3.0.0 Influential Designers

All of the three designers featured in this post displayed their work at New Designers. By going to New Designers I was able to see the wide variety to which people work, the multiple avenues that can be reached and expressed through weave was immense and gave me a good understanding as to where I wanted my practise to develop. When I was looking for designers to research I chose to focus on four main areas; context, technique, materials, and design. For me the most important attribute was context, how the designers considered use of yarns, colours, and patterning within their overall design to create a meaningful outcome. This is an area that I need to develop most, and how these designers have harmonised all the aspects of a design is very inspiring.

JESSICA ROSE TASKER

Jessica's samples and visualisations 

http://jessicarosetasker.co.uk/ 

As I have stated my main focus, when finding designers to influence and direct my final year at university, had been context. Although the collection that Jessica displayed at New Designers was not visually to my liking I was immediately drawn to her context (for this collection it was contract weaving, centred on car interiors). After researching Jessica further I found that other collections she produced were very appealing, using more colour but maintaining the same acute detailed pattering. As she is very aware of her context she is considerate when selecting yarns, making them subtitle for commercial and contract weaving her patterning also reflects this consideration. Although she is very focused on her context and directs her work towards transport interiors she does not neglect other possible applications for her designs (reflecting in her New Designers collection that they are also well suited to coats and jackets). I have found that I prefer to work in a commercial way, and can see my practice maturing in that direction. Jessica's context is almost exactly where I wish to place myself, however I do not see myself focusing on car interiors. I hope to apply the same consideration as she does (especially with yarn selection, as this is something I tend to over look).

Within her collections she produces both Dobby and Jacquard samples, her technical skill is evident in the fact that the two methods are seamlessly brought together. Within her collections she regularly plays with scale giving it further depth and variation, most of the patterning however is small scale. Being small scale the designs are well suited to the commercial market, she has grasped the ability to create complex repeats often found in the contract weaving market and perfect for transport interiors. As I have said I do not wish to focus on transport interiors but I would love to develop the ability to create patterning like she has. The samples and techniques that she has used has highlighted to me the skill areas that I need to improve on. Also it has shown the potential of small scale patterning, and how great variation can be obtained.

Her design and inspiration also interest me, she stated that for her latest collection (featured at New Designers) she was influenced by innovation in the textiles market (fabrics, yarns and future concepts). I also find myself drawn to technological advancement, I believe that designers should start to interoperate more of the modern instruments available. Alongside a shared interest in innovation it would appear that we also develop designs in a similar way; through CAD technology. With the ability to alter scale, reflect and repeat images, makes it a perfect tool for developing patterns that are suitable for contract weaving and commercial outcomes. Thus I will continue to use this within my own design practice.

CHELSEA EGAN-CLEWS

Chelsea's Jacquard, Dobby, print designs and visual research

http://chelseaeganclews.blogspot.co.uk/ 

While at New Designers I saw a few collections that contained Dobby, Jacquard, and print samples, for me Chelsea's work stood apart from the rest. I was really impressed with how she had created a consistent and harmonised collection containing all of the three mentioned techniques. With most collections where these techniques are presented together there is slight friction between them; most of the time it lies within the patterns and colours, each of the techniques seems to have its own take on them. Chelsea's collection however works really well together; I believe this is because of her strict colour pallet and patterning. She began her process with visual research into moths, from this she extracted a precise colour pallet consisting of only six colours. She also created representational studies which suited well to the print and Jacquard designs, when considering the Dobby designs however she took only elements from the moths (such as the patterning on their wings). Then when creating her samples she took little features from each technique and applied them to others; the zigzags from her Dobby samples was used as a background of one of her Jacquard samples.

I am extremely fond of the way Chelsea designs, her method is very simple, its controlled nature means that her samples stand well individually but work excellently as a collection. I enjoy drawing but have found that designing for weave it is easier to produce abstract images or simply focus on patterns, I am best at representational drawing I would like to use it within my practice. Incorporating Jacquard or print samples is something I have though of doing but have always been concerned that they would distract rather then aid my collections. However after discovering Chelsea's work I have seen how successful a collection of multiple techniques can be and am eager to experiment with this in my own practice. 

NICOLA COSTELLO

Nicola's Samples

http://www.nicolacostellodesign.com/

When walking though New Designers Nicola's work immediately stood out for me, not only did she have an impressive quantity of work but also her use of materials and techniques were well in keeping with were I could see my own practice progressing. Luckily I had the opportunity to talk to Nicola in person, I chose to ask mainly about her context as this was an area that needed development within my own work. The main body of her work was steered towards commercial manufacture through her use of yarn and technique, she told me that although she aims to design for interiors (upholstery and soft furnishings) she dose not discredit how her samples are suited to fashion (coats and jackets). Directing and finalising my work/ samples then going on to find other potential uses/ markets would be something well worth incorporating into my practise, it would take no more time but it would make me more conscious of the potential applications for my samples.

Nicola's use of material and technique is defiantly somewhere is see my work going already; she uses 100% wool in most of her samples. After the success of my double cloth pure wool collection I am eager to create more wool samples. As I discussed with Nicola the way in which you can further develop your samples though washing and finishing is so exciting. Nicola experiments with finishing, not by trying outrageous techniques but altering the finish depending on the intended use for the fabric/ sample. Alongside her finishing her use of technique is naturally carefully selected for the specific context. I particularly like her use of “unstructured” figuring, she uses it as a means of abstract representation (allowing the texture and colour to make all the connections to her visual research) but I believe this technique could have a place in representational designs as well. It is certainly a technique I would like to attempt, the way in which it looks completely random (hiding its repeat) is a concept you see regularly within commercial textiles, and would thus be a valuable asset to my practice.

2.2.12 Unit Evaluation

This unit for me has been a huge learning curve; with the tight deadlines, working towards a refined live brief, and learning new techniques all at once. Time management has been the most important skill throughout the enquiries, for me balancing both the projects side by side was near impossible so I chose instead to work on each one individually. By working on each individually I was given tighter times on each project, I feel that by giving myself sub goals at the end of every week, and working on the train and coming in early every morning I was able to keep on top of the workload reasonably well. As I gave myself a shorter time to work on each project I found myself developing much of my work and designs independently, after completing these projects I feel a lot more confident in my own decision making as the risks I took proved to be well spent. Such as using monofilament as the seersucker section of my warp.

As I have stated before this project has been tight, time wise, and decision making and development has been quick and concise. Within the Wallace and Sewell project I found my self leaning a new technique, as there was not much time I found myself thinking very critically towards my samples extracting the successful areas and disregarding the “failures”. Within the Wallace and Sewell project especially I found myself developing every sample until I found the “perfect” technique for my final collection. I undertook the same thinking during my Self initiated brief, once again I was using a new technique and had little time. However instead of using my sampling as a means to developing and refining I used Photoshop heavily; creating compositions that I know would be successful or need little development once woven.

Working with an external brief has been a pleasant eye-opener, working to such specific requirements while keeping your own style is a challenge and I have been enthused by the prospect. I feel that by taking part in this live brief I have begun to develop designs differently, I have become more aware of the end use of my samples and I'm beginning to take this into account when I begin the project not just once the samples are made; considering yarns, structures and finishing techniques from initiation to completion.

As is shown throughout my blog, sketchbook, and samples I have experimented and tested different techniques constantly. Within my first brief I chose to dye all my yarns as my colour pallet was very specific, I then went onto make a double cloth warp, of which I have never done before, within the double cloth I attempted my different structures and tested all of the different combinations of alternating the cloth its self. I also attempted to felt the sample as I had initially desired to cut into theme but as I dyed my yarns the ability to felt was lost. For my Self initiated brief “The Face” I once again experimented with my warp by using monofilament as my seersucker sections, as I was informed by my tutor this has not been tested before and there was not granite that it would work. The technique was successful and the risk paid off as the seersucker sample I produced went into my final collection.

Naturally when making the Wallace and Sewell collection from the very beginning I was considering yarns and technique, making sure it was suitable for their fashion line. I used 100% pure wool as my yarn throughout, as they only use natural yarn, and worked hard on my finishing technique a I know they value the finish of there products. When I was designing my warp I also took into account scale as I knew my sample was intended to be a scarf I made it quite wide and all my samples long in order to give to scale proportions, I also used Photoshop to make visualizations that displayed the length of the scarf and the overall proportions. For me the self imitated brief wad harder to pin down, to being with I wanted the collection be be very different from that of my live brief and I chose to make it in a gallery style. Thus my choice of yarns and techniques didn't need to be suitable for manufacture or fashion they simply need to respond to my brief “The Face”. As my project developed I began to see, assisted by my tutor, other areas where my samples would be well suited for; blinds and room dividers. Although my samples were not initially intended for this outcome I used Photoshop to create visualizations that transformed my samples into the large scale pieces they would need to be to fulfil this new end use.

Thinking contextually has been very important to me within this unit, naturally as I have undertaken a live brief that requires you to thoroughly consider the final outcome of your design, and as I am trying to see which area of the weaving world I see my work and myself settling into. I haven tried to keep myself aware of designers though the contextualization of my projects, and I feel I have done this very successfully in the face that my samples work well for their intended use and, as my self initiated project displays, other end uses too. An area I know I can begin to develop upon is the end users of my products, thinking about the exact audience I want to work for and not just the area.

2.2.11 (SELF) Final Samples and Contextual Visualizations

Final Collection

My final collection for this project, the self initiated “The Face”, consists of 5 samples. During this project I have been able to develop my skills in designing compositions which has lead to me designing compositions that are effective enough to immediately make my final collection. I have also found within this project I have become more aware of the context of my work, seeing the potential for other areas not just what initial thought. At the beginning of “The Face” I had intended to make pieces for gallery exhibit, but the more samples I made the more I began to see the potential in other areas (blinds and dividers). 

Gallery Visualizations

As I had initially set out to make gallery pieces I have made visualizations for that context, thy are very simple, as had been intended. If I were to create these pieces for real I would like to exhibit them in public or outside, as the work of Sotirova's shows it is far more effective due to light and invertible moment. The compositions I have selected are influenced by Osterkamp's, with the small areas of intense patterning and the large expanses of clear. The techniques I chose to develop into the gallery pieces were chosen due to their strong relations to my initial image and key development images. If I was to make these pieces for real I would like to take it a step further and perhaps begin to join them to make either a sculpture or large overall piece, the robust structure they embody would be well suited to this kind of design.

Salt

The area I saw more potential in for my work was blinds and room dividers, after researching other designers such as Salt and Creation Baumann my eyes were opened to the potential my fabrics had. 

Creation Baumann

Elements that made my samples particularly good for the job were the transparent monofilament and lurex, the stable structure of the fabrics, and its lightweight appearance. After looking at Creation Baumann's blinds and curtains, with their translucent designs and cut out patterns I could see how suitable my designs can be. After researching Salt's work I felt the same way with the face that my yarns were well suited and the structures I was using were attractive in the way they carried light and shadows. The visualizations I have made for these products are large scale and thus the detail of my designs are lost but the overall effect is still positive with plenty of light still available and a subtle texture covering the space. If I was to develop this collection further I would like to experiment more with incorporating Creation Baumann's techniques such as cutting away and the large scale design they use.

Visualizations

2.2.10 (SELF) Composition Development

Composition Designs

Within this project all the compositions I create are done though photoshop, I’ve been developing the skills I used in the Wallace and Sewell project but in a different manner. Instead of focusing on colour I've been producing patterns through reflection and repetition. Although I can not recreate the exact pattern on my loom the basic proportions of structure and colour is easily translated, I feel like this method of working is something I would like to implement in future design work due to its speed and easy ability to edit, far quicker and accurate than drawing patterning or structures.

Samples in Need of Development

So far I have made a few samples, my new method of composition design has proved to be effective as most of the samples are concise and perfect for my final collection. My sample have however began to evolve into there own, they not longer do I see then in a gallery context but now I am beginning to see them commercially, as room dividers or something along them lines. I plan to research the possible areas that my transparent structured design will be well suited. The samples that do need development (below) are due to yarn choice and slight unbalanced proportions. The left sample lacks space and the heavy leather cord over weighs the designs; in this sample I introduced cotton and lurex weft, the cotton however brakes up the flow of the sample and naturally reduces it transparent quality. In the rest of my samples I have chosen to use only clear and black lurex as they are fine and light, perfect in reflecting my Photoshop compositions. The right sample again suffers from being too busy, the sections of structures are unbalanced and in my develop sample I plan to correct this imperfection.

2.2.9 (SELF) Introducing Colour and Warp Design

Colour Work

After researching David Szauder's work and realising colour would be an interesting element to my work I sourced this image of skin (above left), I chose this particular image as It had many colours, tones, highlights, and lowlights and thus gave me plenty of options when designing. I broke the image down and extracted the predominant colours and made colour strips, from this I moved on to add colour to my initial image. I have chosen to keep hints of clear space and black as that was my starting point and it has proved to be very successful thus far.

Coloured Initial Image

Upon establishing my colours I went on to design my warp, unfortunately I was unable to dye my own yarns and as a result the colours selected differ slightly from those I extracted directly from the colour image. My warp contains fifteen different mercerised 2/16's cotton, also after the research into Liliya Sotirova's pieces I have chosen to use Monofilament for my seersucker warp sections (appearing white on the plan below). Using monofilament for the seersucker section is an experiment itself as its not conclusive that it will work, I have selected the finest monofilament yarn in the hope that it will react the same as natural yarn but testing is the only way I will find out if this technique will work.

Final Warp

2.2.8 (SELF) Weaving inspiration

Liliya Sotirova

Sotirova have influenced me in this choice. Although both of there work done not inspire fully there are strong elements that I am keen to incorporate and consider while making my samples, for example Osterkamp's use of proportions is delightful (Below). I am fond of the way she uses concentrated sections of texture which is balanced by even larger sections of plain weave. When making my samples I would like to focus on this textured “busy” section and then add the plain section during the visualization process.

Liliya Sotirova's work its self dose not appeal to me, what dose makes her work so inspiring is her use of yarns and most importantly her presentation. The way she uses monofilament and thin fine yarns to make the most of her samples is truly amazing (Above). Exhibiting most of her pieces is a natural environment, the fine yarns makes them seem almost part of the surroundings yet foreign at the same time. The piece that stood out most for me was "Whenever" as its constant interaction with the atmosphere makes a new piece appear almost every moment, this interaction with surroundings through either placement or simply yarn is something I would like to explore within my own sampling.

Peggy Osterkamp

2.2.7 (SELF) The Face

Initial Image

When beginning the self initiated project it was recommended that we create connections to the live brief (Wallace and Sewell). The connections I have made a quite subtle; firstly I have chosen “The Face” as my theme, inspired by the small figures in Feininger's painting and secondly I plan to use a single image to fuel my entire project. The image I have chosen is one of my own, a simple line drawing of an emotive face.

Luke Dixon (far left), My Inspired Image and strips (all others)

After settling on my main image, my next task has been to dissect it; I have begun this by researching artist that studied the face, and then impose there style on my initial image. As my drawing consists heavily of line elements I first found Luke Dixon, an artists that used line in a different way his work was much more textural than that of my own. I began my response by producing numerous mark making strips and then Photoshoped them onto my original image. The image that had been created by this editing was one I could relate easily to weave. To help me analyze this image further I cut it up revealing only small segments, which gave me an even greater indication to possible structures and weaves.

My Inspired Image and strips (all others), David Szauder (far right)

The next artist I researched was David Szauder, his work starts with realistic images that have then been distorted by code. Although I could not distort mine with code, Photoshop worked very well, I morphed and stretched the image and used a technique that burred the image in a coded fashion. Once again to help me break down the new images I cut them up, the resulting fragments have inspire me to incorporate warp distortion weaving and texture creating techniques such as seersucker into my samples. Also after studying his work I have decided to introduce colour some how, probably through the warp, as I believe this will create stronger visual connections to the face.

2.2.6 (LIVE) Final Samples

Final Samples

Within my final collection, consisting of three samples, for the Wallace Sewell brief I have responded sensitively to colour, structure, and composition in order to create my own original designs while maintaining enough of Wallace Sewell style to be incorporated with there other collections. While keeping a connection to Wallace and Sewell's work I have also managed to relate to the initial painting Barfuesserkirche I (1924) by Lyonel Feininger. I feel that the success of this collection is thanks to, firstly, my use of colour that I rigorously developed at the being of the project and, secondly, the assemblage of simple structures and Compositions that I incorporated into my work through research into Wallace Sewell, “Barfuesserkirche”, and other designs such as Nancy Middlebrook.

As I designed this collection for Wallace Sewell's fashion range I have created a visualization of my design as a scarf. By doing this I am able to sow how the design changes throughout the main body of the scarf.

Photoshop products

2.2.5 (LIVE) Composition and Sample Development

Composition Designs

When designing my compositions for this project I have put more emphasis on Photoshop, as it gives a clear indication of colour and how the warp and weft will react with one another. Within this project I have been focusing on colour and colour merging (such as the Wallace Sewell silk scarf's) Photoshop had been essential in the investigating and experimenting process. For the overall composition and proportions I have found it easier to simply work on graph paper. By using these two new methods I have been able to create compositions quickly and with accuracy. I would like to develop this use of Photoshop into my next project and see if it helps in other ways to create designs.

Although I am happy with the current range of samples that I have is still development that can be done. The colours need some reworking, looking back at Wallace Sewell's work and rereading the brief I will, in my final samples, increase my weft colours to the maximum of eight. The dominant colour I have been using so far I brown but after researching I have decided to change it for brighter colours such as blue or green as this will match much better to other collections by Wallace Sewell. In the tutorial it was highlighted to me that I need to start thinking contextually, thus I will make my final samples bigger in order to give a better projection of, not just the bordered of the scarf as I have at the moment, but the rest of the scarf too. 

Developed Samples

Another factor that I have experimented with is the finishing of my samples. Initially I wanted to felt all my samples but as I dyed all my own yarn my attempts were fruitless. I then moved on to simply pressing, then washing and pressing but still the finish was not quite right. After a tutorial I was recommended to pin dry, this technique has worked very well as it keep the sample tight and thus helps to stop shrinking distortion. Next I chose to brush all my samples as this gave them an overall subtle soft feel, that makes it feel like a fashion fabric especially a scarf.

2.2.4 (LIVE) Initial Samples and Research

Initial Samples

The first stage of weaving for me has been to lean how double cloth works and to test different four shaft structures, the results have been interesting; I have learnt that less is more, as too many structures combine with the complex warp give a haphazard and messy look to the design. I have also learnt the different ways of alternating the warp, horizontally, vertically and the alternate patterns the warp can be brought up in. In conclusion to my testing I have decided to use only plain and twill weave while making my samples and experiment with the combinations of double cloth to add an element of complexity.

Nancy Middlebrook

To help me design my samples and stretch the technique of double cloth I have researched a number of artists and designers; two of which stand out for me are Nancy Middlebrook and Melintre Gwynt. I really like how, in both their work, the general structure of the fabric is very simple and the detail is created though the use of colour and proportions. The way both the designers use kind of geometric/ block patterns link back wonderfully to my initial painting and inspiration source (Lyonel Feininger's Barfuesserkirche I). I am eager to interoperate Middlebrook's use of graduating blocks into my designs and Melintre Gwynt's use of odd yet patterned blocks.

Melintre Gwynt

2.2.3 (LIVE) Creating The Warp

Inspiration for my Warp

When designing my warp I reviewed all my research so far, contemplating both Wallace Sewell's samples alongside the colour strips I had created from Feininger's painting. One Wallace Sewell warp that I was particularly inspired by was one from there silk square collection, the random accumulation of stripes differing in width constantly alongside blocks of colour. The advantage of this complex pattern, as shown by Wallace Sewell, is that only simple weft colours are needed, large blocks of colour are overpowered and embellished by the warp. 

A Painted Plan and Yarn Wrap of my Final Warp

My final warp plan (above), I feel has embodied all the elements I highlighted. There is an uneven yet controlled variation of stripes, the colours appear random yet are carefully planned to relate directly back to Feininger's Barfuesserkirche I and Wallace Sewell's use of highlights, lowlights, and tones. To get these perfect colours I have chosen to dye all my yarn, the yarn I have selected is Pure Wool 2/36's as it is natural and its fine quality. After studying Wallace Sewell's threading and taking Barfuesserkirche I's use of blocks into account I have chosen to make my warp double cloth, and thread up on straight blocks (below). 

Threading and Warp Plan

2.2.2 (LIVE) Lyonel Feininger

Lyonel Feininger, Barfuesserkirche I, 1924

Following Wallace Sewell's brief I searched out a painting, I settled on this one, (above) Barfuesserkirche I by Lyonel Feininger. I chose this specific painting as it has many appealing properties, its use of highlights, lowlights, and tonal shades harmonised perfectly with that of Wallace Sewell's pallet while maintaining interdependence. I found it also held great colour combinations the way they were placed together and the proportions was something I am keen to extract. Also the dominating straight lines and sectioned composition of this painting are features I can see easily and effectively translating into a woven sample.

Colour Strips

To help me analyse this painting and pull out all of its colour combinations as well as its proportions I decided to paint numerous colour strips. I cut a printout of the painting up; lengthways, widthways, and diagonally, to gain different perspectives of colour. The result of this undertaking has been very fruitful as I now have ample amounts of colour work to inspire both my warp and weft.