I was able to take a trip to Berlin, which was amazing. Whilst there I got some fantastic photographs of the architecture around the city. A lot of the buildings in Berlin are tall sky scrapers or unique geometrical and 3 - dimensional buildings. The buildings have a great deal of characteristic and form to them. The shapes of the buildings really fitted in with my geometrical project, therefore I was able to gather a lot of really interesting visual research whilst having fun exploring Berlin.


Experimentations, Techniques and Samples

Above are some of my original geometric fabric samples based on geometric patterns. The top design was created by using a masking tape technique. I cut thin strips of masking tape and placed them on top of the fabric in a geometrical pattern. I then used a sponge to dab reactive dyes on top. Once the dyes had dried I could then peel back the making tape to reveal the geometric pattern. This was a quick and interesting technique to experiment with as it allowed me to create a variety of designs at a fast pace.  

The other designs were experiments created using my geometric stencil. I would first create the different types of backgrounds then apply the geometric stencil on top by using a screen. The bottom two designs I wanted to create visually interesting backgrounds with strong colours, I have then printed the geometrical stencil designs over the top.

Visual Inspiration

Parametric Lace

Leonardo Solass - Mesh Experiments

Market Research

I currently admire the work of fashion designer Irina Shaposhnikova. She completed a Masters in fashion design at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Belgium. Her MA graduate collection called 'Crystallographica' (pictured above) is made from sculptural geometric folds, made in a variety of high - tech fabrics which are complemented by a monochrome colour palette.

For my final visuals I want to display them on 3 - dimensional clothing, this is so the designs take the form of the structural outfits.

Digital Printer Designs

These are my two favourite geometric designs that I have had printed on a digital printer. I really like the strong colours, layering and repetition. The outcomes appear graphic and would work extremely well printed on a structured dress or a small silk scarf.

Final Spectacular Geometric Collection

I am really pleased with the final outcomes for the geometric project. Both of my final designs show two really diverse pieces created by using different techniques.  I wanted the collections to have similar colour schemes, keeping the pinks and yellows within each. My vision for the final designs were to place them on simple but structured outfits as this runs with my geometrical theme as my inspiration has been taken from simple and structured geometrical architecture.