Sponsorship!

Wallpaper manufacturer and supplier Graham & Brown have very kindly agreed to sponsor me for my degree show. They have provided me with rolls and rolls of paper which I am going to use to print onto for my final collection. After lots of paper testing I discovered that their Wall Doctor Lining Paper gave me the result I want. I have found that the pigment sits on the paper really well providing a lovely crisp print. Unlike many other lining papers it is nice and white in colour; it is also a really nice quality and feels soft to touch. So thank you very much Graham and Brown, this is a huge help.

http://www.grahambrown.com/

Development Stage

For a few weeks now I have been working on my development for my final wallpaper collection, and I am really happy with how it is going. I love this part of a project, this is where it gets exciting.

My first design is made up of two layers of paper. The bottom layer is a crisp, simple mosaic print. The top layer consists completely of cut-out work. When the cut-out work is placed of the top of the mosaic print, the design becomes really interesting. By doing this you get three designs in one. As the top layer is removable the papers can be displayed separately or together, one on top of another.

Development for design number two. This is going to be more of a commercial print which will be in repeat.

. . and even more development.

London Research Visit

I have had a brilliant day out in London this week with my friend. I collected lots of research and feel really inspired to crack on with my own work.

Amongst other places, we visited the V&A where there is currently a really interesting Digital Design exhibition on called ‘Decode’.

Whilst there I took a look at their impressive, gigantic ceramics galleries were I got a little carried away with taking photos.

We also had time to do a spot of shopping, or market research as I like to call it where we come across a gorgeous little cake shop, mmmm!!!

It was well worth the trip and I now feel ready to start drawing again.

The Start of my Final Major Project!

Concept Board

My Concept

Continuing on from the theme of ceramics, the concept on which my Minor Project was based, I am focusing on decorative ceramics, tiles and mosaic to create an interior collection.This will involve studying patterns and designs on antique, precious ceramics as well as studying both modern and traditional tiles and mosaic’s patterns.

Pixilation is another idea I am playing with, inspired by artists Gerhard Richter and Ellsworth Kelly, both of which have created work consisting of square blocks of solid colour, reminiscent of mosaic patterns.Creating imagery made up from squares or mosaic shaped pieces is also something I am also exploring. I am experiment with doing this by using paper to collage, cutting my drawings up, mixing up the pieces and putting them back together again, I may also do it digitally, taking inspiration from artists such as David Hockney.

In my drawing sheets I am focusing mainly on collage and cut out work. I am using a variety of media’s including gouache, pencil, coloured pencils and fine liners, as well as machine stitch. I don’t want my drawing sheets to be completely flat, I want them to be 3D and textured. 

Here is a selection of some of my first drawing sheets -

At the end of my Final Major Project I aim to produce a mixture of wallpapers, bespoke 3D wallpaper, interactive wallpaper, including stickers, and some commercial papers which will be printed in repeat. I hope for my final collection to consist of two, possibly three lengths and the rest as A1 size samples. I also hope to have a number of my own decorative ceramics on display, featuring my own designs. I am currently taking a short course in ceramics which is one night a week for six weeks. By the end of this I hope to have gained experience in how to create my own ceramic but more importantly decorate them. I want to learn how to transfer my own imagery onto my own ceramic forms which I will have created myself.

Bespoke Wallpaper based on Ceramics - Minor Project

For my minor project I produced a collection of bespoke wallpaper designs based on the theme of ceramics. My finals collection consists of three lengths and five A1 size wallpaper samples, which I designed to fit into modern kitchens or in to modern restaurants or coffee shops. They are made up of a combination of techniques including print, machine stitch, cut out work and paper manipulation.

Here I have played with the idea of making some of my papers interactive, and have produced a few packets of self adhesive stickers to go with the design allowing the client to be able arrange the pattern the way they want.

I think these designs consisting of smashed plates and stacks of cups are really effective as the prints are simple and crisp. The delicate cut out work completes theses designs, this a technique I would like to experiment with more in the future.

This design is a favourite of mine, it’s really unique as it is pleated, I also love the intricate print. The print is based on a pile of ceramics, inspired by Clare Twomey’s Monument, an artwork which was exhibited at Mima (Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art).

Here are four more of my finals. They include 'Large Text Patchwork', 'Small Text Cups, 'Small Pile of Plates' and 'Large Pile of Plates'.

My Inspiration

In the white room by Tracy Kendall. Taken from 'The Cutting Edge of Wallpaper'.

Bespoke wallpaper designer Tracy was a huge influence to me in this project. In october 2009 I was lucky enough to go to London and work with her for a week. It was a brilliant experience and I learnt lots, I came back to uni full of ideas and knowing that wallpaper design was what I wanted to do for definite.

My work space/wall of inspiration.

Here are a selection of some of my drawing sheet for my minor project, they include a mixture of techniques and medias including paint, pencil sketch, embroidery, collage, cut out work and 3D drawings created using paper.